The morning news., 1899-04-15
THE AToxEMENT A NECESSITY.
MIR. VarIey's Address at the First
Baptist Last Night.

Baptist Last Night.
The large audience, which assembled
last night at the First Baptist Church,
was fitting proof of and tribute to the in
terest the English preacher has aroused
during the first week of his meetings in
Savannah.
The subject of Mr., Varley's address was
The Atonement Showed to Be An Abso-
Lutte Necessity" Seldom has large au-
dience listened 10 a sermon on this sub
ject with deeper interest or more rapt at
tention The position taken by Mr.. Var
ley may be described as affirming and
showing that Gods infinite sacrifice for sin
is not only a truth of revelation, but that
reason, common sense and mans neees-
sity declare that the atonement effected by
the death of Christ ought TO have been
to all the interests OF truth and righteous
ness as essential in the sphere of mans
spiritual requirements as the rain of heav-
en- or the air we breathe is essential 10
mans physical well being.
To-day Mr.. Varley's position is defined
in the thoughts which follow:
First. The atonement is part OF
the nature of things as nee
essary as the sunshine or rain. what
these are to the welfare of man In all his
physical and temporal relations, the atone
ment effected by the sacrifice of the Holy
Son of God is to the health and well being
of man in all his spiritual interests for
time and eternity.
Second. The atonement always meant IN
the purpose of God The vindication Of
righteousness, goodness and truth TO all
the interests, both of God and man every
where and forever. The repairer of the
breach caused by mans sin, Christ S IN
finite sacrifice may be thus spoken of.
Third. We all recognize that If man
commits sin. that IL he is guilty of wrong
doing in any way he should make repara-
ton and atonement. THIS Is an intuitive
truth.
Fourth. whether the sin or wrong be
committed against the sovereign, the Pres
ident, the Governor, the law, the subject or
property. against right or the person MN
self, atonement should be made. This Is
the verdict of a sound judgment and clear
thought everywhere in all things.
Fifth. The principle which underles
the intent of the atonement is seen IN all
righteous human legislation. 1t is the vim
dication of right and opposition 10 evil in
every form This fundamental principle
inheres in the atonement and belongs TO
it. Why should right be outraged ana
sin and wrong go unchallenged, unre-
dressed without atonement?
Sixth. All our criminal and civil 1uris-
prudence (the science of law) is based
upon the simple and fundamental principle
THAT wrong is no mans right" Every
righteous law aims at the vindication of
right and truth.
Seventh. No government, anywhere,
could be described as arbitrary, despotic
| or unjust which insists upon the evil
| doer being made amenable for the conse-
! quences of his evil energy and wrong
doing 1t should be so.
| Eighth. The solemn fact is before us
| that every man, woman, youth and maid
| en- on the face of the earth commit sin
again and again.
Ninth. Men possess almost unlimited
power 10 do wrong and commit sin. They
could have no right to do so. but they have
! Che power. The distinctions which exist
between right and power need to be dis
tinguished and clearly emphasized.
Tenth. Man is destitute of any power
to put away the guilt, crime or penalty
contracted by the commission of past sins.
| They all last, and cannot be put out of
| being.
Eleventh. Therefore 1t is written
For il when we were enemies we were
| reconciled to God by the death
| of his son and much more
| being reconciled we shall be
saved by his life. And not only so. but we
| enjoy in God through our Lord Jesus
| Christ by whom we have now received
| the atonement Man cannot make atone
| ment unto God. Atonement can be receiv-
ed from God by virtue of his infinite love
manifested in the gift of his beloved son.
Twelfth BY the atonement effected by
! Christ Jesus we have peace with God
! through our Lord Jesus Christ. Atone
ment and reconciliation are not one and
| the same. They need to be carefully dis
| tinguished. Reconcilia tion, that is peace
with God, is the product and result of the
atonement. For God was in Christ recon-
cling the world unto himself, and as the
| result of Christs infinite sacrifice for us
hath committed to us the ministry of re-
conciliation.
| Mr.. Varley will preach tomorrow (Sun-
| day, at the First Church in the morning
| at H. and in the evening at o'clock. The
mass meeting for men will be held at the
| theater at O'clock when Mr. Varley will
| give his lecture, THE Curse of Manhood" F"
| to men only.
| Mrs. Varley, the wife of the eminent
| preacher, will give an address to women
at the First Baptist Church tomorrow af-
ternoon at o'clock. MRS. Warley is an
able speaker. and her address Will not
| fail to be of interest.
|