The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-11-14

people perish'-fOr lack OF leadership. All
initiative IS born OF visions.
"Pauls vision was an iuductive expe-
Renee. a divine verify. IN the. alchemy %
which alone IS character changed. IL
emancipated him from the dead past.
There IS a tyranny OF the dead Many
living kings dwell IN sepulchers. China
81 Ia the grasp or the grave OF Con-
fucius. The whole Arabic world Is IN
tho grasp OF the grave Of Mohamgned.
Though we name the shadows % the dead
constitutions. crceds. codes. laws. they
are stil shadows. and often stunt lie and
hinder growth
The instant Paul caught IN this vision
view OF the risen. living Christ. dead
Noses lost his power and Jesus became
creed law. IDEAL goal AMI glory II freed
him from the weakness OF ritualisn1 that
form 81 religion suited only 20 spiritual
children He put away childish things
"n'n Pc saw worn out ceremonies nailed
20 the cross
Every great denomination has its own
accent. It's KEY word its dominating
thought. its power OF appeal Enter one
% the churches OF great denornina ton.
The eve 's struck with affairs. lights. nc
tutes. symbols. robes. crosses. censers and
'--,red objects The point OF contact and an
peal ir the senses Enter another church
the liturgy is rich. tho music PRAYERS ara
rn~0o~ena ore all w. hwic and enphonious
Al rs pleasing IN color and tone The an
pea' l~ 70 tho inner esthet,c sense Enter
another church. The absence OF ritual ara
the presence o. man IS conspicuous in
the pulpit HIS diction Is good. his exezesfs
correct hts argument clear. and his logic
faultless The aDpea' IS through the ser
mon 90 the understanding. E-ter another
r9lroh. The enthusiasm IN the HYMNS ths
JUNCTION IN the prayers and the fervor ~
the e1horta'ions appeal 70 the emotions
Enter a PaD'ist church Resuty IS not
al
md arEuuent clear. but the appeal Is
through fhus saith the T.o-d' 70 tho co--
science Other DETERMINATIONS see. or on
ipv. or reason. or feel A Parffei may so
~ have al ~ these. but he must obey
therefore vision IS IN peculiar sens
h'rTnon.ors with the genius OF our great
lenouination
We whose faith IN Jesus rs me divine
son % God IS about half naraized by an
'nge % reason bv the reign ~ law 80
fixed order and the boastful claims OF The
critics who do not Ike 90 retain God 81,
the'r hearts need above all a ,lsfo, -
the personal living God-God with eyes
70 see with ears 20 hear with heart 70
'e"i ana an arm To save. In our material
gaze we nave taken our ewes from the up
ward look and fixed them upon human
things. all these things as numbers
schools. buildings. endowment papers
books. boards doErnas. heroes ara +or,hs
These are not 10 De despised but ,bev
are TOO gross 10 furnish the highest in
spiration
Earthly and Heavenly Vision.
Every divine vision reaches. ike
Jacobs ladder from earth 70 heaven
As virginia Baptists we are fellow cfti-
zens with scers and prophets of things
tnundane, SO We'll as o. things heavenly
j ts not easy always TO tell where the
earthly ends and the heavenly begins.
Liberty % body. mind and spirit came
r. our sacred soil in vision. and Patrick
Hcnrys tongue proclaimed st. Jefferson-s
pen gave IL form. WashinCtou's sword
achieved IT, Nadison's genius conceived
its constitution George Masonss Wei
lance rounded its proportions. and John
Marsha!l adjudications cemented #
These visions OF our secular seers were
touched with a heavenly glow and filled
with spiritual vitality because God had
placed them among our Baptist churches.
ana sent among them our Baptist fathers
Ike Gano. Leland Craig Waller. Harris
and others, Just as lie sent Ananias %
cropping Paul to aid him in adjusting the
heavenly part OF his vision 20 earthly
ordinances. SO our Baptist fathers and
seers. and our country's fathers and seers
were co-workers IN adjusting the great
principles Of free people. q free press
and a free church. Unquestionablv our
n
our Baptist churches the soverelgnty OF
Independent States united ia Federated
Union. This divine pattern has become
the model Of government on both hernl-
spheres AL nations are drifting towards
this UNIQUE Baptstic democracy
VIII Virginia Baptist fulfill the vision
OF their own creating? WIN they stand
as the Prophets servant stood at Dothan. /
fearing the thousands Of foreigners crowd |
ing into our cities. filing our fields. delv-
ing IN our mines? Or, VIII we catch the
higher vision OF the prophet himself and
see in the tens OF thousands OF the chill
dren OF these foreigners Anericanized
and Christanized brothers and sisters? |
May every Virginia mountain top be
come Pisgal, from which We may be-
hold much land yet 70 possess. and may
the God OF Caleb and Joshua give us
the faith and courage 70 go fearlessly
forward
Let us see IN every stream that flows
through our valleys "a new Jordan waiting
70 receive the thousands OF penitent ne
Nevers In baptism. On their banks may
the Lord unfold afresh the vision OF the
triune God. In the obedient Son. the
lowering Dove. and the Voice from the
clouds saying: In whom I am well
pleased
IF we can harness the potentially
OF our dollars to the ability Of our vision
invigorated pulpit the culture OF our
schools and the conservation Of our
homes we will have a working actually
sufficient to plant a church OF our faith
and order within reach Of every citi-
zen. native and foreign, IN the Com
monwealth."
Governor Montague. In a charming
speech Of about ten minutes, cordially
welcomed the messengers OF the churches
to the hospitality Of Richmond and to
the hearts Of the people
He said he appeared to make the ad-
dress Of welcome in obedience to orders
that had to be obeyed. they being from
DIR. Hawthorne, the pastor of the flock
OF which he was a member He felt some
embarrassment for 1t was always embar-
RAISING 10 welcome people who knew as
well as he did that they we're already
perfectly welcome to the best service and