The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-23
Rev. Dr. J. W. Stage Makes
Fine Impression
PERSONALITY IS SKETCatD
Minister Called to Passionate of First
Presbyterian Church Delivers Two
plseourses-A Large Attend
ance at Both Services.

The Rev. John w. Stage. D. D., Of
Charlotte, N c.. preached twice yester-
day at the First Presbyterian church, to
whose pastorate he has been called He
made an excellent impression, and at both
, services the house was filled with con-
gregation which was unusually attentive
and interested.
DIR. Stage is a quiet, earnest preacher.
Rarely does he rise to heights of dramatic
oratory. but there is genuine ring in
his tone which causes his voice to carry
distinctly to every listener. His delivery
is simple; his gestures are plain, but inn
presslve, and are used at times when
they will shove his thoughts home to the
minds OF his congregation.
AS an interpreter of the scriptures he is
accepted by Presbyterians as being ex-
ceptionaly strong. He breaches only the
old truths, but with the listener he leaves
the impression that back of it there is
a great amount of study and also an
abiding belief in what he says.
In his illustrations he draws from
things of human interest He gets from
his texts those thoughts which are as
ISOLATED with men in every day life. He
illustrates them by telling scriptural
passages and incidents from life, which
are easily recognized as having happened
to every one.
Morning Sermon.
DR.. Stages morning text was taken
from Genesis 14:14 ''But he seemed as
one that mocketh." DIR. Stage spoke IN
part as follows
when good words are put In the
mouths of bad men there Is always some
thing of the incongruous about them.
Christ recognized the fact, when accused
of doing good while He himself was ac-
cused of doing evil. He forced His adj
versaries to the acknowledgement that
a house divided against itself cannot
stand. The words of the text sound
strange because of the connection i'll
which they happen to be used. 1t Is there
fore necessary that we get at the condi-
lions and circumstances of the one de-
scribed, for some times the meaning of
things is a long way from the things
themselves. 1t is necessary. therefore,
that I recall that which is quite familiar.
1.-The text sets out the failure of Lot in
trying to save, from physical death,
those of his own blood and Others who
had come under his influence. Under
meath the words is profound and solemn
truth, In that the effort of a righteous
man in a righteous cause is viewed in
the light of mockery. Considerable Is
gained In the way of explanation when
we recall that we have to go to the New
Testament to assure ourselves of the sal
walton and righteousness of Lot The
book of Genesis and the Epistle to the
Hebrews are long way apart When
the lights fall at such great distance for
us surely we can understand a little of
why those close at hand did not see more
or understand better.
Lot had been trained in piety. To-
gether he and his uncle, the typical man
of faith, had gone out from the familiar
into the strange and unknown. Together
they had come to the rude altar erected
to the worship of the only true God, and
there, domed in by the skies, they had
communed in spirit with Him who is
spirit Together they fed from famine.
forgetting for the time being the cove
nant of jehovah, and thereby possibly
losing the opportunity of learning what
IL afterwards took God a hundred years
to teach Abraham, for had they remained
where the famine would have left no
room to doubt the power of God to de
liver, Abraham might at once become pos
sessed Of that faith which has made him
a blessing to mankind. With the smoke
journeyed towards Egypt. In the new
circumstances great possessions are ac-
quired, and returning, rich in cattle and
In silver and in gold, they journeyed to
where they had builded the altar at the
beginning, between Bethel and Hal, and
there called upon the name of the Lord.
What | maintain is, that such a train
ing would be long in losing its hold upon
a man, for 1t is but a trite saying that
QTl4 INN faf1e oFa 10 ctfp
a man so trained and impressed with the
certainty of God, could have the inner
light so fail as to make him appear as a
mocker when speaking for God, is most
interesting inquiry
You will recall how, when a dispute
arose between the herdsmen of Abraham
and the herdsmen OF Lot, the old patri-
arch besought his nephew that there be
no dispute between them. With zeal for
the glory of God and magnanimity
towards man, he said, Go view the land,
and If you go to the right then I'll go to
the left, or If you go to the left then III
go to the right, only let there be no dis
pute between And Lot journeyed
towards Sodom.'
The Law of Change.
And now we are at the beginning of
that most interesting something-change
in a man and how that change takes
place. II Is not hard for US to imagine the
manner of the change. For a while it
would have required close scrutiny to
have detected any difference in the GUS
toms of the two tents, for 1t is according
to law that when the brain cells have
been broken down and builded up after
certain habits, that one cannot suddenly
come away from the old ways, but as the
distance wdened the difference became
more marked and doubtless the passer-
by observed that as Lot neared Sodom
his life had lost the coloring of its earlier
piety and many a form, in which life
had kept itself had been laid aside as
superhous. He entered the city protest.
ing that he could not be one of them but
could only be a sojourner. When Gods
messengers bring their warning of the
doom of the cities of the plain, Lot is in
the gate of Sodom; that is, he is Judge in
Sodom. Here is that identity in externals
that robs the inner light of its power to
shine. The inhabitants had watched him
from the first move towards identifying
himself with them, and so when he took
upon his lips Gods message to the doomed