Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-15
SERMON on REPRESENTATION.
DR.. Witherspoon Discusses This Doc.
trlne and That of Foreknowledge


A large congregation was in attendance
on the services at Grace-Street Presbyte-
rian church Sunday morning. In the audi
ence was recognized Rev. Colston r.
Gayles, who is conducting services In the
city for the present under the auspices
Of the Young Mems Christian Association,
and several students Of the Union Theo-
logical Seminary. The work OF the choir
was exceptionally good. The pastor. Rev.
Or. Jere Witherspoon, discussed the sub
Ject, "A Choice Tree in an Orchard OF
Spices" The text was Romans. sth chap
ter and verse 10Th: Whom He did fore
know. them He did also predestinate TO
be- conformed to the image of His SON.
&c. This chapter" the speaker said,
lies between the chapters 18th and 9th
as the Valley of Virginia between its bor-
der mountain ranges. 1t seems as vale
between the hills, a garden of pleasant
fruits AN orchard Of spices In that
garden the soul is RECALLED with sights
and sounds Of Paradise. From n general
survey Of the garden we must turn to
scan more closely single tree, which IL
No. 29. We have here these three things
foreknowledge, predestination, and con-
formity to Christ's image. To many these
terms are alarming. They act as a scare
crow TO some minds. Take foreknowledge,
for instance. All are agreed that God
foresees all things. Bonaparte forecast
the political division of Europe, and as
tronomers compute eclpses and transits
Tor centuries to come. down to n second
Of time. God foresees the end from the
beginning, and knows in advance, as the
Socinian, the Pelagian, and the Calvinist
agree, the number Of the saved. There is
substantial agreement among the schools
on that point. God fOresees or fore
knows all things. Take the second point
predestlnation. The Pelagian, the Semi
Pelagian. and Calvinist believe in election
unto life. and say there will be a certain
number saved, who will be the elect seed.
They differ as 10 the ground of the cleo
ton, or ordination, and the relation Of
the fOreknowledge to the predestinatiOn."
At this point the speaker dsavOwed all
intention of entering into ill-tempered dis
cussion OF n mysterious doctrine. but
wished only 10 give his reasons for hold
ing the Calvinstic view of the matter.
There were two theories, and only two.
Both involved mysteries which could
never be cleared up. one school teaches
that God ordained 10 life those whom He
fOresaw would believe. repent, and obey.
The other school teaches that God could
not know that these persons were going
10 believe and repent unless Il had I'm
some way been arranged that they should
believe and repent. In other words. fore
knowledge implies ordering before hand.
II cannot" said the speaker. know
mere contingencies. I cannot know that
We are 10 follow n certain printed order
OF service this evening. except as the
proper officials have arranged that order.
What IS the predestination this text
teaches2 Simply this: God has a purpose
for His child He has planned something
for us, and it is the very thing We desire,
and the third idea Of the passage is con-
formity TO Christ's image God has APP
pointed us TO resemble His son. 1T is
the law OF all life that offspring should
resemble it's parent Science says all life
begins at the same point. Drummond
says the apple that fell at Newtons
feet, Newton's dog Diamond. and Newton
himself began life together but this law
Of conformity 10 tyne made the apple.
the dog, and the philosopher We have
q new life as Christians. and Jesus IS the
great type or pattern of that life. We
shall one day be like Him, for we shall
see Him as He is"
The sermon was received with marked
favor. and many considered It a remark
ably clear presentation OF an obscure
doctrine.