The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-21
REV. LAMKIN'S SERMON.
faIthfuiness to Christ the Subject Of His
Farewell Exhortalion
10 THE FIRST BAPTIST CONGREGATION
He Has Been Pnstor of the Church
for Seven Ycnrs--Wiil Now
EsangcIize.

well sermon. Rev Lamkin has been pas
there was much interest conferred In his
farewell sermon. His sermon follows:
"For there stood by me this night the
angel OF God. whose | am and whom /
serve" Acts xvii, %.
''Be thou faithful unto death and will
give thee crown OF life Rev. II, TO-
In point of history these two passages
of scripture have no relation to each other.
and yet the underlying thought of faith
fulness in Christian service binds them
with golden clasp in one inseparable
union. The first stanus related to Paul,
the great missionary OF history. He was
in trouble. His experience was to him a
strange dispensation OF providence. Net
his faith in God wavered not for a mo-
ment. lie had purposed to visit the inn
perial capital of the world, but under more
favorable conditions. He was now pris-
oner and in a terrific storm on the Medi-
terranean. Yet God did not disappoint
his faith, for that dismal night OF suspense
and anxiety star OF hop1 broke out and
Cleaned Ger the waste of waters. There
came the angelic visitor with a message
from heaven. This inspired the courage
OF heavy but trusting neart The second
OF these Is connected with the matchess
imagery Of Revelation that unrolled before
The enraptured eyes oil John on Pdtmos
IL was IL part oil the message of Christ
to the church at Smyrna OF which the
gifted Polycarp, who, conspicuousiy in
The early ages of Christianity was pastor.
IL Is earnest and lofty in tone and makes
hdeitv to Christ the supreme duty VI
every loyal soul From these two pas
sages there are suggested several I'M
portant thoughts appropriate for this clos
ing sermon OF Passionate of nearly seven
years.
The FIRST of these is recognition OF
divine ownership whose | am." In sons
way we belong to God and this ownership
has a loftier basis than the sublime fact
of creation Every man is the browning
masterpiece of the Masters matchess
work. But we are His by right of re-
dempton. Eye are not your own for ye
are bought with price, even the precious
blood OF our Lord Jesus Christ" Re-
dempton is the mighty fact that makes
us Gods. and the important consideration
ia that we give back to God in grateful
Offering the full affection of our hearts.
Christ is the King OF Life and His author
ity over the will and conduct is supreme.
Whose | am and whom / serve" but
these passages OF scripture suggest another
truth that has a practical bearing upon
our we'll being 1t is undlsturbed trust
in God amid the storms that threaten orr
faire-t hopes. Paul's experience was
great disappointment TO himself. He had
written that he hoped for a prosperous
journey to Rome. by the will of God, as
he had iongod to visit that historic church
to the end that they might be established.
But the will Of Cod lies in another d.
rection. However, he goes 10 Rome. But
IT Is as prisoner in chains, And now n-
is cslght IN the Eur0clydon Of the great
sea, and for fourteen days and nights
neither sun nor stars appeared. But Paul
caught the spirit OF job who in his ca
lamity said; Though He STAY me yet
viii | trust Him" And now with heroic
faith Paul eNclaims; None of these
things move me, neither count / my life
dear unto myself that | may finish my
course with joy" The faith that over
comes the world is a calm trust and faith
in Gods wisdom, power and love, and this
confidence rests on the immutable prom
Use: AN things work together for good
to them that love God to them who are
called according TO His purpose" Tho
majestic working OF the providence may
often be concealed from those who most
trust in God, as Jesus said to His sorrow
Ing disciples: What l do thou knowe3t
not now. but thou shalt know hereafter"
| submit third thought which seems
appropriate for this occasion-suP eme OBJ
legation to Gods service whether in the
sunshine or in the storms of life The
language OF the text is practical anu
polnted--"whom l serve" which suggests
for our reflection. fidelity in service. BE
thou faithful unto death" We are to be
faithful to the trusts committed TO us.
All that we have. talents, acquisitions or
wealth is only lent capital from the Lord.
So that We are only stewards for God and
the inspired record says 1T Is required
in stewards that a man be found faith
full" The command is not to achieve un-
measured success. but to be iai hful. Faith
fulness merits divine commentator, But
unfaithfulness doom.
In the Doges palace at Venice. there
are the portraits Of those potentates
ranged IN long succession round u great
hall; one square Is noteworthy for it Is
a blank II you do not look at any OF
the portraits with attention you will he
sure to fix your eye upon that blank, and
ask: What meaneth thisP" There ars
the Doges in their splondor, and this is
vacant place. Marinus FAlierus dis
honored his office, and the great council
OF the city ordered his effigies TO be
| blackened over. Shall this be the portion
OF any steward here? Shall we be inn
mortal in disgrace? Shall everlasting
shame and contempt be measured out to
us as traitors 10 our Redeemeri Re-
member the word OF the Lord Jesus, when
He says OF the unfaithful that his Lord
shall "cut him asunder and appoint hin.
his portion with the hypocrites there
shall be weeping and gnashing OF teeth. ="
Turn now TO another phase OF this truth
expressed by this text Fidelity to Christ
must be persistent and continuous. BE
thou faithful unto death" Faithfulness
in service Is not spasmodic. but is the
golden thread that runs through the whole
warp Of life. Be faithful to yourself and
YOU will be faithful TO Christ but one who
Is false to himself can never be true TO
another. BE faithful TO Christ In the
home. We forget that a home is not a
house and upholstery, and tapestries and
curtains, and lawns and flowers. There are
palaces without home: there are man
sions which are only gilded sepulchers.
home is four walls including family
with identity OF interest, whose hearts are
bound together with the divine cord OF
love. The influences of home are the
flowers OF the invisible world. indestructi-
BILE and selt-perpetuating There is one
presence that can give safety and happi-
ness to the home. u is the presence OF
the divine Christ. BE faithful to Christ
in the home.
Be faithful to Christian service in the
church The true church Is the body OF
Christine pillar and ground OF the truth.
Efar vPa uta lak