Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-08-03
PAUL, The PREACHER
OUR REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
Brilliant Discourse BY Rev. Robert
II. Carson.

II. carson.
Brooklyn, N. Y.-Sunday in Grace
PRESBYTERIAN Church, the pastor, the
Rev. Robert H. Carson, took for his
subject paul the Preacher His
text was Acts xxiv:25: "And as he
reasoned of righteousness, temperance
and Judgment to come, Felix trembled
and answered, Go thy way for this
time; when I have a convenient sea-
son + will call for thee" Mr.. Carson
said:
!. This book of apostolic labors gives
us a 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 lama and sea, or addressing cul-
tured audiences in splendid cities. or
individuals in palaces or In prisons
everywhere we see a man whom we
i~nstinctively know to be one of earth's
choicest and noblest souls.
Just now he is standing before q
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 g~entleness and charity, are con-
sidered the proper attendants of a
Christian spirit, and ofttimes a Chris
tan is slow of speech, or altogether
silent in the presence Of evil lest he
should show a boldness unbecoming in
n who proposes himself to be a fol-
lower of Him who vas meek and low
~. 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 a reader most in
this book Of apostolic acts is the bold
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 as in 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 a 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 never 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 a man who
is master of his life. He speaks to a
ruler whose word is law, whose nod is
enough to seal his doom. and vet 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 at 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 were the apos-
Ties and martyrs and glorious company
or the reformers. Luther would 90 to
d Diet of Worms and vindicate his
1alth, though as many devils hindered
MIN as there were states on the house
tops of Erfurt. When they laid JOIN
hnox, 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 ge
need not be confined to the leaders
alone. The humblest Christian NAV
snare, and should share, in this prec.
1ous heritage. To this line of chosen
souls-the very chivalry of the saints
Delong every man and woman who. lik,
Nehem1ah, dares to say: $50 will no.
L, because of the fear of the Lord: vhf
is willing in obedience to the dictate,
OF an enlightened conscience to brave
public opinion and even the loss Of
friendship in standing by what The,
consider right. Such are the salt O
the earth. Such is the leaven that i
yet going to leaven the whole mass
Such are the men whom God and maj
q trust, and such men are the hon,
Of the world. Herein, indeed. is til,
boldness of Christianity seen, and
thank God, in all the ages Of Christen
dom and in all the ranks of life me-
n women with their fearless cou1
age have been found.
1t is comparatively easy to bear wit
ness to truth when a large public SYN
pathlzes with you. When on all side
you are surrounded by those who e1
courage you with cheering words
when you have nothing to lose an
everything to gain; when the "offens
OF the cross" as Paul puts it, cha
ceased" But when the public is III
sympathetic, when friends are lackin.
when there is everything to lose an
nothing earthly to gain, then it is
very different matter.
Oh, beloved, by our own strengt
and relying on our own arm we cal
not stand. It is easy to say resi-,
and stand fast, but we can do neiths
the n nor the other unless we a,
steadfast in the faith. In the mid
OF this wicked and untoward gerer,
ton. when evils, both social and DO,
teal, are eating out the very life
t our nation, how shall we be couragec,
and bold, how shall we do our GA
: to stem the torrent? Surrounded |
sin both in high places and in lo'
how shall we as followers of Jes;
Christ get strength to do our dut,
: Confronted by temptation at eve
: turn in the pathway of life, whe
shall we get cO,JTH 90 to fooa tho TOM,