Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-21
SOME SUNDAY SERMONS
Rev. J. H. Amiss on the Wedding
Feast.
Hc Draws Valuable Lessons From
This Incident I'm tho Life OF Chris,
-Kev. IL. II. Rennest Instructs on
HOW TO 1.-Two by Faith.

Rev. j. H. Amiss, Presiding Elder of
the Rappahannock District, formerly
Of Portsmouth District, preached Sum
day at IL n. m. at Centenary Church.
this city. His text was taken from
st. John 2:1-11. After n few remarks
on the import of the passage, he de-
livercd the following lessons:
Il. Our Saviour, in attending the
marriage of Cana of Galilee. sanctioned
ana sanctified marriage. This insti-
tuition originated in Eden before mans
fall. and lies at the foundation of the
prosperity Of the state of society. the
family and the church. Notwithstand-
ing the shortcomings of the Southern
people they have. as class. the
highest regard for marriage.
''2. The Master showed his power to
convert water into wine and has, and
ever VIII have, power to convert the
human soul. Divine power is requisite
IN each instance; and there is as much
difference in the moral and spiritual
quailtleS OF human nature, after re-
generation, as there was in the water
after being converted into wine. Man
becomes Il new creature in Christ
Jesus. Old things are passed away, all
thinSs have become new The danger
OF the church to-day is in not en-
phasizing and magnifying this funda-
mental doctrine. There is no substi-
tute Tor 1t. The church that is right
on this cannot be radically wrong on
any point essential to salvation.
3' Ihe religion of Christ reserves it's
pest Tor the last But thou hast kept
the good wine until now The world
gives its best first. The true servant
of God finds it better further on and
the best comes al the end OF the Jour
neS' canaan is so much better than
the Wilderness; the grand triumph than
the weary march and sanguinary bat
tie: stepping on shore and receiving
the greetings of loved ones than the
tcmpestuous voyage"
SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.
Rev. r. II. Bennett preached at Nc
l\endree NJ. Il. Church Sunday morning
from the text. Heb. Y, 3s-"The just
shall live by Faith" He said:
Faith is taking God at his word
This is all that can be made of it in
IT'S simplest or most complex aspects.
faith is not reason. But how often
we persist in proceeding in our life
and church plans along the narrow
lines or rationalism. This shuts out
i"iNi'' i1pN DITCH mas 1Hltn contracted
reason? How God delights to confound
worldly wisdom
Faith does not ask or require to see
the means or the how. This would be
SIGHT. No possible reason could sug-
.est the way out of the dilemma in
Wnlch Abraham was placed by Gods
promise to make OF his descendants
mighty nation. and Gods command to
otler his only son. Isaac, in sacrifice.
passcr-by, hearing Ezekiel eXhorting
the piles of mingled dry bones in the
valley. would have said the hot sun of
the desert had gone to his brain and
crazed him. n queer congregation to
preach to. An absurd task! God does
not condition his promises on proba-
bility. but on faith
Faith must never waver Let not
such man think he shall obtain anv
thing OF the Lord When once we
nave gotten our faith to the standing
position we must not allow it to WAIVER
from the nuctuating breczcs of feel
ing. Nail your colorS 10 the mast
All power is of God. Faith is Frank
ms klte string that brings us all we
care Tor. We have only to fly our kite
Pompey boosted that with one stamp
"i ms loot he could raise all Italy in
arms. put God with one word of his
mouth could raise not only all Italv.
nut all heaven and earth and hell
All mat power is ours for the ask
ing Do we believe it? OF the crime
OF crimes, the sin of unbelief. John the
Apostle. of scntleness and love. in his
heavenly old age. along with the peace
iui penedictions to his churches, wrote:
lie that believeth not God hath made
God liar. Awful thought.
The Just shall live by faith. not nv
feeling. Feelings is only the foam on
me river. 1t is the current of faith
beneath that turns the mill wheels of
works. Too many of us in our religion
are ike sheet iron stoves with n fire
OF shavings in them-red hot one
moment and cold the next. Feeling is
an extra engine behind the train TO
push II through the snow drift.
There ought to be no need OF speciar
revival services. If we lived by faith
men would be converted to God at our
regular services. God is always ready
me gospel Is ever powerful, sin and
mems need is always weoful and if
men are not saved regularly, l care not
where 1t is. the church of God is fail
ing IN her work, and the crime of I'M
peiiet lies at the door of n back-slidden
minister and church. Not a church in
Norfolk but could have and ought 70
nave hundreds. if not thousands. of
sous converted To God this year. and
such would be the case If preachers
| ana people would repent OF their nm
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