Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-21
SERMONS SUNDAY.
BY BISHOP DUNCAN AND DIR.
STARR.

STARR
Methodists of Norfolk The weather
was most propitious and the members
of the Conference had the pleasure of
preaching to largo congregations at
the various Protestant churches in
Norfolk. Portsmouth and Berkeley.
Bishop w. w. Duncan preached at
Cumberland Street Church at IL n. IN.
and ordained the deacons. There was
an immense audience present and took
the deepest interest in all that trans
PRED.
The Bishop took as his text Phil,
4:l9: But my grace shall supply all
your need according to Ills riches in
glory by Christ Jesus" and cognatc
passages quoted, Il can do all things
through Christ, which strengthenelh
me; My grace is sufficient for thee"
Subject: Fidelity TO Duty Receives
Divine Approval and Ultimate Re
Wnrd."
The Bishop said in part: paul, the
prisoner, appreciated remembrance and
sympathy from his friends and rccog-
nized the fact that they would have
done more for him If they had had op-
portunity. Paul knew how to be rich
and how to be poor y secret that
many do not learn. When fully real
lied II Is expressive of closest union
with Christ and unqualified devotion to
His cause.
Paul in prison felt under obligations
to his friends fov Kindness and not be-
Ing able to literally rcciprocate he put
forth Christ as his representative. say
Ing that My God shall supply all your
need according to His riches In glory,
by Christ Jesus
whether high or low is entitled to
honor and respect. Stonewall jackson,
one of the greatest heroes of history,
deserves no more honor than the brave,
fearless men who caught his spirit and
obcyed his comman dS. So it Is not the
place. the position, but the qualities of
the man that determine whether he
shall be n force in building up the
kingdom of our Lord or not. Paul said,
I have learned in whatever state am
to be content He was content with u
supply of his needs, not his wants.
There is q great difference between
need and want. God does not promise
to supply wants. but needs. y man
may want something that. so far from
needing, he may need the opposite. He
may want prosperity, hut God sees he
needs adversely 10 teach him n lesson
of wisdom and of duty. He may want
health, but God knows he needs sick
hess to humble him. that he may be
exalted in due time.
If a man Will not do Gods work in
Gods way He will set him aside and
select another man to do it. If the
divine plan embodied In given life be
failure In one case God VIII have Ii!s
work done by another. But did not
submitting to God bring Job to be-
reavement and poverty? But Job is
the example man of the world to this
day. and his life exhibits how God can
overrule evil for God. Make Gods
standard. and not the standard of the
world. the standard of your life"
The entire sermon, OF which the
above is a mere epitome was well con-
ceived. we'll delivered and produced n
happy effect. Some of it's passages
were decidedly eloquent, some features
of manner and some tones of the Bish-
ops voice reminded one of the iminita-
BILE manner and voice of his glorifed
brother. DR. James a. Duncan.
At night the Bishop preached to an
overflow congregation at Epworth
Church, his discourse being applicable
to the elders who were ordained by
him.
DIR. w. C. STARR.
DIR. Starr preached to an overflow
audience at the Park Avenue Baptist
Church Sunday night The burden of
his discourse was the experimenting
province of God. He said, in part:
1.-THE people Of God are walled in by
His providence, but faith in the Divine
Ruler is essential to take in this idea
Confidence is possible because it is
natural. This Is the life of religion
as the-eonfidence of man in man is the
life of business In the commercial
world. When men have lost confidence
in each other. exchange is interrupted
and the Channels of trade are locked.
Just so where confidence in God is
wanting, there Will be no recognition
OF Ills experimenting care as the SOW
ereign OF the universe.
Sometimes. amidst the vicissitudes
OF life. we feel helpless and forsaken,
nut IL we Will only lift up our eyes the
heart VIII see what mortal sight cannot
reVeai-the Omnipotent, tenderly re-
casting the little map OF life so that
the trusting saint may find refuge in
the help OF God.
The slowness of the process some
times stagSers faith but all men can
anord TO wait. A plant is not a
prophet. 1t does not tell what kind of
flower or fruit 1t will yield. but 1t is
enough that it grows and natures ac-
cordinG to the gracious will of the
great creator.
Many are willing to trust to .luck'
and chance and blind fortune MS tho
servants of the world may call it, but
when such resources fail. on what can
they lem for comfort and support. n
is true that All things work together
FOR good to them that love Cod ;
Joshua was pathfinder for Israel.
but the God who led him is the Same
God who has carried hundreds of our