The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-20


AN Awful Dish of Garbage"
Rev. DR.. John robertson, the famous
Scotch divine. writer and evangelist,
made his opening address in Scranton
yesterday morning at the Penn Avenue
Baptist church, before very large
congregation DR.. Eobertson, who was
formerly pastor Of the Peoples Taber-
nace in Edinburgh has for some
time been engaged in work in Glas.
gov, where he has built up a great
church. Two years ago when ii was
decided by the eVangelstiC ministers,
led by DIR. Chapman, Of Philadelphia,
To- organize 4 mighty campaign of
cvangelizatiua, Or. Robertson was in
vited To come to America. His work
was attended with phenomenal results
and at this time he has again come
at the invitation of leading clcrgymen,
to continue the efforts then begun. He
will remain for a few weeks. and among
his first points of service is this city.
His published sermons and addresses
are with one ~ TWO exceptions the
best known OF modern religious iitcra-
ture. He is editor If the Scotsman, q
prominent religious periodical and
while in America is accompanied by
his private secretary. WhC is giving the
mechanical assistance necessary to
new publications.
Dr. Robertson, white not unCleriCal in
appearance, would scarcely be taken
for Il minister by the average observer
lie IS oG medium height, blonde and
,uldy; wears Il pointed full beard and
is still in the prime OF life. He is very
deliberate in speech and has a delight
tul Scotch burr, which, with his cha~-
acteristic DhraseolOgy, seems at times
to Oper brief gllmps"s Of OrumtoChty
of Thrums and tn" dear quaint people
who have been brought so near 10 their
modern epighhOrs across the seas.
IJe win speak this morning in the
lecture room Of the Penn avenue
church to the various ministerial or
gani2atiung of tn" city and will conduct
services each evening during the week.
Last night hn gave a remarkable ad-
dress on the subject whiCb has attract
ed much interest abroad ON The Two
Crosses
HIS DISCOURSE LAST NIGHT.
Yesterday morning the sermon was
from Gen. xiv:13, There came one that
| had escaped and told Abrarl, the He
| brew the last three words forming
the text. The clear simplicity Of the
speakers dictiOn and his absence of
apparent oratcrical effect were marked.
AS an introduction he gave an analysis
! of the term used i'm the subject.
| "Abram" indicated exalted ruler" it
was the name his mother gave him,
! but the word Hebrew" was what the
world called him and was his true
| name. 1t meant Come across" The
names the world gives are not always
| kind but they are true. When the dis
! Ciples We're first called Christians at
! Antioch, it was when subtle Greek wit
punned upon their characteristics.
! Nicknamcs are always correct ie some
| times "A bit cruel, for they make some
! outstanding characteristics While the
| speaker himself had forgotten tho
| names their mothers gave his school
| fellows. he remembered what he and
| the others had called them.
Abram. the Hebrew, was the Come
across man God had sent him across
to be stranger in the land. He had
said: "GO across, be a foreigner; to th1
| end of your days a wanderer." and
! with the PoriZ2ites and the Canaan
| ties he dwelt in gladness fulfilling wha;
| God had sent him to bc--thc come
! across man" on a mission to the heath
en tribes, amung th"m--not OF them
| the type of the Christian, the Father
| of the Faithful.
Tho speaker then said with great ear
| nestness: This is the foundat alton prin-
| ciple of the life of Jcsus-this come
| aCrOSs-neSs,' this emigration. 1t is like
the United States where you are citi-
Zens and yet you have come across
you or your grandfather. The church
the 'eCClesa' or the called out is a
gathering of emigrants who have al
come across. If you remain whert
your mother put you in the land OF
nature and emigratc not into the cOun-
try of glorious grace you will die and
be damned. 1t was nc marvel that
Jesus said with such solemn earnest,
ness: Except We be born again ye can
not enter the kingdom of God. Have
you emigrated, have you come across,
or stuck in the old land OF nature whose
end is doom?
THE FOUR THINGS.
There were four things that marked
| Abram as a come across man. and
| by these can be tested whether yot
have emigrdted from nature into grace
First, his dress was distinctive. Tn
eastern dress is symbolic today as /
was centuries ago. In America or Eu
rope it many mean anything, but ev
cry sash and tassel is significant an,
every fold tells it's story in the sloy
| moving east. 1t is stin as in the day