The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-07
PULPIT OF TO-DAY
REV. A. VI. WILLIAMS DEFINES THE
SCOPE OF GOSPEL MINISTRY.
HIT THE JURY COMMISSION
DECLARES THAT HIS PULPIT
STANDS FOR MORAL INTERESTS.

Base Misreprese ntatiOns "My
Statements Can BE Verified as
They Are on Record" He Declared
from His Pulpit.
what the Twentieth Century Pulpit
Should Stand For" was the subject
of Rev. A. NJ. Williams sermon at
Trinity Church last night. Let the
dead bury their Dead but go then
and preach the Kingdom of God" was
his text
THE scriptural attitude of the pull
pit in the changing events of the
times is a fertile, legitimate and edi-
flying theme" he said. There is too
great danger these days in limiting
the scope of the gospel ministry. 1t
is pleasant to be inoffensive and not
to so touch the life of an age as to
realize it; people and preachers are
too apt to adopt theories of their duty
that will satisfy this feeling"
There is a dead way of preaching,
there is speculative preaching, techni-
cal preaching and soothing preaching,
said Rev. Mr.. Williams. The present
age, he said, calls for a more out
spoken resistance of this tendency.
should stand for God.
''The twentieth century pulpit should
stand for God. This century needs a
living faith in a supernatural person,
who is the supreme sovereign. The
very diversity of it's life, the very COM
plications of it's study, the very audaci-
Nv of IFS fpmnGr dpTpgn6G a
knowing, feeling, purposing distinct
from nature above nature, governing
nature; an absolute sovereign of abso-
Lutte perfection of character.
1T should stand for the righteous
ness of God. The only premanency
among human beings is in right liv-
ing ana dealings. God uttered law
knowing it best for man and righteous
ness is social and personal. Social
righteousness promotes individual
righteousness and the pulpit of to-
day must stand for the best communi-
ty life, as it must stand for the highest
personal character and for Gods right
eousness in our communal life
This stand will not always be popu-
lar All men will not speak well of
the man who lives up to this theory,
but he cannot afford to be turned from
his course. He will lose friends, but
the duty he owes to God and man
will not allow him to be diverted.
Handled the Jury Commissioners.
Il am accused of craftsmanship" de-
clared Rev. Mr.. Williams. MY pulpit
stands for the best moral interests of
the community in which l live. In an
effort to live up to this standard |
have insisted on purity in our judicial
organization and the faithful adminis-
tration of law. In doing so l have
been compelled to point out those who
have failed in the discharge of duty.
am a partisan for a pure ballot and
an honest jury box, faithful admins
tration of all law and all things which
promote the morals of the people l
declare that the accusation that l have
ever taken any position in the pulpit
from fear or favor against any man,
faction or party, from a political or
personal motives a base misrepresen-
tation.
1T is true" he continued, that l
ihave never criticised a jury COM
mission before. In no county have
ever before had such occasion as l
have had here Heretofore the COM
missioners have commanded the re-
spect and confidence of the public.
Anxious as nv accuser is for me to
| denounce the errors of others and de-
sirious as | am to be strictly impartial
l ought not to be held responsible for
what transpired in my absence from
Savannah.
Perhaps 1 was in Savannah during
the 1897 jury revision. If so l learn
for the first time of the omission OF
names without legal reasons. l know
nothing of the circumstances. To
please my accuser and to Vindicate my
partisanship 1 take this opportunity to
condemn the omission of any name le-
gally entitled to be in the jury box by
any commissioner in the past. The
precedent was bad if it in the least
justifies the radical and high-handed
action of this recently appointed reVi-
sion commission.
Pointed Out Coincidence.
Because 1 called attention to pc
culiar coincidence in the action of the
recently appointed commission / am
accused. | made no charge. l only
pointed out a remarkable coincidence.
The March grand jury made as faith
full an effort as the resources of it's
hand afforded to suppress the policy
lottery. The jury commissioners, meet
ing soon after omitted nine of that
jury from the grand jury box. l call
no names, but they are on record, and
my statement can be verified by those
who are interested.
There is no apparent legal reason
why these names should have been
omitted. A fair-minded public is JUS
titled in suspecting some connection be-
tween these facts. 1t is no violent
conclusion to ask, is this an intima-
ton to future grand juries to go slow
in suppressing gambling% l repeat
that there is a coincidence, and that
under the circumstances it is startling.
1t is easier to deny and to use cpl
thets than it is to convince a fair
minded public that the coincidence is
explainable on any other theory"
THE twentieth century pulpit must
stand for Gods love-" continued the
minister, returning to the subject of
| his sermon. '"rhe great need of this
day is the love of powerful natures.
The Almighty that sleeps to mans
weakness in loving favor is the topic
of a modern people. God has been
misrepresented in the theologies of the
past. His love never deserts the prodi-
! gal; He cannot ignore sin, but His
great heart grieves over the sinner.
In punishment He exercises no arbi-
trary revenge. but pursues the best
interests of all His creatures. In His
provision for mans redemption He at
tests His intense desire that there is
welcome for the penitent sinner. The
message of the pulpit is one of love
recalling the lost. Gods love is the
| everyday message of the pulpit of to-
! day.
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