The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-05
SPLENDID DIsCOURsEs HEARD
AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
A Week Ago Prof. w. L. Poteat OF wake FOres'
and Yesterday Rev. John White
of Atlanta Ga.

The congregations OF the flIst D"P'
church have been most fortunate lately
in the sermons and lectures to which they
have listened. During the illness OF thelr
pastor the people of the church nave not
lacked for impressive eloquence and earn
estness in their pulpit.
week ago the congregation listened
to Prof W. L. Poteat, of Wake Forest
College. His addresses he does not style
sermons, but they are full of the beauty
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they
are such as to build up the faith ana
strengthen the belief of all who hear
them. Prof. Poteat is scholar, man
of genuine learning and when he speaks
there is food for thought and for study
concerning ones relations with the posi-
bilities of the great beyond. The people
of this city are always delighted to hear
him, and his lectures a week ago were
most valuable.
Sunday the two congregations again
heard splendid discourses, this time by
Rev. John E. White, formerly of this
State, now one of Atlantas most promi-
nent preachers. The congregations were
large and Mr.. White preached with ex-
ceeding earnestness and power two most
enjoyable sermons.
At the morning service his subject was
"Will the World Outgrow Christianity,
his text being from Hebrews 1873. Among
other things Mr.. White said: 4
This is a growing world. 1t has out
grown many beliefs cherished as perma-
nent. Change and decay are written over
all things The world outgrew astrology
for astronomy, alchemy for chemistry.
How may we hope that the world will
not outgrow Christianity? Moreover
restlessness among theologians, the ac-
tivities of certain section of scientific
thinkers proclaim the passing of old
fashioned orthodoxy. Doctrines once held
as fixed and permanent appear to be los
ing their hold upon the world.
"ThesG are the shadows that fall across
the future of Christianity. Many timid
Christians are disquieted. Now what is
to be said for the reinsurance of faith.
venture all in the text, Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, today and forever.
This is Gods unchanging answer for the
worlds unchanging needs. Christianity's
mission is primarily to the permanent
needs of man. The flow of grace in the
unchangng Christ will always go out to
meet the ebb of mans sin, sorrow and
death. These are the permanent parts
with which Christianity has to do. I'm
less these pass away it will endure. Sin
is an unchanging fact. Evolution has
not altered the, essential iniquity of the
human heart. The tide left of the GEN.
turtles has left human nature just where
Christ found it, Our selfishness. envy.
lust bear very ancient charter. We are
doing the same things Noah, David and
Caesar did.
Sorrow has not changed Death has
not changed. Christianity answers these
needs. 1t will endure as long as there
is sin and tears and death.
"The unchanging Christ heals all the
reproach of the oh-fashioned things. The
sun is old-fashioned. The stars, tie
mountains, and love are old-fashioned. SO
in the moral universe the old, old-fashion
of sin. sorrow and death are the perm@
nent liabilities of the race. Christianity
will always be Gods best answer 10
them. Christianity will be the, worlds
religion because it has the sure answer
to the unchanging needs of human lfe.S'
At the night service Mr.. White took
his theme from three portions of the
scriptures: John 2:25, Hebrews 30 and
Christ's interest in the salvation of men
was because he was their creator and
knew what was in them, their POSSIBLE
ties. The central thought was Christ for
humanity and it was splendidly developed.
The preacher held that those who deal
with comparative religion must meet with
great encouragement when they attempt
to deal with the religion OF Jesus Christ
by comparison with other religions. His
fame in three worlds came not because
of intellectual, or physical superiority,
or because of his Divinity. though his
mind was a great one, his being physi-
cally perfect and He was the God, ana
at the same time the Son of Man. 1t
came because of His relationship to hu-
manity. because He was for men and with
men. Because as their Creator Is we'll
as Saviour He knew what was in man
as He had nut it there. He knew their
powers for good or for evil, and He knew
as DR.. Kuyper puts it, 'that sin is not
negation. but power in reverse action,
and His mission was to keep man going
forward for good. Jesus Christ came not
TO throw safeguards about humanity but
to lift it up high above the pitfalls
of life to lift man up to be priceless
being.
The preachers description of the
meaning of the scene on Calvary at the
crucifxion was a powerful one, and he
closed his strong discourse with most
beautiful peroration, in which the work
of all things, animate and inanlmate'
were pictured as working together for the
glory Of God and acclaiming the name OF