The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-16

was filed with delegates ana people eager
to witness and hear the opening proceed
ingA- OF the organized Baptists.
Judge w. w. Moffett. OF Salem, the
president OF the Association. at 7:4o call
ed the body TO order. The great congrs-
cation sang coward Christian Soldier"
and then Or. J. 3. Taylor. OF Richmond.
read the 1aad Psalm and Rev. DR.. a. =.
Owen, Of Portsmouth. led in fervent
prayer after which Miss Virginia Tay-
Tor sang she beautiful SOLO Face to
Face -
The Annual Sermon.
Rev. Or. r. Fl. Pitt. Of Richmond. edi-
tor OF the Religious Herald. who had been
appointed 10 preach the annual sermon,
was introduced.
DR.. PIT, took for his text clause ,a from
chsn,er Of Matthew. Because the har-
ve.spi IS come. DR.. Pitt said in part:
The figure OF the harvest was 2 ~, aa oop-
lite with our LORD II , ne seeo3ded in
the gospel OF John He sad: say no.
We, there are yet four months and tneh
cometh harvest? Behold. ! say nnto 1s SIu
for thew are white already unto haryest.
In the oft-quoted words recorded IN Mat
thew ana Luke He again employs IL e.,
SO regarded the time In which He lived
on earth. II he so characterized and m
terpreted the conditions In wi4sh his
earthly I'ssF ,s was Words on spplx 10 e our
own time and place in the history ,o o I
mankind For life has, with the passing
centuries constantly groTn more cornP =, =
irporfunate. its conflicts more bitter and
RELENTLESS. its tasks more arduous and
taxing If the comparatively simple and
ietrr could be itiv likened to harvest.
surely that figure fits such an onrushing
and inomentous period as that IN "hicA
"Ou, ri the simple but most instructive
figure several suggestive analogies arise
and 10 these ! would earnestly cali your
a'sI.oA' A cULMISATIoN.
Il The harvest is culnirat1 Be-
hin, that b!l!owy Geld OF yellow wheat.
over which the ripping shadows chase
Let him who comes to thrust in his sickle
remember the sturdy axernen who laid the
forest low, the hardy laborer who MADE
esdy ne Mingled; no the ops ana fsar sse
harYests do not spring up OF .sRern se!!es
Some man Inust~[cast seed 2ntO Inc
ground: Weeds and noxious plants a,2 spr.ns
NJ and grow without care. Wholesome
fruits and grains must be planted and
Surely the young heir vino is entering
he frs, Of ali tides over his fine estate
Lee: him survey mis- broad acreF. let him
COUNT ,his lowing herds. lei. him look on
s Igli not 81 Be psrdonsd # While he thus
rejolces In mis- r!cil patr.mony ne, fotgeis.
or remembering. Ignores Or undertakes l,
those who haze LIVED and Va lanorsa for , ne
Is ne II ne fails 10 remember In simple
and rererent ;hankfulness Him without
whose blessing al haryes, would fall and
ali life T65;!d be biighted.
This would seem a 1T time FOR US TO
get a glimpse however brief and fect!ng,
OF the pr4spa "a ZION for our oTn time. Other
men iabored and ye have entered into
thelr Iabors. And more men have labored
for u. than thr any preceding generation.
Our fathers id not sauander their patti,
and enlarged. The long centuries have
been brought under contribution 10 the
present Every 1ne of them has played
IT, ear be 9 r. re- s more tan any
others, are they upon Whom tie ends OF
the ages are come.
pause ana with uncovered heads salute
| the memory Of thosc who have labored
| and suffered for Inc Commonwealth and
| made her name Luxurious. Surely we
| 20 graceless as 10 forget. IN the hour
q ogr abonnding prosperity. the
Of obloqny and persecution wrought ard
| suffered for US.
''Bu. Of course we cannot lIni. our hort.
zon ~ The boundaries o; our own State
4
| 70 humanity and citizens Of the World.
| we look bark through the centuries ana
/ far across the teas. and though We are
| mere tyFos in history, We car discern
| the onward march OF the race, ihe spread
| uf human liberty. Tho wider diffusion Of
/ hspplnass. The breaking down OF oarrierE
| and the growth Of human brotherhood.
the harve4f Is eome 80 " : ~
/ We have usually fallen In with the in
tereStng and attractive generalization
that all previous history cOniergca al the
/ cross Hnd al subsequent history DIVORCES
4 state the whole truth. The ma jee,.c eur.
rent ~ human history has oyer moved
I onward. gathering volume AMI mornen-
tpm pceaHinnai rddiea and back cur
! stream ias moved onward, II did not
4 hGli ~ the cfosB but from that grca,
! central H';I commanding fac, in history 1,
gathered fresh Impulse and new Big
1 nlfcance.
|, Long ago the. sober gray IL the Easter,
skea WAS flushed with pink Long ago
tho sun sent forward his beams, his avant
! coprlers ~ announce fls coming. Lone
$50 be began his Journey With his ban.
tieIs nigh advanced; NOW 10, II is noon-
tide and the glory " an about qlp,
4 "A cKISlR
~. mo harvest ~ crisis That this
thought ~ Enclosed In my to.t ls not only
Obvious, from the plain analogy Of thd
1n Gld s,, y tnflher eniphasize y on,
when the fruit IN brought forth Inusdi-
afcly he putteth In HIS sickle Great hi.
sues oant.I IN harvest within a few
hT'hf fugitive, hours tite fate Of AL thai
ms hern achieved by months ar ,oI IN ~
be decided. Shall l, ts gathered intt
eafns "a feed the huugry during ,iIe
ufeNy Winter. 70 furtleh fced f0i III.
sower and thus MAKE fi,nfc haryeeia pos.
slblc, or shall II 70, on the grnundY ,cht