The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-18
WORLDS TRUE KING
SERMON SUGGESTED BY THE COR
OVATION OF EDWARD VII.
EARTHLY KINGS PASS AWAY.
SAYS PROF. JOHN ROACH STRATON
AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.

wives, hut Loyalty Is Now to HeaV-
emily Rather Than to Earthly King.
Christ Alone the True King of
BE Found All the Virtues of the
Ideal King Combined-ArtifIciaI
of Rule Passing Away Before
March of Democracy.
Prof. John Roach Straton preached
at the First Baptist Church yesterday
on Christ the Worlds True King.
The sermon was based on the texts:
The Lord reigneth. Psalm 93:1.
The kingdoms of this world are be-
come the kingdoms of our Lord, and
of his Christ and he shall reign for
ever and ever"-Rev. 11:15.
Loyalty" said the speaker, lis one
of the most beautiful virtues of the
human heart. Loyalty embraces and
includes truth, love, constancy and
honor. Loyalty is allegiance. Loyalty
is fidelity. Loyalty is trustworthiness.
when President Mckinley sent his
ultimatum to Spain, telling her that
she must either cease her tyrannies in
Cuba or fight he was enabled
to take this bold step because he knew
that the great American heart was
loyal and true; that at the call to arms
the clans would gather from Maine to
California and from the Lakes to the
Gulf-a great host of stalwart Ameri-
can ready to fight the battles of their
country. ready to do and die for the
flag of the republic and the cause of
right.
The Age of Chivalry is one of the
most fascinating periods in history.
There is a charm in its castles and
swords, it gracious ladies and it's ar
mored knights. And loyalty was the
keystone of that civilization. 1t could
not have held together for a single
day if men had not been faithful and
true. When the yassal kneeed and
placed his hands in those of his lord,
he swore to be henceforth his man
(the Latin homo-whence our word
homage, homo-age).
AN that was best in the days of
chivalry still survives. True we have
come into a new and simpler day
when the pomp and sham of kings has
been put aside before the true sover-
eighty of the people; but loyalty and
chivalry still survive-no longer as
blind allegiance to earthly kings but
as soul loyalty to a spiritual king.
These thoughts are suggested as
appropriate for this mornings service,
by the recent coronation of King Ed
ward VII. in England. We honor and
love our great Anglo-Saxon mother
and yet we looked with merely curious
interest at the medieval pomp and GER
emony of the coronation. And while
England seems on this occasion to
have striven for an especially impress
sive ceremony, in order that the 10y
atty of the people might be deepened,
still the march of republican ideas
goes steadily forward; and through
the example of peaceful, prosperous
and powerful America, all the
nations of the earth are coming to
realize that the days of earthly kings
will soon be numbered entirely with
the past.
But while with the growth of Dem
mocracy, which is liberty and truth
we cannot longer kneel and give our
selves to a titled man, thanks be to
God! We can still give our loyalty
In all purity and beauty, to a Divine
King!
Thus is all that was best in the
days of chivalry saved to the race.
Shorn of the vanity of outward show,
purged of the dross of selfshness, we
offer our loyalty and our lives to Christ
Jesus, our King. We kneel in true de-
votien before His throne, put our hands
into His, and pledge ourselves to be-
come his man-give him homo-age for
ever.
Thus, while the artifcialty of rule
with its surface loyalty, passes away
before the march of democracy; while
the captains and the kings depart
the dominions of Jesus are extending
everywhere. The Lord reigneth' The
Kingdoms of this world are become the
Kingdoms of our Lord, and of His
Christ, and He shall reign forever and
ever! Over all the world there are
loyal hearts to love Him, eager hands
TO serve Him, willing lives to die in
His name, and to-day, as we have
gathered here in His name, we can
watch without regret the passing away
OF all earthly kings, and even exclaim
with the psalmist of old
Lift up your heads, o We gates
And be ye lift up We everlasting doors
And the King of Glory shall come in
Christ is the only true king of the
world, because of His regal right to
reign. Many earthly kings, as good
King Alfred and Marcus Aurelius,
have enshrined themselves in the ad-
ministration and love of the world be-
cause of their kingly qualities. But
the whole world, because in Him alone
We're all Of the virtues of the ideal
king combined. A king should be wise,
and Christ had divine wisdom for, new
er man spake as he fspake' A
king should be lust, and
Christ had the perfection of
justice in his nature, as illustrated
when He said render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars. and unto
God the things that are Gods A king
should be broad. and the liberality of
Christ has lever beer equaled. When
HIS disciples came to Him and told
Him that there was one casting out
devils in His name, and that they for
bade him, because he would not follow
them. Jesus replied that they must not
forbid him; for, said He, he that is
not against us is on our side A ring
ing sermon of rebuke to partisan
bigotry and denomina tional strife.
"A king should be strong; and Christ
had masterful strength. as when he
denounced the hypocritical Pharfsees
TO their very teeth, or when he dashed
the money changers from the temple
But king should also be gentle: and
Christ had all of the gentleness of a
woman, as when he took little children
into His loving arms or with infinite
delicacy and tenderness reached down
TO the fallen woman and gently raised
her up. But, above all. a king should
love his people: and Christ had such
love for men that He was willing to
make any sacrifice for them-even to
the disgraeful death of the cruel
cross"