The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-14
SERVICES AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
SeV' B j. Porter, of Fayetteville, breaches
Two Excellent Sermons

AZ the First Baptist church SUNDAY
services were conducted morning and
rlght by Rev. S. j. POrCer, of Favette.
Vllle, and these we're greatly enioyed nv
me deeply interested congregations a,
each service.
his text At the morning service wa.
taken from the first chapter. fourteenth
verse of John, The word was made aeeh
anu dweit among us" The theme wbici,
he developed was the projection of Christ
in the individual and how the lives ~
men were built up aud made because thew
received the word which came from Him
who took on flesh whose life was
benedctiOn to the world and to indlvid-
uals.
In the evening he preached an impress
sive sermon to a large and attentive ar-
dienee, and the choir led the congrega-
ton in rendering beautiful and ammo
pirate music
The text was John 1:44, when Jesus
beheld Simon he said, thou art Simon
the son of Jonah; thou shall be called
Cepnas, which is a stone!" Christ's
words, declared the preacher were a
prophecy and a promise He saw the
possibilities within the rough. uncoutn
Simon, and labored. three years, knocking
off the corn ers and chiseling and polish
| ing until the promise was fulfilled
Phidias, the great sculptor, carved a
statue of Jupiter which was perhaps
mans highest conception of God; but
| Christ made of Peter his own concep>
ton of man.
Jesus beheld Simon" He looked him
through and found the keynote of his
| life; he spoke to him, charmed him, held
him and kept him on the track Christ
looked at Simon at the time of the de-
NAL, and that look stopped his wavcring.
Simon had been like the wandering comet,
and Christ's look attracted him and he
| became n planet, with a fixed orbit We
are kept by the power of God ''No man
| is able to pluck them out Of my hand -
| No power can draw a planet out of it's
orbit, or pull the soul away from God.
Jesus called the dscordant Simon, and
| Turned the keys 10 nearly the swapping
| point: ard when Simon was in tune with
| him, he could preach the great sermon at
| Pentecost. Come to Jesus: put your lives
and hearts against his, and let him put
you in tune. Christ is endeavoring to
| bring the world to himself let us bend
our hearts to his teaching.
When a visitor went into the cathedral
to see the famous bells, the foundation
seemed to thrill with the music. as Demi
lept from key TO key, striking the stops
with his hand here and there. The whole
community listened and kept step to the
ringing of the bells.
In childhood, in the carpenters shop
while teaching in Gethsamane, before
Platc on Calvary. while ascending and
while interceding before the throne
Christ was ringing the bells of redemp
ton. We must keep step with the bells
CT heaven, be passive to Christ and get
III tune.
There ic a story that while Christ car
ried the cross, Mary Magdalene gave her
handkerchief to him, and when he re-
turned it after wiping the dust and sweat
from his brow, she saw on it the pic
ture Of his face. Let him take our
hearts and press them to his heart SO
that we may go into the world and IT
Will take knowledge of us that we have
been with Jesus.