The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-27

Rev. Maltbic u. BabcoCk, n. D.. of
the Brown Memorial church, Baltimore,
occupied the pulpit of the Second Pres
byterian church yesterday. DR.. Bah
cock has spoken to Scranton congrega-
tions before. and all who had ever
heard him were desirous of listening
to his discourses on this occasion. He
is in some respects a most remarka bic
pulpit orator. Tall and distinguished
in appearance his features are as clear
cut as a cameo, and when speaking
his countenance seems to be illumined
His method of delivery is perfect
torrent of words sometimes difficult
to follow, but given with such i'm
passioned intensity that his listeners
are apt to find themselves catching
their breath as if in continuous antic-
ipation of climax. Few men can bet
ter hold an audience for his marvellous
gesticulatiOn is a sermon i'm itself fun
of brilliant expression. Thus it is that
no report of an address of his can do
justice to him, for personal magnetism
and the ferVor of one as if on fire with
the theme cannot be transcribed. Or.
Babcock is still young man.
His subject yesterday morning was
from ii Cor ): 16, Wherefore hence
forth know we no man after the
tlesh yea though we have known
Christ after the flesh, yet now hence
forth know we Him no more" The dis
course which followed was full of deep
spirituality in recognition of the power
of possessing the divinity of the Savior
as He had intended. Paurs new stand
ard of judgment was portrayed. In
the old days, as Saul, he would say
of man, He is q Jew, or a Pagan,
a man of culture or a poor man." de-
Gliding entirely from outward appear
ance. Now all was different. If Christ
died for every man in every man must
be divine possibilities. He had Judged
even Christ by what he had heard. but
now that he understood the power Of
Jesus to turn man from sin he looks
no more upon the outside.
CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS.
The chief characteristic of Christ
was the power of new creation. 1t
found Paul pretty well along in his
journey. He had lost too much time
to clutter his mind with outer details.
Some one else might baptize as for
him, he must go on, must hasten to
do his work, others could follow and
organize. He must look after the
prime essentials. Paul did not write
a biography, it was rather a "bio- gen
esis," the origin. He said few things
of the earthly life of Christ, although
doubtless he knew quite as much as
the others. There was probably not
an item that he didn't know. He noted
| the saying, 1T is more blessed to
give than to receive" which the other
apostles did not tell, but there were
many things which he put aside as not
essential to what he must do. He
| might have told of the curious Gus
toms of the Galatians, but he never
wrote matters for the papers. He might
have gone into details about little
man he saw peering up into a tree OF
of picture gallery where there was
such a fine painting, and of the many
curious mustoms he observed: all he
did talk about was the old custom
sin and the power of Chris1 to save
men from il.
Paul saw Christ according to the
| spirit. They said: "Ts not this the
| carpenters son, and are not these his
| brothers and sisters? Is he not a
| Nazarene?" 1t is as if a man looking
! at a great picture would eXclain
What a magnificent frame, Is the
| painting on wood or canvas? Can.
vas? Oh yes. Wood and canvas
| What a wonderful picture"
The story is told of man who went
| into the Lake country filled with an
! enthusiasm over Wordsworth. He
| heard there was an old man who once
| knew he poet and he secured the
country to find the old man. WheT
| at last they stood face to face he
| said: And you really knew him-kneW
! Wordsworth! What can YOU tell me
about him." And the old man an,
| swered: "Oh, he was a queer old party
| as used to go long a-mutterin' to his
! self" Yes, but what did YOU know
! of him, what can you remember
"Oh. he was just a queer old party
! as used to go long a-mutterin' 10 his