Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-06
FINE pAccALAuREATE SERMON.
DIR. Kerr 10 Young Ladies or "o'
MANA CoIIege-Church Notes.

mans CoIlege-Church Notes.
The Grace-Street Baptist church was
filled to its utmost capacity Sunday nlsh'
by a congregation representative OF hich-
mond's best people. gathered to hear the
baccalaureate sermon preached by Rev
r. p. Kerr. ID. d.. OF the First Presbyte'
rian church, before the Woman's COL
lege.
DR.. James Nelson, president OF the coll
lege, made the announcements. and DIR.
Hatcher, pastor of the church, spoke
the words of welcome. With these gem
tlcmen and DR.. Kerr on the pulpit plat
form were Revs ]. r. Garlick. ID. d..
George Cooper. ID. d., and j. o. Kirk.
The graduating class OF the coilege' III
cap and gown. occupied the front peW5
of the central block, while almost thS
whole block was reserved for the unue.-
graduates and the college iaculty. ine
young ladies were mainly dressed IN pure
white and the picture by them was
no.iceably airy and beautlful.
The music, led by the church quartette,
was sweet and appropriate. Or. Nelson
presented DR.. Kerr gracefully, saying re
had never called on him for any service
TO the Woman's College without receiving
from him prompt and gracious response.
DR.. Kerr responded TO these KIND words
by saying he did so because he was In
WIFI the WIN cN'Ho N~~>
by the college.
MARY'S GREAT LOVE.
Dr. Kerr took as his text, "Wheresoever
this gospel shall be preached throughout
the whole world, there also shall THIS
that she hath done be spoken or as d
memorial of her" st. John. xii, 8. 3.
He said in part: This amounting was at
Bethany by Mary. the sister OF Martna
and Lazarus. 1t was womanly act. NO
man would have thus expressed his de'o-
ton. Judas tells us the ointment was
worth 800 pence. which was years Wages
of a laboring-man. Christ commended
the deed because 1t stood for what he
hearts-the essence of religion. Religion
is not devotion to church
creed, sacrament, or charity
All these are good. but the essence OF re-
ligion is love to Christ as personal "a,
viour His is the only religion in when
salvation is by a person. Mohammedans
believe they are saved by doing what
Mohammed required. We are not saVei
by Christianity; we are saved by Chrlsl.
He says: II am the way. am me
Truth" II am the resurrection ana the
life" Come unto Me and Will give you
rest" No other religionist ever said
Come unto me So religion in man IS
love to Him who saves Mary loved Christ
above all church all creed, al charity
ana gave Him ner heart. She loved
Christ for what He was. He was alto
gether lovely. lie had satisfied her heart
He was the Messiah of her people. She
loved Him also for what he had done
His life of mercy to the poor. His won
derfu works, but more because He raised
her brother from the dead. Above all. she
loved Him because he was going to die
for her and all mankind. She alone or
all Hts followers believed He was 10 die
for sinners, and her heart was all agiow
with love to Him on that account Christ
her Saviour dominated the whole horizon
of her soul, as the sun rules all the earth
and sky
Let US follow Marys example and make
orr life beautiful with love, TO pour II out
upon His blessed person. This is no waste.
He gives Himself for us.
DIR, Poteat on Scientific Ethics.
The usual Baptist Ministers Confer
ence was held at II o'clock yesterday
morning. DR.. Hatcher presiding. The
visitors were DR. w. l.. Pote9t, professor
in Wake-Forest College. who came here
10 deliver the address a the commence
ment of the Woman's College this eve-
ming, and Hon. }. IayloI Ellyson Pre-
fessor Poteat made admirable address
before the conference on scientific
Ethics" The pastors spoke in high praise
of it.
Mr.. Ellyson requested the pastors to CO.
operate with the Executive Committee of
the Baptist Young Peoples Union in per-
fecting arrangements for the approaching
convention. and especially 10 aid the En-
tertainment Committee all they could in
getting homes for the delegates.
Notes from the Churches.
Rev. II A. Bagby has been pastor of
the Calvary Baptist church six years, ana
on Sunday morning he preached ser
mon appropriate to the occasion. lie
stated i'm a brief review of the work of
six years that during his s%1vice here 900
names had been added 10 the church 70 i.
Rev. ]. Il. Tyler preached to large audi
ences at SeVenth-Street Christian church
Sunday morning and evening, and the
people, as always, enjoyed his sermons
a great deal. Mr.. Tyler will preach again
next Sunday.
The annual business meeting OF I'm
manuel Baptist church was held Sunday
afternoon. Encouraging reports were
made by the various organizations OF
the church. and the present officers were
ali reelected. The church now has 2O3
members. a net gain of about twenty
during the year.