Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-05
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Rev. a ); Coke ,l'7' Smith, D.S Enters
Upon His Work.
Preach s 90 !, Largo a ndie,ic CO n. Ep-
worth rt!hl: VI. =. c,,arel, O., ..Tno Gus
PSI OF i t:,e =, rkl"gaon,' a. other
Churehes.

Rev. A. Coke Smith, d. D., the new
pastor Of Epworth NJ. e. Church. en-
tered regularly upon his ministerial
work Sunday, preaching to a large con-
gregation in the morning on "Christ
Crucified the Distinctive Mission of the
Gospel" At night there was an over
aow audience and many were turned
away, being unable to obtain even
standing room. The Doctor preached
with great freedom. being fully imbued
with the spirit of his subject, '"rhe
Gospel of the Kingdom-"text, Mark l.,
14:15 He said, in part:
Inc Preaching Of John the Baptist
gave voice again to the spirit of pro-
phecy which had been silent for four
centuries The people crowded to his
ministry, even Herod being an inter-
ested listener. He delivered the good
news of; the advent OF the Kingdom of
God; yet he died in prison, under the
eAecutloners axe, at the instlgation of
vie woman, whom he had offended
py MS honesty On the death of John
Jesus left Judea, after q year Of al
most fruitless labor, and began in Cali
lee to preach the gospel of the Kingdom
OF God. How he ended his life we
Know. Was this the good news and
was this the Kingdom OF God? Was
an axe ora cross what it had TO offer
to those who entered it? Yet as we look
back we seeiit was good news in spite
OF what IT. brought upon It's founder
and Its early Archaeological news in
deed. the best the world has ever heard.
And 1t Is the good news of a Kingdom
stronger than all earthly Kingdoms. and
n To y, -. - =
Drought all others under its power
The gospel of the lIngdom-thesc are
the IDEAS; good news and good news of
n OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES according to
law backed by infinite power It was
announced as good news at the advent
when the angels sang their song of
Peace on EARTH good will to men, 1t
was new revelation of Gods atti-
tude toward men. Christ came to re-
veal the Father The Old Testament
had introduced God over the conscience:
Christ came to Introduce Him in the
heart. He that hath seen me- he said
TO Philip, hath seen the Father
NO longer enthroned in awful power
and forbidding approach to him Is he
revealed, but with open hand and heart
receiving all who will come. And 1t was
good news of helpfulness as we'll 1t
found the world in miserable plight.
The picture is black wherever looked at.
The track OF history was marked In
blood. Man preyed on his fellow as
the beasts of the forest Life in It's
highest places was vile beyond descrlp-
iltion. Misery crime and vice were
= everywhere. Into the world thus cir
cumstanced this message of good news
-of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES dropped as the
voice of God upon stormy sea-
Look at him who preached this good
news He was born in manger and
In n IaN.. Il
10 death lie was poor: he had few in
nuential friends, and these were afraid
10 aYow their friendship till his death;
yet he was never moroSe or sour, but
grandly calm, claiming the powers Of
earth and heaven rs his own. lie drew
around him the pcnitent and needy and
sent them away with something of his
own peace in their hearts. His life
was witness against evil In all its
forms. and this aroused outrageousness
against him which grew until he stood
condemned to die. Yet he faced death
with perfect calmnoss, and in the the
shadow of the cross predicted the
triumph of his kingdom. No influence
fnrhuman history equals his
Look at the men whom he chose ne
his followers. They, too were poor and
unknown. They had no. great mental
gifts nor superior moral charac tors
They were filed with strange dreams
OF power when called from their hum
BILE spheres to follow him. Yet by asso-
citation with him they absorbed his
spirit and went forth after his Assem-
sion TO carry forward the work he had
come to inaugurate. They remained
poor and fiiendless. yet shrank from no
hardship, were never sour or misnn-
throDc, but always full of joy. What
men had been seeking In wealth. power
and pleasure these men had found in
Christ.
What was the experience of these
disciples has been that of all his follow
ers since. 1t may be that of every
heart. It's constant refrain Is rejoice
And 1t Is for all life. This condition
of blcssedncss is not conditioned nv
circumstances. 1t spoke its message
first to the poor and miserable and
stilled their troubled hearts. They took
UP the song of good news and sent It
down the ages. 1t has swelled like
gathering winds and is sweeping the
continents and islands with q mighty
chorus of praise,
Back of this gospel is God, the AL
mighty. The blcssedness which it nro-
claims and beings is neither imaginary
or transparency. Men may be imposed