The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-13
THE CHRISTIANS TRIUMPH.
Rev. DIR. Fairs Final Sermon at the
Independent Presbyterian.

! Rev. DR.. James Y. Fair preached his last
! sermon for the summer TO the congrega-
ton of the Independent Presbyterian
| Church last night DR.. Fairs manner of
treating the theme he chose for this final
discourse was in complete accord with his
accustomed graceful and scholarly touch.
The text was taken from Romans. s:3s:
More than conquerors" and from this
theme he elaborated a disquisition upon
the triumph of the Christian over the foes
that beset his path in this life. to over
| come whom is an essential prerequisite to
! full enjoyment of the greater life beyond
the stars. From the epistles of st. Paul,
! DR.. Fair drew the lessons he urged upon
! his congregation.
The Apostle Paul" he said. was
! born soldier. History does not record
! the life or exploits of a man in whom the
! military spirit was more predominant or
| who entered with more thorough SYM
! pathy into the martial feeling of the great
! Roman people, whom he addressed in the
! letter from which the text is taken. All
| of his writings abound in martial figures
OF rhetoric, and when he was writing to
| the people. the tread of whose ever-vic-
| torious legions was heard around the
earth. he spoke to them in language they
| could fully comprehend.
| st. Paul. therefore could appreciate
| the greatness of martial triumph. such
! as was accorded the victorious leaders OF
| the armies of the Eternal City. Never.
! perhaps, have there been spectacles that
! could surpass these Roman triumphs in
! beauty or glory, or magnificence. TO that
| favorite OF fortune, VINO had added a
province to the empire, triumphal en-
| try into Rome was accorded as a right.
| He al he cat Of he oil N
| by cheering host, placed in a chariot
| that glittered with gold and, drawn by
! mllk-white horses, made his triumphal
way to the Temple of Jupiter, on the Cap
| itoline hill. ROBBED in purple and with a
crown Of gold upon his head, he wns
| FAILED as a .conqueror. 1t was with a
| full realization of the glory of this tr-
umph that St. Paul said: Nay, in all
these things we are more than conquerors,
| through him that loved us
Dr. Fair sketched with bold strokes the
| glory of the triumph of the Christian,
over self adversely. sin and death This
iinal note of victory, that over death,
said Dr.. Fair, was first sounded in the
world by the apostles of Christ. The
great mystery had been source of awful
| speculation and terror 20 the people OF
the early ages; il was reserved for the
| great apostle to ask, "Oh, grave, where
is thy sting? Oh, death where is thy
victory! and for another, who looked
ms hnal end squarely in the face, to lay
hlmself down to rest with the phrase, 81
nave Fought a good fight, have finished
my course L have kept the faith"
The triumph of the Roman conquerer
was a magnificent spectacle, a great and
glorious thing" said Dr. Fair. but il
compares not at all with the triumph that
awaits the hubmlest Christian, who has
fought good fight and kept the faith
at the portals of the city not built with
hands. The Roman general was hailed
as conqueror in the Temple of Jupiter.
on the Capitoline HILL while the banks of
the Tfber reverberated with the greetings
OF the people, but for the Christian is re-
served a fate still more glorious He will
be met al the gates of the City of God,
crowned with the victor's laurel in the
temple of the Most High. while the very
River of Life will resound with the no.
zannas OF the heavenly host acclaiming
him more than conqueror, through Him
! that loved US"