The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1901-09-20
An Eloquent Sermon.


The NJ. f.. Church South was all
cd last Sunday night by an audi :
ence that appreciated one OF the
best sermons ever heard In Louisa.
IL was a mastery effort, fitting
conclusion to DR.. Boland's year In
our midst. After reading the text,
"For God so loved the world that
he gave. his only begotten Son, that
whatsoever believeth In him should
not perish, but have everlasting
life," tho preacher began with this
declaration "This text is worthy |
OF being written In flaming char
acters ON the canvas OF the skies,
and punctuated with the stars.
This sentence was key note to a |
gem among the one hundred dis
courses the doctor has preached |
during the present Conference
year. The three minutes intro
ductlon was a graphic description /,
OF Christ as the Great Teacher, 70.
yealing the love OF the Father to
a fallen world, as manifested In 4
tho plan OF redemption. The speak
or In this connection showed how
beautifully this love was taught In
the three parallels Of the lost piece
OF money, the lost sheep and the
prodigal Son abiding In his own
tender way to the "patlent sweep
ing", the "weary rambler In the
mountain gorges", and the "kiss Of
forglving love- TO tho patient
younger son. This prepared his
audience for the announcement
and discussion OF the following
grand proposition: "Some OF the
benefits OF the atonement are uni
versal and unconditional, while
other benefits are conditional, and
extend only To those who comply
with the condition. /. The bless
lngs which are universal aud I'M
conditional are, first, life and pro.
batIon second, the privilege OF be.
ing saved third, the enlighlening
and convicting influence OF the
Holy Spirit, and fonrth, the Res
direction OF the body.
III. The blessings which are con-
dltional, aud which extend only to
those who comply with the condl-
EDITION are, first, justification or
pardon; second, regeneration, or
the renewal OF our moral nature In
the Divine image; third, grace to
sustain us in life and at death, and
fourth, life eternal.
III. The condition is faith. But
"faith without good works is dead";
hence there Is a sense in which 1t
may be said faith and obedience
are the conditions OF final saliva
Itlon.
And In this lucid logical way DR..
Boland proceeded with an argu-
ment most attentlvely followed by
ibis Intelligent audience. Its dis.
cussion reached a grand climax In
the proposition that the bible
taught a universal atonement and
a conditional personal salvation,
and that these two facts are the
great pillars In the temple OF tho
: ologyi the beautiful supports OF
the arch which embraced the won
drous plan OF salvation. One rep
resents Gods love TO the world in
the gift Of His. beloved Son; the
| other represents mans responsl.
, bility in the work OF his personal
: salvation.
+. And then, with eloquent words
! and appropriate gesture, the rev,
erend gentleman said no would
embrace this pillar and speak to a
dying people OF the Fathers love
rs manifested by his gift OF the
One whose "purple food" was fol
all. But he must also clasp this
T other piIlar-this pillar OF a living
Faith and good works,
The above Is the merest skeleton
Of a most eloquent sermon. II
was clothed with the logic OF tn,
trained theologian, beautilled with
appropriate poetic quotations, anc
delivered with the touching ear,
a nestness which marks DR.. Boland',
Q pulpit dlscourses,