The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1902-05-31
The shorter 1hateohism Captures ths As
s@mbiy Anew,
A GREAT

AAe GcAeEG4 AssSAu4f, NulSU Was
in session in Jackson during the past
fortnight, was 4 grand assemblage.
During its deliberations many great
arguments were made and wise de-
abroad through the telegraphie re-
ports in the press. and our readers
are familiar with them. But there Is
~ thing-the gem Of the whole oc-
casion. so far as Appropriateness, Wit
and brillisney goes-znd that is the
speech OF Hon. c. H. Alexander in vel
coming the great body TO Jackson.
Never did an audience evince greater
delight or more thorough appreciation
than did his hearers. and for the sake
Of that great multitude in Mississippi
who was raised on the Shorter Cate
chism we believe our readers Of other
faiths will be glad to yield this space;
1T is natural TO associate a Presby-
terrain assembly with the Shorter Cate
chism. If l have any slight qualifca-
ton for the art assigned to me to-
night. ii is the fact that | once had
a smattering knowledge Of that little
book. l was raised on the Shorter
Catechism. l shall never forget it
not the c~atechism; | have already for
gotten that-but the raising. l began
70 study it very Dol after | was born
into an estate Of sin and misery, and
then l began to realize that | had
been born into that estate. | was
taught more about the estate of sin
and misery than l was about the State
Of Mississippi. That catechism made
an impression on me. 1t made fire.
quent impressions on me. It made
vivid had almost said livid-im-
pressions on me. l took it internally,
but chiefly externally. The fact is, 1t
was administered to me in a corporal
and carnal manner. l shall never for
get the outward and ordinary means
whereby my parents made an eff
fectual application Of it to me, and
thus did persuade and enable me to
embrace it
My message to you is 'summarily
comprehended' in the one word, vel
come, and l will not attempt to give
the reasons annexed Pardon the di-
erosion; l am back on the eatechism.
| do not deserve any credit for learn
ing it. 1t was not, like Adam, left
to the freedom Of my own will My
parents would call me from my world
ly employments and r%ecreations' and
compel me to study 1t. 1t may be
that some Of you never saw that won
derful little book. To you / would
gay. l cannot commend it as light
reading; it is not a novel; it is not a
poem; it does not rhyme; 1t does not
make good vacation reading; it is not
sold on the trains. II l ever have to
take it again l want to take it as
Ezekiel took his roll. or as John in
his vision took the little book that
was bitter. In fact, l would prefer
TO take it in a capsule. To the theo-
Logan the catechism may be a perfect
compendium of Bible doctrine. To the
t~heologian's boy il is closely asso-
ciated with the idea of eternal punish.
nent.
Il confess l do not feel altogether in
place in the sanctuary. I have never
heat the drum e~cclesiastic.' Unfortu.
nately, l belong to a profession which
is not always credited with having
for its chief end the promotion Of
truth between la and man. especially
In witness bearing In fact, come liz.
norant and misguided persons look
upon lawyers as illustrations of the
'si~nfulness Of hat estate whereunto
man fell The most | am willing to
admit is that no mere lawyer since
the fall ever did perfectly keep the
commandments However, it is true
that the lawyer Of old had his place
IN tbs temple, and they are very liza
bic TO break in the temple even now,
when there is any talking to do.
though they usually show a great
want Of conformity unto or trans.
erosion OF the propriety Of the &C.
casion.'
But 10 get back to my message: |
got an idea long ago that the spiritual
world was divided like all Gaul-into
three parts what is required, what is
forbidden, and the reasons annexed;
and have read somewhere that there
is a commandment which requireth
all lawful endeavors to preserve the
Of others This requirement we
undertake towards you as our guests
during the next few days. There is
one thing | have noticed about the
coming Of a general assembly into
The Marthas are brought to
the front and are much IN evidence.
while the Marys are RELOCATED to the
rear. In behalf Of the Xarthas Of our
city, ! must say they are laboring IN.
der some perplexities. 4 FIRE has just
destroyed the beautiful buildings
where they had planned a noble re-
for you. Besides, the cattle
gone into the beef trust. How
ever, q small remnant OF chickens are
cit and these are preuzrfnp "a Gov /