Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1905-07-29
PAUL, THE PREACHER
on REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON
Brilliant Discourse BY Rev. Robert
n. Carson.

text was Acts xxiv.25: And "a he
reasoned OF Righteousness. temperance
and judgment to come. Felix trembied
and answered. Go thy way for this
time: when I have n convenient sea-
son l will call for thee Mr.. Carson
said:
This book OF apostolic labOys gives
Us a glimpse Of Paul in many atti-
tudes. We have him pictured before
his conversion and after, and whether
we see him az his manual occupation /
OF tentmaking or In his frequent per
lis by land and sea. or addressing cui- 4
tured audiences i'm splendid cities. or
individuals I'm palaces or IN prisons
everywhere we see n man whom we 4
insunctively know TO be one OF earth's /
choicest and uoblest souls.
Just now he is standing before /
wicked king and his no less wicked /
wife. and there is that in his dcmeanor /
and his action which makes us proud I
of Christianity and It's power.
Too frequently weakness. with q I
false gcutlcnoss and charity. are con-
sidered the proper attendants OF
Christian spirit and ofttimes q Chris
tian is slow OF speech. or altogether
silent In the presence OF evil lest hc
should show q holdncss unbccominr iu
one who proposes himself 90 be- a fol
lower of Him who was meek and low
ly. But there is no warrant for amy
such conduct I'm the example OF Christ
or en- the teaching OF His apostles. In-
deed. what strikes q reader most in
this book OF apostolic acts is the bold
ness OF spirit which the first preachers
T OF the gospel exhibited. We see Petcr
standing i'm the presence of his own
enemies as well MS IN tho presence Of
I the enemies OF the Christ. and boldly
| frr of s.f. 90
I Lord. And what said Christ HIMSELF.
I Il came not 20 send peace ON earth.
+ but q sword He was Christanity's
founder. and what re was. So should
I His followers DE. The Christian is 60
speak the truth I'm love. but In the pres
. ence OF evil he must never be silent
through fear nor mince his words 60
suit mems ears. nor pauder Co their
lkingS, nor dread their criticism.
Apostolic boldness. then. IS the first
point that we would note in the words
which we have chosen MS our text.
Paul lis I'm the presence OF man who
is master Of his life. He speaks 90 q
ruler whose word is law. whose nod is
enough 10 seal MS doom. and yet hc
speaks so rs Co make that monarch
trcmhlc. All. friends. a man who
f knows his cause Co Dee right cam al
ways afford 20 DO cOura -o0us and bold
Truth at an times is woudrous fearless
and breads mo- sacrifice. whether of
ease or fame or even OF life itself. ii
I only God be honOrcd and righteous
ness crowned Look back ON that Sa
cred Tine or fearless witnesses for Coo
and see how strongly this element %,
courage predomlnated. or such was
Moses in the presence OF Pharaoh. al
such was Nathan I'm the presence o
David. OF such was Elijah befor,
Ahab. OF such was John the RaptS
before Herod, OF such were the anos
Ties and martyrs and glorious COMPANY
OF the reformers. Luther would 20 G.
the Diet OF Worms and vindicate Dali
faith. though MS many devils hindcre,
him rs there We're states on the house
tops Of Erfurt When they laid Iohl
Knox. tho man who made Scotland
IN his grave they said, There lies on
who never feared the face OF man.
And this fearicssneSs. this coura <,
need not Doe confined 90 the leader
alone. The humhlest Christian ma
share. and should share. I'm this PIE,
ious heritage. To this line OF chose
Souls-thc very chivairy or the saints
belong every man and woman who. lik
Nehemiah. darcs 20 saw. $50 will rt
]. because OF the fear OF the Lord: vii
is willing ion obedienO, 10 the dictate
or an enlightened conscience To bray
public opinion and even the loss {
friendship I'm standing by what the
consider right. Such are the salt ,
the earth. Such is the leavcn that
Yet going 20 leaven the whole mas
such are the men whom God and ma
can trust. and such mon are the hor
or The world. Herein indeed. il ii
holiness of Christianity seen. am
thank God i'm all the ages or Christie
d Hra oil
ana women with their fearless c0u
age have been found.
1t is comparatively EASY 70 bear w
ness 20 truth when a large public syl
Z pGthizeS with YOU. When ON an sid
You are surrounded 10y those who O.
, courage YOU with cheering word
D when YOU have nothing 20 lose al
/, everything 10 gain; when the often
II. OF the cross" as Paul puts il. sn
ceased" But when the public is d
: sympathetic. when friends are lackn
when there is everything 20 lose al
. nothing earthly 10 gain, then il is
Z very different matter
oh. beloved. by our own strenc
$ and relying on our own arm we ca
q not stand. 1t is easy TO say res
, and stand fast. but we can do neiti
n the one nor the other unless we 3
steadfast In the faith. In the mi,
= or this wicked and unt0ward gene,
10 ton. when evils. both social ana d,
C. teal, are eating out the very life
II our nation, how shall we be courage
n and bold. how shall we DO our p.
r. 10 stem the tOrrents Surrounded
sin both ia high places and in Il
~ how shall we as followers OF Jes
= Christ get strength 10 do our do,
Confronted by temptation at ev,
u turn in the pathway Of life. VIII