The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-01-28
RELIGIOUS NEWS.
UNION SERVICES.
Crowded Houses Greet DIR. Morris Ever!
Evening

Evening.
Two weeks ago the pastors Of the
cooperative churches Of this city
met together with the officials and
held several consultations as to
what was best to be done to advance
the spiritual interests of the COM
munfty and to put new life in
church work. 1t was finally deter
mined that a series of meetings
should be held in the Methodist
church and that Dr.. j. @. Morris,
pastor of McKendree Church at
Nashville, should be invited to do
the preaching. No better man
could have been selected for the
special work to be done. He is pre-
eminently fitted for the task of
preaching to the church." His
-profound Biblical knowledge and
his deep spirituality are in evil
dence in all of his discOurses to
marked degree. He has been
preaching to crowded houses ever
since he has been here, and the r.
fluence of his preaching for good in
the community is manifest. His
tender and gentle rebukes to the
church for dereliction; and his
warm, earnest and solemn eXhOrta-
ton to higher, purer and holier
life has already made favorable
and lasting impression upon the en-
tire community, regardless Of
church lines. The preachers and
members of the other denomina
tions have regularly attended the
services, day and night, and veri-
fed how pleasant it is for bretheren
to dwell together in unity.
1t would be impossible to give an
adequate idea of the far-reaching in
huence of DR.. Morris sermons, even il
his words were reproduced. There
is deep toned spirituality in his
preaching that must be heard to be
fully appreciated.
The subject Of his sermon Thurs
day night was 1.-The Love of God"
He took for his text part of the
23rd verse of the 18th chapter of st.
John. "And has loved them as
thou hast loved me-" He showed
that the strongest statement Of God s
love for man was declared in this
scripture-that he loved men as he
did his own son. God did not wait
for man to love him, and then love
man in return, but he first loved us.
He said that it was the sweetest
thought to him in the world, to
think that in spite of his own un-
worthiness that God loved him, as
he loved his own imaculate son,
who had never sinned. The force OF
parental love was enriched by
many touching and beautiful illus.
tratiOns. He said sometimes peo-
Pile thought that God did not love
i them because their lot in life
seemed hard. This was no evidence
of any lack oflove. He then showed
how God allowed Jesus to suffer.
Jesus was poorer than any man in
the audience. He reminded a
young man who had declared his
purpose to follow him, that "the
ioxes bad holes and the birds of the
air had nests, but the Son of Man
had not where TO lay his head" He
was supported by charity during his
ministerial career. He was tempt
ed, agonized in Gethesmany; was
deserted by his followers, rejected
by his people, buffetted, scOurged,
spit upon, condemned as a criminal
i Snd executed upon the cross, and
yet no one doubted that God loved
him. God had declared at his hap.
tism, "Thou art my beloved Son; In
thee 1 am we'll pleased;' and at an.
other time at the TRANSPORTATION
"This is my beloved Son; hear him.
Gods love was so strong for his
creature man, that he gave his only
begotten son, to die upon the cross
| for his redemption. Christ upon the
cross was the highest expression Of
Gods love for man.
Friday night, he took for his text
"And Jacob served seven years fol
Rachel and they seemed unto hin
but few days, for the love he had
for her." He gave short history
LabOn; and showing how love light
ened Jacobs labors, and enabled
him uncomplainingly to endure
tolls, dangers and hardships. Il
was love that actuated his whole
life, for period of seven years, sc
that it seemed but few days. HI
then spoke of the motive powers il
the physical, moral and spiritua
!. world. He made strong statemen
of the motives that actuated people
to join the church and be religious
l He said that people who were relig
ious merely from sense of duty
merely to keep out of hell and ge
to heaven, represented very selfisl
and low type of religion. He en-
forced this thought by many apt il
Illustrations.
On Sunday morning he preached
I, to crowded house on the text
! go home to thy friends and tel
r them how great things the Lore
hath done for thee, and hath ha,
compassion on thee" From thi
= text DR.. Morris preached one of tn
> greatest sermons every delivere
! from that pulpit. His subject wa
= Home Religion"
IS This maniac of Gadeva had bee
!, sorely distressed; he was an outcas
from society, family and friends
and a dweller in the tOmbs. Afte
his miraculous cure by the Saviour
he desired to follow Christ and re
main with him; but Christ said NJ
it is best for you to go home and te
them what great things the Lor
hath done for you. You can do NOR
good right there, where your forme
- life is known, than anywhere els