The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-30
FINE SERMONS BY DIR. TAYLOR
The Congregation of the First Baptist
Church Delighted.

At the First Baptist church Sunday
morning and evening Rev. DIR. Chas. K.
TAYLOR. president of Wake Forest Col
lege. preached two very fine sermons.
The text of the morning discourse was
Matthew viii. 10: when Jesus heard it.
he maryeled, and said to them thaS
followed, Verify l say unto you, | have
found SO great faith, no. not in Israeli
'Only twice in Christ's career" began
the speaker. lis He said to have mar
yelled: and then it was at exactly oppo-
site things. Once it was at faith. The
other time it was at unbelief--the UNI
belief shown by the Jews after having
seen His miracles and many wonderful
works The other time was in this
text-at the faith shown by a Roman
officer in Capernaum In the jew He
had a right to expect faith: in the Off
Ger He would naturally have looked for
unbelief. In each case he found just
exactly the opposite, hence He mar
yelled.
From first to last the Bible is a
book of lessons, of illustrations. There
are few definitions in it. There is, for
instance. no definition of Repentance.
When Christ would have us know what
repentance is he gives us the parable of
the Prodigal Son. The word repentance
is not used in it, and yet even child
could read it and understand what is
meant by repentance. There is. no def
milton of Love in the Bible. There is
no need for it. Every act of Chlist's
life, as set forth in the New Tesla
ment. is an illustration of it. Greater
love hath no man than this
nd nor from
which my text is taken, is an illustra-
ton OF Faith. And when Jesus was
entered into Capernaum,' says Matthew,
there came unto Him a centurion, be-
seeching Him. and saying, Lord, my
servant lieth at home sick Of the palsy,
grievously tormented. | am
not worthy that thou shouldest come I'M
der my roof; but speak the word only
and my servant shall be healed
THAT was Faith-4a faith such as
Jesus says he had not found in all
Israel Let us this morning analyze
this mans conduct and find what there
was in it that Jesus should thus stamp
it with his approval.
First we find in the mans heart a
desire-a burning desire that his SER
want be made we'll.
And in considering this text we cam
not apply our present ideas of servant
and master. This was Roman officer
The Roman eagles had flown out oven
the world and into their clutches some
of the most highly civilized nations of
the earth had fallen-men of culture
and refinement had been taken and sold
into slavery. No doubt this servant
was one such. There are plenty exam
pies in Roman history of the like. Cicero
had one such as this--his private sec
rotary, and when he fell i'll the great
poet wrote three times a day and sent
the letters by special courier to find
out how he was.
1T was under these circumstances that
the centurion came to Christ. His ser
want, his friend, was sick. previously
to1mented, says Matthew. No doubt
the best physicians in the place had
been summoned. without giving relief.
And so the man came to Christ with
an earnest desire in his heart.
THAT is the first element of faith
| doubt if a man can exercise faith in
cold blood. There can be no such thing
as conversion without conviction. When
we look into our hearts and see their
corrupt tendencies, when We see our
hopeless condition and our inability to
mend our ways when We realize that