Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-14
n,sc,pLEsmp THE KEYwoRD.
DIR. Mnbie Makes Opening Address
mr.. Iandrum Not Present.

The KEYNOTE of the convention. "Dis-
cipleship." was struck by Rev. DR.. II. {.
NIabie i'm an address of much force and
eloauence. which was listened to with
rapt attention. He prefaced his remarks
with a tribute to Virginia hospitality, and
extended the greetings Of the Missionary
Union and of the Baptists Of Boston and
Massachusetts, TO the convention. Con
tinuing. he said, in part:
The harmonies of this convention are
sel to one key word-viz., Disciple
ship"-and very properly the first note
to be struck is that Of relationship Of the
disciple TO his Lord
Discipleship means being under tutor
ship, training. discipline what IS TINS
lordship OF Christ. and how does II bear
on Christian discipleship? I'm This assem-
bly, il should 20 without saying that
Christ. being the second person in the
| Trinity, is. of course, divine, co-equal
with the Father. l shall assume on the
part OF Christ His essential Deity, and
on the part of the disciple that he is
regenerate soul, and as such Is put into
Christ's school that step by step he may
be transformed into Christkeness |
suppose diScipeship might be regarded as
| a relationship to Christ as the second
! person OF the Trinity: but as IT is drawn
! out and expanded in ;he Scripture the in
| carnation is the basis OF everything the
| one historical TACT through WHICH us
! Cpleship takes on reality and meaning.
| Ii Is LOrdship with which our theme has
! to do: it is this when / shall accentuate.
In the divine plan this Lordship Is in
! tended to affect disciples hip m three re-
! spectS-it makes possible new heredlty,
it creates new environment, and it calls
for a new habit Of being. We snail speak
| of these each in their order.
NEW HEREDITY POSSIBLE.
l. 1t makes possible a new heredity.
/ Perhaps ] should say a new heirship. for
| i'm using the term heredity l would not
IMPLY that the new divine life received by
| the disciple Is transmissible TO others
! but my point is this: The disciple
| through his relation 10 Christ As the
second Adam. is brought into new or
! ganic oneness with Christ. We are IA
! miliar with the idea - the heredity Of
! original sin derived f. 4 the first Adam Il:
| we need TO become M re familiar with
the new heredity in srace derived rom
| Christ l grant that il is only plssi-
bility, or Potentially. but that poNen-
| TALLY. so far as a provision on God $
part could make 1t so. does exist for
| every man. The practical value Of this
| conception. when grasped is beyond all
measure. Does one say: But what can
| YOU expect of me, creature conceived
| in sim with all the race heredity OF fallen
generations dragging me downward? The
! Intelligent disciple may reply: but /
| have a new heredity from the exalted
! Christ who rcigns above, which lifts me
| hdsvenward."
A NEW ATMOSPHERE.
ii. This lordship Of Christ provides a
| new atmosphere or element in which the
| new man lives and moves and has being
| There were two remarkable promises In
| connection with our Lords ascension
| which. II once understood. would change
| the whole conception which commonly
| prevails OF discipleshp to Christ. The
first Of these is the promise referred u
! in Acts H., 80. i'm which Peter refuses 70
| Chrisrs exultaton and then explains tho
| phenomena of PentecOst by saying that
| Christ had received of the Father the
promise of the Holy Ghost" so marvel
! lousy shed forth
The second promise is in Luke, a. 40
the promise Of Jesus made 10 His disci-
! pies: and behold. | send the promise Of
! My Father upon you; but, tarry We unit
We be endued with IT," In Acts l.. T. II
is said that Jesus, after His resurrection
COMMANDED His disciples that they
should not depart from Jerusalem. but
wait for the promise of the Father
which, saith He. We have heard Of Me. "
| These two promises are the guarantees
| that Christ after His ascension. consti-
tuted a new field OF spiritual force. IN