Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-14
An were delivered by masters in their

All were delivered by masters in their
line.
DR.. J. ". Sitter. Of Grocer. began at the
fHst church his series OF lectures
Oh the Epistle to the Romans This
eplstle. he said. has four grand divisions,
treating OF four great topics. first. sin.
J.. ILL, 20; second. Salvation. ill.,, 81
vlii'. ~; third, The Theodicy. tx. Xxi. SO:
ioufth. Holy Living, xii, /. TO the end OF
the e2istle
our topic now said Mr. Sitter. as
SIN Sin Is the measure Of salvation. Sal
Naton Is nothing II sin Is nothing Hence
Paul first shows what sin IS. how dreadful
1t Is. that he may have the point OF view
from which TO discuss salvation.
SIN AGAINST LIGHT.
Gods wrath is revealed against sin. be-
cause sin Is against light. In all ages
men have had light. for God taught them.
Man. in his early history. knew God,
and, as to-day. refused 10 follow him.
Hence. sin IS guilt. The history Of sin Is
this: From the beginning of the world
men knew the truth by the clear light Of
nature. Gods first and universal Bible.
They refused His light and in the dark
ness Of their own speculations they be-
came. first idOlaters. then sensualists,
and finally sunk into every form of i'm
morality Man. at the first. was a mono
theist and not a polytheist; idolatry was
not the earliest religion. The religious
development Of the race has been down
ward and not upward.
WERE BAD AS NOW.
The second chapter OF Romans shows
that the Jewish world Of Pauls day was
guilty Of the same three sins-ldolatry,
sensuality and every form Of immortality.
To convict them. the principles Of the
judgment are unfolded; men will be
judged according to truth, accord
ing to works, without respect OF
persons and according to Paurs
Gospel. The Jew knows the truth much
better than the Gentle but ne does not
follow 1t. and his own Scriptures declare
that his immoral life brings God into
contempt among the heather.
The argument for sin IS concluded by
selection Of passages from the Old
Testament that show that man always
and everywhere has been a threefold
sinner Il sinner in character. a sinner
I'm conduct, a sinner I'm that the principle
os his life, no fear OF God before his
eyes is itself sinful. The law will justify
no man. and so Gods wrath IS revealed
against him"
LIGHTS FROM THE MONUMENTS.
DR.. Ira VI. Price. Of the University Of
Chicago, one of the leading authorities
on all things Assyrian and Egyptian.
lectured at Richmond College on THE
I Discovery and the Displacement Of the
Monuments" There was a large con-
| grcgation.
This lecture recited the fact that one
| hundred years ago there were no known
| facts concerning history older than those
/ Of Greece and Rome. Within the present
/ century Egypt. Assyria. and Babylonia
| have yielded monuments containing in
| scriptiOns that reach backwards 10 a
! period OF at least 5000 years 3. c. These
| monuments relate the conquests the au-
| thority and the magniAcence OF those
! great Oriental mOnarchs lf1ny of them
mention the same kings as those named
! I'm the old Testament. In fact, they sup
| plement the historical books of the Old
/ Testament and wonderfully corroborate
facts whose authority has been chal-
! lenged by skeptical critics. This lecture
was illustrated by a number of monu-
ments and antiquities from the most an
| cient period Of Assyrian and Babylonian
! history.
| ILLUSTRATIONS IN CHALK.
The third lecture inaugurated was at
/ GrOVe-Avenue church, Grove avenue and
! Beech street. II was delivered by Mr..
/ r. T.. Y. Pierce. Of Scranton. Pa. This
/ fine and exceedingly instructive discourse
was especially helpful to Sunday-school
teachers and workers. Alr. Pierce is a
| master with chalk and illustrates
/ thoughts on the blackboard not only with
marvellous skill, but in a way that makes
/ them lasting.