The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-27
Dr.. McCluer's Sermon.

The services were opened by prayer by
DR.. Flournoy, and after the hymns We're
sung Dr. McCluer stepped forward and
delivered his text He spoke from the
first chapter Of Paul letter togthc Philip
plans, eighteenth verse: Christ is
preached
DR.. 3McCluer's sermon was deep and i'm
pressive. He told of how Paul, imprIs.
oncd at. Rome. never relaxed his faith
in the Christ. but preached the lfo OF his
master even from the walls OF his prison
by his sublime belief, which neither the
fear OF letters or the terrors OF a cruel
death could bring to nought. Through
all his agony OF mind and body he re.
joiced III the fact that Christ was nm
ceasingy preached to the world, From
the apostles confidence in his God the
preacher drew The lesson that Christ Is
preached always and that religion con-
slsts IN certain personal, Vital relation
to and companlonshIp with the living
thinking, reignlng ever-present Christ
He showed that religion does not consist
merely Of a blind obedience In the Father
but more in vital union with Him nnn
Ills interests. Religion Is not sImply q
heritage from the past, but an everything
presence, new and us sweet as In thn
days when 1t was first given to tho world.
lie discussed the historical side OF the
great Teacher-how dlmly at first Ic ap
pears out of the mist OF the ele,nentory
past, and how his outline grows clnn ror
as we see Him walking among the hills
OF Jl'dea or beside the waters OF Galilee
known among men as tho Son OF God
And, said DR.. AfcCluer men never nt.
tain truo eminence or win real achicvc-
ment until in the light OF His presence
He discussed the relation which lhe
life OF Christ bears to that code Of ethics
known as the moral law. Religion does
not make void the law; 1t establishes
ton OF any philosopher of any ago. said
the preacher, Is the law or Christ which
embraces nll forms OF good and moral
conduct But the law alone il formal
and impotent; It is armed with It's rcnl
value and potency only when il is seen
as the will OF Him, whose we ara. md
to whom we owe our llfes allegiance,
Right is not an eternal principle; If
Grows out of relationship, and christian
abstraction, but By the will OF tho Glver
of MI good iii
Value of the Bible.
AIR, McCluer then discussed tho value
ofithe Holy scrptures-the beauty, their
poetry, their truth, aud their marvellous
exposition of the greatest religion OF the
world and the effect they have had on
4 y
all humanity
Asa doctrine, as form OF philosophy
tho speaker showed Its business, It's fair
ness, how II relied not OH more doctri-
nal truths for Its j2stihcuHon. but on the
living truths OF personal aMl eternal sal
walton.
Tic speaker accorded tradition It's
place in tle history Of Christianity, but,
showed that, through all the mists OF
1rlditionary lore, tho real figure of tho
ChrIstamust be viewed and Ills lessons
received ais u Jude TO the great beyond
with an earnest appeal to all to follow
In the ways of the treat Teacher, tho
speaker closed his impressive and beau
tiful sermon.
Business Session.
Immediately after the services Dr.
Mcclure called the meeting 10 order.
Prayer was offered and then the en-
rollnlent of new members was begun,
There were fifty or more of these. many
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