The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-07-27
PAUL, THE PREACHER
or REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
Brilliant Discourse BY Rev. Robert
IL. Carson.


text was Acts XXiv:2j: And as he
reasoned of righteousness. temperance
and Judgment to come. Felix trembied
and answered. Go thy way for this
time: when l have a convenient sea-
SOn l will call for thee" Mr.. Carson
said:
This book of apostolic labors gives
us glimpse of Paul in many atti-
tudes We have him pictured before
his conversion and after, and whether
we see him at his manual occupation
of tent-making. or in his frequent per-
lis by land and sea, or addressing cul-
tured audiences in splendid cities. or
individuals in palaces or Ill prisons
everywhere We see man whom we
inStinctively know to be one of earth's
choicest and nobleSt souls.
Just now he is standing before
wicked king and his no less wicked
wife. and there is that in his demeanor
and his action which makes us proud
of Christianity and its power.
Too frequently, weakness, with a
false gentleness and charity. are con-
sidered the proper attendants of q
Christian spirit. and ofttimeS Chris
tian is slow Of speech. or altogether
silent in the presence of evi! lest he
should show a boldneSS unbecoming in
one who proposes himself TO be fol-
lower of Him who was meek and low
ly. But there is no warrant for any
such conduct in the example of Christ,
or in the teaching of His apostles. In
deed. what strikes 4 reader most in
of iS 10
ness Of spirit which the first preachers
of the gospel exhibited. We see Peter
standing in the presence Of his own
enemies as we'll rs ir the presence of
the enemies of the Christ, and boldly
accusing them Of the murder of the
Lord. And what said Christ Himself:
Il came not to send peace on earth.
but sword He was ChriStianity'S
founder. and what He was, so should
His followers be. The Christian is TO
speak the truth in love. but in the pres
ence OF evil he must meyer be silent
through fear. nor mince his words to
suit mems ears. nor pander to their
likings. nor dread their criticism.
Apostolic boldness, then. is the first
point that We would note in the words
which we have chosen as our text.
Paul is in the presence Of man who
! is master of his life. He speaks to q
ruler whose word is law. whose nod Is
enough to seal his doom. and yet he
speaks so as to make that monarch
! tremble. All. friends, a man who
knows his cause to be right can al
ways afford to be courageous and bold.
Truth al all times is wondrous fearless
and breads no sacrifice. whether of
ease or fame or even of life itself. if
only God be honored and righteous
| ness crowned. Look back on that sa-
cred line Of fearless witnesses for God
and see how strongly this element Of
courage predominated. OF such was
Moses in the presence Of Pharaoh. of
such was Nathan in the presence of
David, of such was Elijah before
Ahab, Of such was John the Baptist
| before Herod, Of such We're the apoS-
ties and martyrs and glorious company
of the reformers. Luther would 20 to
the Diet Of Worms and vindicate his
faith. though as many devils hindered
| him as there were states on the house
tops of Erfurt. When they laid John
Knox. the man who made Scotland.
in his grave they said: There lies one
who never feared the face Of man."
| And this fearlessness, this coura &c.
| need not be confined to the leaders
alone. The humbleSt Christian may
! share. and should share. in this prec-
! iouS heritage. To this line Of chosen
Souls--thc very chivalry of the saints
| belong every man and woman who. like
Nehemiah, darcS to say: $50 will not
/. because of the fear of the Lord: who
is willing in obedience to the dictates
IF an enlightened conscience to brave
public opinion and even the loss Of
friendship in standing by what they
consider right. Such are the salt of
| the earth. Such is the leaven that is
yet going to leaven the whole mass.
Such are the men whom God and man
can trust, and such men are the hope
| Of the world. Herein. indeed. is the
boldneSs of Christianity seen, ard,
thank God. in ali the ages of Christen-
dom and in all the ranks of life men
and women with their fearless cour-
age have been found.
1t is comparatively easy to bear wit
ness to truth when large public SYM
pathizes with you. When on all sides
you are surrounded by those who en-
! courage You with cheering words:
when you have nothing to lose and
everything to gain; when the ''offenSe
Of the cross" as Paul puts it. "has
ceased But when the public is un-
sympathetic. when friends are lacking.
when there is everything TO lose and
nothing earthly to gain, then it is a
very different matter.
Oh. beloved. by our own strength
and relying on our own arm We can
not stand. 1t is easy to say resist
and stand fast. but we can do neither
the one nor the other unless we arc
Steadfast in the faith. In the midst
of this wicked and un;oward genera
ton when evils, both social and poll
tical. are eating out the very life of
our nation. how shall We be coura gecus
and bold. how shall we do our part
to stem the torrent? Surrounded by
sin both in high places and in low.
how shall We as followers of Jesus
| Christ get strength to do our duty ?
Confronted by temptation ut every
turn in the pathway of life, where
| shall we get courage to face the tempt
er and to say with boldnesS and with
majesty. get thee behind me. Satan?'
In our own strength we cannot do it.
To be power for good. to be 4 factor
in the upbuilding of righteousness. ta
overcome in the conflict with tempta-
ton. We must know God and trust God
and love God as He is revealed in the
| face of Jesus Christ, ana then we will