Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-20
SUNDAY SERMONS
" The Ultimate Authority of the
Christian Conscience"
An Earnest and Logical Discourse NJ,
Christ II. E. church SUNDAY Morn-
ing-Eov. 8, q. Hatcher, or Queen
street 81. e. Church. Dl.ou..os
"Marringo Relations"

street 81. Il. Church., Diacusscs
"Marringo Relations."
The text of DR.. c. L. Grammer, of
Christ Church, Sunday morning was
taken from jeremiah 81 chapter, 1874
verses. This utterance of the Prophet
the Doctor regarded as the highest
flight of Old Testament prophecy. In
1t Jeremiah six centuries before Christ
saw that there was n better and clear
CT revelation Of God to be expected than
any dead book could supply. The
movements of religious thought now in
operation must be regarded as bring
ing on the day that tho Jewish Seer
foretold. At the reformation the Teu-
tonic Churches had cast aside the bur-
den OF tradition, and committed them
selves 10 the guiding OF the written
word. But Protestant theologians had
repeated the mistake. of the Jews III
making an idol of the letter. To meet
the Roman claims OF infallibllity for the
church the Protestants had claimed in
tallibility and inerrancy for the book
and advanced thory OF inspiration
neither taught by the Scriptures nor
held by the ancient divines.
Now the symptoms OF decomposition
and decay and of the working of lcayen
are so much alike that people are ma
turally alarmed at the new theories
that were being put out. But the truth
is that we are beginning to see that
such an eXaltation OF the Scriptures
is dishonoring to the Spirit of God, who
moves directly on the heart and con-
science, and whose voice in the Chris.
tian conscience is the ultimate author
ity.
But 1t might be asked whether the
Christian conscience was strong enough
to bear such a burden. The reply was
that 1t bears it now under both the Ro-
man Catholic and Orthodox Protestant
theories. since 1t had to rely upon the
christian reason TO pass upon the ere,
dentialS Of the church and the Scrip
lures. Moreover If people would ex-
anime their own hearts they would
find that their real fear is not that the
conscience would prove too weak, but
lest it prove too strong and exact too
much. After showing that conscience
was strong enough the Doctor pointed
out that 1t was also wise and self-re-
strained enough TO discharge this duty.
For his part the preacher did not be-
lieve that the freedom that was claim
ed for the regenerated reason could be
divisive. rcnding churches and tearing
up the Bible. or course there would be
changes, but on the whole the move
ment went In the direction of abolish
ing unimportant distinctions in tho
churches and OF larger and more fruit
full study of the Bible.
MARRIAGE RELATIONS.
Rev. S. c. Hatcher preached the first
of his series on Marriage Relations
to large congregation at Queen
Street NJ. Il. Church Sunday night, TAX
Ing as his theme "Enga gements, When
Made. How Kept and When Broken"
TeNt Genesis. 29-lS. He said in part
Some people think that only novel
lists and poets deal with love stories;
that the preacher has no field here.
But the Bible contains some OF the
| most beautiful romances ever written.
This story of jacob and Rachel can
not be surpassed by any work of flc-
ton. IT is n real engagement made on
account OF love, and love only. III this
| respect II is ideal. i hope no one will
so far mistake my motives as to think
that my purpose tonight is to amuse
and entertain. want to say what 1
think Will be helpful; we have long
enough treated this subject as joke:
AN engagement is Il step toward
marriage-a step fraught with more
veal or woe than any other taken in
this ife's relations. You had better be
failure any and everywhere than TO
fail in your choice OF life companion.
study the temperament accomplish
bezti
man he thinks he loves and settle it
for all time that he loves her. Don't
simply be fascinated on account OF
some special excellence. The girl should
defer the answer until she knows the
man that proposes to take her heart
and hand. The woman should be care
full to look into the character of the
man in the same way in which she buys
goods-eXamine so much before the en-
ga cement is made.
when made, what does It mean? 1t
Is for life; as sacred in the sight Of
God as marriage is. Don't think 1T can
be broken, and that Is the end; one life
at least will be ruined thereby. To
trine with a pure woman's affections
Is murder, and it Is equally sinful to
trifie with mans affections, and woman
Is sometimes guilty of this.
'Tennyson' rightly describes the true
character of one who had been guilty
of this foul act. He declared that his
cerical robes could not hide his crime.
He had ruined two hearts,"
Mr. Hatcher said there was no need
of untimely haste in making an en-
gagement. but when it is made let It
he the most sacred contract-like
| Robert Burns and Mary Campbell
| Can it be broken? Not easily This
| vow is sometimes broken by mutual
consent. when one or the other is de-