The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-08-30
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. ST. CLAIR HESTER.


preached on The Witness of Good
Works. For the text he chose Peter
I'LL: That atwhereas they speak against
you as evil doers they may by your
good works which they shall behold
glorify God" Mr.. Hester said:
The value to Christianity Of the evil
dence of good works cannot be gain
said or withstood. 1t speaks for itself
and with a power and effectiveness no
words can have. In the presence Of
such a demonstration Of its truth, ar
gument, advertisement, exalted claims,
eloquent commendation are beside the
work, are not needed, are Of small use
and minor importance. A great ship
steams in from the sea and we may
view her as she lies still and quiet in
her berth, but upon her decks and
sides there are signs of the rough Voy-
age, upon her PROV and tunnels is the
salt thrown there by the high breaking
waves. Men may say Of her she is too
large, badly proportioned, improperly
constructed, her machinery is not Of
the latest pattern; they may crtlcise
and accuse ard point out defects, but
there is no denying that she has
plowed the surface of thousands OF
miles of deep water and brought her
precious cargo of freight and passen-
gers safe and undisturbed to their des-
tination.
This symbolizes in way the position
of the Church Of God in the world to-
day. And it describes after fashion,
too, the singularity, the unique promi-
hence of the Christian among the all
sorts and conditions Of men constitut-
ing what is known variously as society,
the public, the body polite. Never
mind what the world may have or find
to say against you, my Christian
friend, if you do well, this we'll doing
disarms suspicion, gains the mastery
over falsehood, silences misrepresenta-
ton and supplants ennity with good
will. If your works be good you do
not need to have recourse to eulogy,
notoriety-seekingo or noise; the world
has need of them; men have an in
stinctive respect and appreciation of
everything conducive to the common
benefit, they will win their way, they
will secure their place, they, the works,
not you, will exact deserved recogni-
ton. A tree may be despised and spo-
ken evil Of, but if the fruit be healthful
and sweet, pleasing to the taste, a
change in the estimate Of it is sure to
come. By their fruits ye shall know
them is a true principle which cal
umny and envy cannot down, and from
whose righteous judgment there is no
appeal.
st. Peter in this text was writing to
Christians and churches existing in
Gentle or foreign countries and among
peoples of heather religions. Their lot
was anything but pleasant their safe
ty anything but assured. The Chris
tians Of those early days we're common
ly accused Of being GsturberS,. innova-
tors, mischief-makers, of being law
breakers and traitors to Caesar, Of be-
ing atheists and blasphemers Of the
popular idolatry. Because the popular
hatred of them they were compelled to
meet secretly, to exclude outsiders
from their places of worship. and this
led to reports that they INDUCED in
wild, obscene orgies. Because Of the
phrase drinking of the precious blood'
used in connection with the commun-
ion service, it was said that they killed
infants and drank their blood in their
private assemblies. They were under
constant suspicion and surveillance.
Their enemies were ever on the alert
seeking to discover faults and incon-
sistencies, to uncover them in some
wrongdoing. st. Peter hopes and be-
lieves that this close observation Of
the lives OF the followers Of Christ
may lead to the undeceiving Of their
enemies as to their true character, and
that from this better understanding
there may come disposition to inves-
tigate, to come closer, and, finally to
embrace their holy religion. He is COLI
fdent that prejudice aside and knowl-
edge in its place can result in only this
its glad and willing acceptance.
What an opportunity then in view Of
these circumstances and what an in
ducement to live exemplary lives
that others, even their bitter enemies
and severest critics, might be brought
to know the only true God and Jesus
Christ, whom He did send. The apoS-
ties counsel is to this effect-be true
to thy cause and to thy God, be good
and do good, not merely because it
gives you peace Of mind and joy of
soul, not merely because it is to your
highest and best interest-this would
be looking on the side OF self only-he
eliminates all selfish taint from his
counsel by putting emphasis upon the
educative effect of Christian conduct
upon the sentiments and convictions
of hostile and heather neighbors. This
is your chance, he intimates; this the
means-your good works-impress
them, win them, help them, in this
way, byrthis means.
All these considerations, this motive,
these means are Of present moment.
of up-to-date interest and may be of
present application. Though living in
a nominally Christian age and land,
practically the Christian is still sur
rounded by an envious, evil-speaking,
backbiting world. They who are not
with US are as critical, as watchful, as
eager to find wherewith to accuse, en-
barrass, expose as ever in the days Of
the apostle. Not only our own souls,
not only our morals and principles are
in our keeping, but the safeguarding
and growth of the church, the purifica-
ton and moral uplift Of society, the
putting down Of iniquity and sin and
yes, verify, the Christianization Of the
home, the family, the community, the
city, the salvation of the world. Every
Christian is as city set on hill-not
to be hid-and men will be won to
Christ in proportion as each and every
Christian feels responsibility for the
unchurched masses, for those not in
the Good Shepherds fold, and just in
proportion as each and every one comes
up to the measure of his responsible
ity. Translated into modern aDplicl-