The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-10
A NEW PASTOR HEARD
REV. CHARLES NJ. LAWRENCE AT
FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN.
A Large Congregation Listened to His
First S~ermon-The Services at
Other Churches.

Rev. Charles NJ. Lawrence. formerly of
washburn. H., preached his first sermon
as pastor Of the First United Presbyterian
Church yesterday morning to a congrega-
ton that almost filed the auditorium. Mr..
Lawrence is a young man and impresses
one with his sincerity and earnestness. He
breaches the plain. simple gospel and makes
no attempt to model his sermons after
the fashion of a learned thesis or his man.
ner of delivery after that of the fervid
orator. The sermon yesterday morning
was based upon the nineteenth and twen-
tieth verses of the sixth chapter of Paul's
epistle to the Hebrews: (Which hope We
have as an anchor of the soul both sure
and steadfast, and which entereth into that
within the vail; WHITTIER the forerunner is
for us entered. even Jesus made a high
priest forever after the order of Mel
chisedec." The minister spoke in part as
follows:
The child Of God has an assured hope
which reaches beyond time into the eterni-
ties. 1t Is that which sustains him amidst
all the trying circumstances and the
arduous duties of life. 1t is that which
gives him comfort and cheer in the dying
hour and lightens the way from the tomb
up to the city of God. 1t was Paul who
uttered the words of the text, we believe.
in which he throws a glow over all the du-
ties and responsibilities of life and sends
1t out across the tomb up into the glories
Of the heavenly world. The text before us
presents the Christian hope under three
phases-its nature, its effect and its
ground.
First. the nature of the Christians
hope. Which hope We have as an anchor
80 Tho soul 1N~.1 A~1 D
Now, hope must not be given the place of
faith else it will be misleading. Faith is
TO work and to trust. Hope is the daughter
of faith. Faith is the lark that scars in
the morning sun Hope is the nightingale
that sings in the darkest night. Faith is
the substance Of things hoped for, and so
stance.
'This hope is assured. Which hope we
have as an achor TO the soul, both sure and
steadfast.' The hope of the believer insures
TO him peace of life and security against
the torment of hell hereafter. Every
child of God can testify this morning that
however great the turmoil and strife and
sorrow of life. yet there has been a serene
peace, that peace which passeth under
standing, and which belongs TO a child OF
God alone. We are also given security
amidst all the tempests and storms of life.
Man wants something which is certain, and
God meets the need of the soul by giving
salvation upon the word of His promise and
likewise upon the word of His oath. Not
only has He promised to redeem us from
sin and give us eternal glory hereafter, but
He has sworn TO that promise, so there
can be no mistake about it. That Is the
blessing which every child of God enjoys In
his life.
"Oh, troubled heart, cease thy throbbing.
II will not be long. Soon the departed shall
meet and greet you there and Joy unspeak-
able shall be yours. Peace and security
are the believers greatest blessing, the
blessing of the assured hope which Christ
hath given TO His people.
But what is the ground OF this hope?
The ground of the believers hope, that to
which the anchor of hope is fixed, is Jesus
Christ, the Redeemer of the soul. God the
Father could grant the blessing of hope to
the Christian only because Christ died for
the salvation of men. In Him we have de-
liverance from sin. The curse ana penalty
which rested upon us by reason OF trans
gression are all removed through Him.
Yea, more than this, the believers hope
looks upon Christ as a friend. When
He died on Calvary and ascended in
to glory Ii was that He might act as the
eternal intercessor for all of Coos people.
And so the believer in Christ thinks not of
his own power and ability, but of the
strength that is offered in the Savior who
intercedeS with the Father In his behalf.
Nay more, the believers hope gives him the
assurance that he, too. shall come forth
from the grave, even as did Jesus or Naza-
reth. My Christian brother, that Is your
hope this morning. You may not have
thought very much about this. You may
not have taken time to consider the bless
ings which belong to you as a child of
God. but these are all yours. l beseech you
this morning TO look away from self, for
there is nothing here worthy of Gods favor.
Look away from self and TO Christ, who
is the object and the ground of all true
hope, and in Him see your everlasting por-
tion."
The services were concluded with the adj
ministration of the sacrament of the Lords
supper.