The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-06-05
SER MON BY
REV. J. SN APE.
Preached at the Delaware Avenue
Baptist Church, June End, 1901.
Theme: The Sacred Name.

BapUlSU Lnurcn, june lHu, looi'
Theme: The Sacred Name.
Text: "Thou shalt not take the
name of the Lord thy God in vain; for
the Lord will not hold him gull tless
that taketh his name in vain. En-
odus 20: 7.
Name in the Bible always stands
for character. The name God gives
himself is himself---Jehoyah. The
name we give God is our conception
of Him. Our designation is our de-
scription, the title we apply, is the
attribute we specify, as when we
say-Creator, Preserver, Benefactor,
King, Judge, Father.
Isaiah's five fold description of the
coming deliverer is tiye-fold meaning
full. ellis name shall be called Won
derful, Counsellor. Mighty God, Ever
lasting Father, Prince of Peace. +"
Books are written on the titles OF
Jesus and we'll indeed and profltably
might a series Of sermons be preached
on that most interesting theme.
There are at least eighty titles
of Jes us in the Bible. Names requir-
ing the use of every letter of the Al
phabet save six--O, Q U, X, \, Il,
and every title is replete with yelled
significance. Gods name is more
than an appellation, it is definition
"It stands as compendium OF our
conception Of God, human epltome
of Deity"
We say Cod and we are immedl-
ately we are hushed and reverent; We
say "Jehovah" and we become
thoughtful and theological, we say
'preserver" and our attribute is one
of thankful1ess; we say king" and
we think of royal robes, OF royal
rights, of royal thrones; we say
"Judge land we grow careful and
fearful; we say "Father' and at once
all the sweetness and fragrance of the
love of the Infinite S heart comes up.
on us, and we are tender, subdued,
and famiiarly worshipful. All the
name, the wonderful, powerful, mean
ingful name of God
Thou shalt not take it in vain. for
the Lord will not hold him guiltless
b that taketh His name in vain.
We sometimes say. "What S in a
name?" The fact is about every
thing is in name. 1t is impossible
to disassocate man from the appel
lation, by which he is known, Men
find it convenient sometimes to change
their names to secure occupation or
to escape suspicion, and women some
times change their names for other
reasons.
How we cherish our family name
and defend it with voice or fist, o.
pen. "What IS your name?' said a
magistrate to an outcast woman ar
raigncd before him. ''Hush,' y she
said. 'Call me Magdaene. 1t is
enough that | have sinned without
besmirching the name Of godly, inno-
cent parents" Young men and wo-
men, guard we'll the honor of your
name. You may never be wealthy
nor great nor famous, nor yalorous.
Yet there sits no person within these
walls tonight who may not leave to
his posterity, and to the world, the
legacy Of good name. A good name
indeed, is rather to be chosen than
great riches, and loving favour rather
than silver and gold.
"Who steals my purse, steals trash,
But he who robs me of my good
name,
Takes that which ne'er enriches
him,
Yet leaves me poor indeed.
We must not perjure the name of
God. 1t is solemn thing to be put
under oath, when we consider that
we virtually invite on ourselves the
wrath Of God, for willfu! falsehcod on
the stand. A lie may be thought
less mis- statement, but perjury is
blasphemous falsehood.
We must not use God S name hypo-
critically. If our lips speak one
thing and our lives another, in pray.
er, we violate Gods name. To use
the occasion of prayer to valnt our
selves before men or to rebuke a
brother in the pew, who thus has no
chance to defend himself, or to eX-
press ourselves in piOus tones, while
living impious lives, is hypocrital
and breaks this Third Command
mcnt.
1t is believed by many, and trenu-
ously held by some, that the taking
of judicial oath, is forbidden by the
sermon on the mount, but whac Je-
sus really condemns is the practice of
taking oaths in common conversation,
and especially of swearing by secular
Objects" but this, however, we may
say, that, the ilippant, fragrant, almost
blasphcmous way OF taking oaths on
every occasion, is condemned by the
sermon on the mount, and by the
spirit of this commandment.
We must not use the name OF
God profanely. OF all the sins OF
the human heart, this one is the
most silly, aud the most frequent
How it makes us shudder as we
hear little boys scarcely able TO
talk at all, taking Gods name 10
vain upon their lips yet moist with
the pure kiss of a mother. They
pass along our streets with faces
like cherubs aud language like