The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-22
STRONG SERMON
ON Fidelity.
DR.. Withcrepoon breaches Faith
fulness i'll All Things, Great
and Small.
PARABLE OF FOOLISH VIRGINS
All Must Be Prepared for the
Coming OF the
Christ.

Rev DIR. Jere witherspoon. pastor OF
Grace Street Presbyterian Church, preacn-
cd a rowerful sermon last night on fidel-
IT, and faithfulness 10 those things as
signed to men in their lives TO be worked
out r.liing his text, Thou oughtest
therefore have put my money into the
exchange that might nave received mine
own" Ii WAS the Master speaking 10
His servant. who mad been lax in atten-
ton and falthfulness 10 his Masters ousi-
ness, and had lacked chat iidelity which
is essential to ali things that we under
take in the service of others, and SO 10
that of the Lord Christ. ,.
under various heads. taking nrst the
Holy Sacrament. at the celeoration OF
ash sateer % the fGenS asso SFs rite
apper,aining to the teachings of the great
Master Under the mead OF bnsin hp'n DIS
is a sign of fidelity. a,s It Is the ewing Oh
the hand of faith implying u mutual trust
or ,t'u men l,g1'o as the servants of the divine
Master. mans relation TO MN ana .ns
love and faith in which he must be h 1,,a
Az a token of that faith and man f1dei-
ity the holy communion must must s, be on n
served. for in II we get tresh start III
the Christian living.
fAllllkkloA SAooSSS'
Continuing, DR.. Witherspoon discussed
the artificial classes into which man are
divided. There are the two In relation 10
society-thosc of the upper circles ana
those who remain on the lower Level. me
economist divides them according TO their
material prosperity. But Christ came TO
establish two new Observation-Disclosures
VINO are prepared for HIS coming and
those who will not be prepared. me
speaker illustrated this by the parable of
the ten virgins, of whom five were wise
and five were foolish. Five were pre-
pared for the coming of their master,
having filled their lamps, but the other
five had left undone their duty and the
final hour found them unready. Men
may be divided into yet other two classes
those of benevolent spirit and those
who live a sef-centered life. But into
whatever classes man may be divided, the
difference Is in name and not In fact,
for at the end 1t will still be those who
have followed the way of their Lord and
are found ready at his coming or those
who have failed In their duty and are
unprepared. -.
powerful exhortation to his hearers to
range themselves on the side of those
who are preparing themselves for the
coming of the Christ, to 1--we faithfully
and with the utmost fidelity to the cause
of their Master.
The Rev j. A. Thomas. pastor of
Laurel Street Methodist Cnurcn, colli-
menced series of revival services at
this churche on yesterday. and the CON
gregation We're especially large at hoth
services. ,
The Rev. j.. P. Bransford. of Ianvine.
who for many years has been sonducting
evangelistic meetings . In this State and
other places, is doing the preaching.
Yesterday morning he preached on Soul
Winning and at night his subject was
abiding With Christ"
Mr.. Bransford Is forcible speaker, and
his argument to the unsaved are most
convincing. He believes in genuine con-
version. and is what is calleed an old
time Methodist This is truly evidenced
in his preaching and his appeals to his
unsaved hearers. The congregation.
which heard hkn preach yesterday were
favorably impressed with him. and the
indication are that the members.ip of
Laurel Street Methodist will witness a
great revival of religion.
Two services will be held daily-one at
$50 F; NJ. In the ba sement of the church.
ana the regular service at o'clock each
night song service of half an hour
VIII precede the night meeting.
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