The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-11
SERMON OF DR. SHoAFF
ELOQUENT WORDS AT DEXTER
 AVENUE CHURCH.
The Service in Morning Was Beauti- full and Impressive-He Spoke
 on the Call of Abraham.


 At the Dexter Avenue Methodist Church yesterday morning, pr. J. W. Shoaff. the pastor, preached an able and interesting sermon to a large congregation.
 The Dexter Avenue Church has adopted the opening form of services prescribed by the General Conference of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. and the Methodist Episcopal Church South. which includes responsive reading. certain form of song service. and effective stewart work: all of which adds materially to the beauty of the service.
 pr. shoaff took for his text. Genesis xii Is.
 Now the Lord had said unto Abram Get thee out of thy country. and from thy kindred. and from thy fathers house. unto land that I will show thee. And will make of thee a great nation. and will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing; and will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth bo blessed
 ''These words present us with the Abra- hamitic call and the magnificent coven- antsl promise connected with it," said Dr. Shoaff. Turing the text to practical account let US learn some of the lessons suggested by 1t:
 HFirst-We may learn from the call of Abraham something of the sovereign aa- sertion. which Jehovah makes over in- dividuaI life. The command which fell upon the ear of the patriarch came with the authority and unlimited conditions of the absolute It admitted of no secret reservation. Love ci country which burns as & duenchIess fire in the heart of the A-t Cha grsnce over human life like odors poured forth from precious vials in the hands of ministering angels: the love of home and Kindred. the strongest ties that bind human hearts and interests together. were innperatively forbidden to come be- tween the patriarch and the divine decree of the Lord of Glory. The irrevocsbie mandate was. Get out from thy kindred from thy country and from thy father s house into land that I will show thee The assertion which God makes over indl- vidual life is no less absolute today. Said Christ, He that will be my disciple let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me- He that loveth father and mother, or sister and brother or lands and houses more than me, Is not worthy of me-
 "Second-From the call of Abraham, lei us learn something of the true inspirA- ton that should actuate us in life. God called: Abraham answered.: Jehovah com 1 manded; the patriarch obeyed. Had this ancient worthy followed the path marked out by mere human Judgment. had ht closed his ears to the voice of God anc obeyed the instincts of natural affection | he would have met with temporal anc moral disaster because of conflict witf ] divine purpose. Abraham was a trans 1 cendeut success because he followed thu leadership of Jehovah.
 "Third-The call of Abraham illustrate' the great providential system unuel which we live. God seems to break ul and tear up with ruthless hand the mos sacred ties and bonds of earth. Get oh from thy kindred and thy country an' yet there Is infinite wisdom in thi strange yet divine method.
 ''It i"'nresses us as one has said witt the sublime truth that all earthly parent age is typical of the fatheriv relation Q God to mankind The method is disclp llnary in character It develops th' spirit of true self-reliance and furthe it teaches the lesson of supreme truH in God Abraham went out not know Ing whither he went manhood hecorne truly reliant as 1t hangs by faith upoi tho arm of tho eternal.
 ''If there are lessons for us in the cal ] of Abraham. there are others no les