Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1901-05-03
,GPnOl Of
Rev. T. ?. Harris.
Preached in Avenue M. E.
Church, April 18th,
1901.

by the Pastor the Rev. Frank
P. Harris, was as follows -
Text.-Paulis First Epistle to the Cor
inthians. Chapter 2, verse 2: "FOr |
determined not to know anything
among YOU save Jesus Christ and
Him Crucifed."
Understanding Principles.
PauTs Preaching was consistent
with his preaching theory. The
poet Wordsworth took upon him
self the life task of a revolution in
the theory and art of poetry. His
ambition was to write verse in the
language of the common people.
But so complete was his failure to
realize his ideal that his reputation
as a poet rests wholly upon those
productions which were written in
direct violation of his theory.
In this epistle to the Corinthians
Paul not only introduces us to his
preaching theory but also declares
his faithfulness to that theory.
And both in its theme and method
Paul assures us that his preaching
to the Corinthians was entirely out
of harmony with the demands of
his hearers.
His audience was composed OF
the representatives of three streams
of national life which had been
brought together in Cornith by a
colonizing edict of Julius Caesar in
the previous century.
Roi Creeks, and Jews had
f" of Paups day
philoso
lglon. culiar to their
1e.r~.. national types. And we
learn that the adherents of each OF
.hese types were ready to make
their demands that every religious
teacher should pay Difference tC
their peculiar traditions. So we
are told that the Greeks asked fol
wisdom, the Jew demanded sign
while the Roman was eager for ;
display of power.
To each of these demands Pau
could have responded to the entir
satisfaction of his hearers. AM
generously would he have been re
warded. The Roman would hav
thrown over him and his new sec
the much needed and all-suficien
physical protection of the imperia
eagle; the Greek would have crow.
ed him with the immortal DIV
and the Jews would have halle
him as prophet; and the road
triumph would have been easy.
But it would not have been til
triumph of the cross. The gre;
preachers theme was Christ Crl
cited" This subject alone d
manded all his powers.
Consistent with this demand al
in view of the opposing deman'
of his hearers we may see in tn
text the subject of the sermo
THE Resolute self-sacrihcing Lin
tations of Pauls Preaching.
That we may realize more clear
the strength of determination nee
ed to preach Christ Crucifed to t
Corinthians, we must try to measu
the force of the temptation prese
for the choice of other themes.
And let us first examine the +
mans demand for a display
power on the part of the orat
An evident object of Paurs prea'
ing was the subjugation of men
Christ. For at the name of Je'
every knee must bow and ev,
tongue must confess that Je
Christ is Lord And to these v
Corinthians he later declared
object of his P-aaching to be
casting down of imaginations
every high thing that exalteth
self against the knowledge of c
and bringing into captivity ey
thought to the obedience of CHI
and being in readiness to reve
all disobedience." To this milf
abiect of his new cause was fl
the militant spirit of Paul.
was a saint, but he had the sor
warrior. He possessed i
marked degree the qualities
supurb military here. The {
ofhis fierce zeal under the contr
cisiveand comprehensivetho1
power to organize, and
ilitv to endure hardship N
ave placed him in the first
# the worlds great generals.
Hnren,,er the natural and