Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-11

THE PASTOR OF THE FIRST PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCH, DELIvEH-
ED A TIMELY SERMON YES
TERDAY MORNING.
A Divine Wish, That Ala who Believe
in Christ Shall Make Avowal OF
Their Faith-The InvftatiOu-A
Summary of the Sermon.

V0G1T E&llm-AMC hvlt8t1V4-A
summary of the Sermon.
Yesterday morning the Rev. David
A. Cunningham, d. D., the pastor OF
the First Presbyterian church, deliv-
cred a timely discourse on the subject
OF "Confessing Christ" The sermon
follows
Rom. $40: THE word is nigh thee,
even in thy mouth. and in thy heart;
that is, the word Of faith which we
preach; that if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved" Il
l Johny5-15: ''Whosoever shall con-'
fess that Jesus is the Son of God, God
dwelleth in him. and he in God"
Matt. 1892, 33: whatsoever there
fore shall confess me before men, him
will l confess also before my Father
which is in heaven. But whatsoever
shall deny he before men, him will l
also deny before my Father which is
in heaven"
John 12:42, 40: Nevertheless among
the chief rulers also many believed on
him; but because of the Pharisees
they did not confess him, lest they
should be put put of the Synagogue;
for they loved the praise of men more
than the praise Of God"
These passages are selected and
thrown together because Of the light
they shed on the question of confess
ing Christ. Each strikes the subject
at a little different angle from the
other, and all together they lend a
remarkable emphasis to what is at
once the duty and the privilege Of
making manifest to the world our faith
in the Son Of God.
Without commenting specifically on
these passages, the way is prepared for
saying:
/. From the standpoint Of the Scrip
lures there can be nc doubt that it is
the divine wish that all who believe
in the Son of God in their hearts shall
make avowal of their faith, and fall
promptly and loyalty into line with
His followers. If the word of Jesus
are consulted, this is the inference they
yield. If we turn to the inspired apos-
ties, and study their addresses, and
counsels and letters, it is the same. 1T
we call UP in review the examples of
men who are commanded, or those
whose decisions and conduct occasion
disappointment, we shall discover that
a pronounced position is the one which
has on it always the divine apprOba-
ton. Follow Me" is the direction.
That direction obeyed makes not only
a separation between ones self and
ones sins, SO that shortcomings and
lniquities are left behind; but a separ-
alton between ones self and whatever
comes in to interfere with an absolute
and ~single-eyed devotion to the Lord
Of Life. Business interests. domestic
ties, social affiliations, public distinc-
tions and preferments, are all to be
secondary to this one supreme demand
Of devotion to the Master. When this
faith has been announced; when this
attachment has been expressed; when
this obedience has been illustrated,
hnn ono ms " rpfIIrn RI hrin0 hic foifh
and his loyalty, and his obedience with
him, to his business affairs, to his
hearthstone, to his friendships, to his
public trusts and duties, to be put into
these several occupations and relations
if they are already right, in order to
make them better and sweeter-to be
put into them to renovate and revolu-
t~ionize, if they are not already on a
sound, moral basis. But UP to that
point, we are held to the alternative
God or the World.
In the Bible, we can find no halfway
ground to stand on. Come We out from
among them is put in the imperative
mood. However tolerant we may be
of the opinions Of others; however
charitable we may be in our judg-
ments of the religious character Of
others, Christ and the apostles make
no compromises.
Above all others, Jesus holds men to
q clear and avowed fidelity to Him.
Suffer nj first to go and bury my
father" said one. "Follow me; and let
the dead bury their dead" said Jesus.
Il will follow Thee; but let me first
go bid them farewell which are at
home at my house." No man, having
put his hand to the plough, and look-
ing back, is fit for the kingdom OF
God" He that loveth father or mother
more than Me is not worthy of Me:
and he that loveth SON or daughter