The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-29
Admirable Discourse by Rev. AS.
bury E. KrOm at Beneficcnt
congregational Church.

At the morning service at the Benef-
cent Congregational church yesterday
morning n large congregation listened
with a great deal OF interest 10 SER
mon by the pastor Rev. Asbury f. Krom.
The discourse was on the line OF thought
devolved by the fact that Christ chose
His disciples. and the preacher showed
that not only was this true~so far as the
Scripture was concerned, but it whs true
with men of art, sculpture. letters, the
ministry and I'm numberless instances
Incidentally, he referred to the condi-
tons which exist because of the strike OF
the miner and the shortage OF fuel. and
advanced the belief in the good that
would obtain from the ownership OF the
mines by the government, or at least
governmental control The sermon fol-
lows:
St Johns 1916: eye have not chosen
me but have chosen YOU"
This statement of Jesus is In accord
with the various accounts In our Gospels
concerning the call of the disciples. They
did not choose the master, the master
chose them. He saw Matthew sitting at
the receipt OF custom He said unto him.
Follow me" And he arose and followed
him.
Passing DN the sea or Galllec he saw
Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his
brother. He saith unto them, Follow me
and I will make you fishers Of men," And
they straightway left their nets and fol-
lowed him.
He saw James and John in a ship with
their father mending their nets. Matthew
says. He called them" And they i'm
mediately left their ship and their faith
er and followed him
Then again In that more general state
ment recorded by Mark: "He goeth up in
TO a mountain and calleth unto him when
he would and they came unto him, and
he ordained twelve that they should be
with him. and that he might send them
forth TO preach"
For the advocate OF a dUCVrfnc or di-
vine selection or election these statements
are extremely significant.
We may rest assured that since the ma
terial on which 20 base such a doctrine is
so exceedingly scant in the teachings OF
Jesus that this action OF Jesus and espe-
cially these words OF out text have been
much used.
Most OF our theological systems, I'm so
far as they have been Scriptural at ALL
have found their starting point in the
writings of st. Paul This. too. for the
reason that the Gospels are so plain and
simple that they offer no foundation on
which to build an elaborate system OF
theology.
But when st. Paul has furnished the
suggestion. and the imagination Of theo-
logians and the needs OF the church have
suggested the necessary material for a
system of thought, men have then turn
ed TO the sayings of Jesus to find illus
trations, 10 support their theory. not OF
what Jesus taught about men but OF
what they intend 10 teach concerning Je-
sus
Since Jesus selected the twelve from
the multitude is this not a splendid illus
tration OF the great thought that God Sc
lects here and there one from the multi
tude and condemns the rest, and for the
reason in both cases. as the Westminster
dlvines expressed IL. that God Himself
might be glorihed."
ONE FUNDAMENTAL ERROR
II Is one OF the fundamental errors. as
pointed out by logic. to argue from n spe-
cinc instance to a geperal rule The fail
ure 90 observe this has caused both sci
ence and theology 10 make some OF their
creates mistakes.
To do this is all the more inexcusable
when one Ia conscious at the beginning
that the specific instance is not I'm any
true sense an illustration OF the point at
issue. still more culpabe is II when the
life, spirit and teaching Of the man from
whose words the Illustration is taken are
all at variance with the general rule they
are intended 20 illustrate.
The crowning glory OF the life OF Je-
sus was the universal characteristic that
manifested itself IN both his speech and
action.
He sAid. "whosoever will let him come