Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-27
IN PEW AND PULPIT.
FINE SERMONS AND LARGE CON-
cREGATIoNs MARK SUNDAY.
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.
Rev. Mr.. Sweeney Talks on the PHIL
ippian JniIer's Great INQUIRY
"Nbat Must DO TO He savedf"-
Two Church Rallies.


| warm ana DrlBnt. IL was a." wv" 49, -
rest and was very generally observed az
such by Richmonds people. the at
tendance on divine worship In all the
| churches Of the city was very large IN
some instances overlooking.
! Rev. H. T. Sweeney preached at MS
| church. the Seventh-Street Christian,
morning and evening. At the evening
| hour Mr.. Sweeney was greeted by one OF
the largest gatherings in the history oil
his church, many persons being unable
"a find seats. even in the gallery of the
building.
The subject discussed was the all
important question, What must 90
| TO be saved?' The preacher declared thdt
the idea, formerly obtaining that re-
Hcion was something forced on the mind
or person by some occult force was ex-
ploded. and that 1t was conclusive there
were appointments in the Gospel pan
for every one to do. The word must
| in the question was accentuated, and then
came what" and there Is ques-
ton nearly every word Of which must
be pronounced in marked expression
what must l do to be saved|' There
* something TO be done, ii must be done,
and TO know what it is and how IL Is 10
be done is vital to the most sacred
interests of the world.
Mr.. Sweeney argued that the respon-
sibility in explaining the answer oil inc
Apostles to this question was on the
Church of God and the ministry to-uay
as il never was before. lie depIoreu the
many diverse and contradictory answers
70
condition existed he cited from an inter-
vei,y in his possession, the answers from
three preachers, resident in Chicago, and
eminent i'm the world of theology, TO this
question addressed TO them by reporter
of the Chicago Times. He said there
were many teachers and many men ana
women who believed they found incon-
sistencies in the three answers given by
the Apostles TO this most vital question,
but he could not reconcile the IDEA OF
associating the word inconsistency WIN
God and Jesus, and the inspired Apostles
and undertook to make IL clear to his
audience that each answer had distinctly
and clearly the identical meaning.
The answer to the Philippian Jailer,
who was n heather, was first. ana nece5-
sarily, believe on the Lord Jesus ana
thou shalt be saved" Faith being the
first essential. afterward he was told the
word" that is the will Of Jesus, end
we are told that at the same hour of the
night he was baptized straightway.
PETERS ANSWER.
Now let us hear Peters answer on the
day of Pentecost, and let us remember
that he answered those who were Dot
heather but believers on the Lord Jesus.
Here il is Repent, and be baptized. every
one Of you, in the name OF Jesus Christ'
for the remission of sins" Again. we
have the third answer, and this time to
parsonage whose name will make the
pages of history and all the ears of Chris
tendon shine with glory until the end OF
time Saul on his way TO damascus,
breathing out vengeance against the Son
of God and His followers, is arrested
smitten by Jesus himself, and rtters that
same wall Of humanity, What must L
do TO be saved" Now Jesus could have
forgiven his sins and sent him on his way
from that moment in newness OF lie ana
purpose. but Jesus sent him to Ananlas
for an answer Remember, saul had evil
denced belief on the Lord Jesus ana re-
pentance by the question he addressed
TO Jesus. and what was the direction OF
Gods chosen teacher to Saul? Ihat ne
be baptized" which the Apostle tells
tN'---~N
ency between all three answers given to
the question? The Phillippian jailer.
heather, must first believe, and repent
ance and baptism follows. Peters near
ers believed, and they must repent ana
be baptized; Saul believed and repented,
and he must be baptized. The conditions
were dissimilar, and Gods wisdom, trans
ferred to the apostles through Jesus, Mt
ted the answer on each occasion TO the
person and conditions so that the cirec-
lions were exactly alike when they had
all been complied with.
NO THEORIES OF HIS OWN.
Mr. Sweeney made the point strongly
that he had no theories of his own 10 pro-
mote. that he wanted to say only what
the inspired apostles taught; that IT was
a duty to harmonic the teachings IN the
Bible rather than hunt for what might
be distorted into inconsistencies. tine
great trouble" he said, was that so few
gave the time 10 look into history OF the
Bible for the conditions surrounding the
different cases." He concluded by saying
he did not believe there was one present
who wanted to be lost, on the contrary
he believed, that deep down in the heart
of every man and woman there was not
only the desire to be saved, but the ex-
pectation He urged his hearers to heed
the welcoming cry Of the Saviour. Now
Is the accepted time" and TO evidence
their faith in the Lord Jesus by repent
ance and obedience 10 His ordinances.
The discourse, while extending through
nearly an hour engaged the rapt atten-
ton of his hearers and made deep I'M
preston.
Rally mt Grace-Street.
"Rally-Day" at Grace-Street Baptist
church was an occasion which Will long
be remembered by the members or the
church and all those present:
The features of the day began with the
Sunday school a large and inspiring pody
of young people, under the superintend-
ency of Mr.. w. r. Jones.
The roll of the school was called, and
495 persons answered to their names. Rev.
M. Ashby Jones, once a member OF this
school, and now pastor of next TO the
largest Baptist church in the city, made
the principal address. He spoke OF the
mission OF the Sunday school-of the |
great amount Of good IL had already done |
and of the still greater amount which IL |
could and was destined TO do In the fu- |
ture. He was followed by the pastor, DR.. |
Hatcher. A large number of Richmond |
College students joined the Sunday school |
also that morning.
The attendance on preaching service |
which followed was very great, filling the |
entire seating capacity of the tabernacle. |
DR.. Hatcher preached then, and also at
o o'clock, when the evening services were |
resumed.
.rudiNfd,,al powar In Church WOrk'' was