The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-10-25
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
REV. |. w. HENDERSON.
Subject: Christian Character.

on me LuSAle, CIlIlSlldu Sudl eASISA,
the Rev. I. w. Henderson, pastor,
took Us his text l. Peter 2:9: That
We may show forth the eXcellencies of
Him who hath called you cut OF
darkness into His marvellous light.
He said:
Character is determined in the
terms of an exercised moral and splr-
itual consciousness. Character at its
highest is conformity to the best
moral and spiritual consciousness
that is within US. 1t is both the con-
summation and the limitation Of the
will of man. It is not only a matter
of the outward life but it is also the
indication and the manifestation OF
an inward grace. Character is the
sum of any mans characteristics OF
soul and social life.
Motive is, in the last analysis,
more of account than the outward
act. Feeling is factor in the human
life. Intentions must be counted.
Desires may draw down or up. But
with all these in the tally, you are
what you will to be. More than your
will desires you will not become.
Character is not only what you
wish you were, nor what the world
thinks you are, nor yet what you
consider yourself to be; but what you
are. It is neither your reputation
nor your record, save as those two
align to the measure of manhood &C
cording to the rule of God.
Character is the mark of inner
worthiness as well as the emblem OF
a good life before the open eyes OF
men. Character is not merely hon
esty, it is more. t is not only out
ward purity but also inward cleanlI-
ness of heart. 1t means not only to
walk just within the statutes Of the
penal codc, and just beyond the
changing iron of a prison door. but
rather to love righteousness and to
practice uprightness because they are
right. Character is virtue, honor, in
tegrity, godliness. It is deserved
reputation and the glory OF a we'll
spent life. 1t is mark and the VIC
tory of moral worth. More to be de-
sired is it than great riches and It's
.Tipe, rich, satisfying fruitage is peace
and quietude of heart.
Christian character is conformity
to the character of Christ. 1t is to
bear the express image of the saving
Son of God in the inner man and
through all the problems of the So
cial life. AS the Saviour bore the
Impress of the divine will of our COM
mon Father; as the faithful Friend
of men showed forth the mind and
the manner of our God, so must we
as true men and women, disciples OF
our Lord, be sealed with the eVl-
dences of divine guidance.
The highest character OF this life
and for the world beyond is that
which finds in Jesus Christ the ideal
and harmonious working of the will
OF man with the divine. Character,
as we Christians view it, is concerned
not only with the Christians conduct,
not only with his doings in the field
of human action; but also with his
trueness to his personality and to his
God. Christian character includes,
; for it can never exclude, due and
willing regard for mans obligations
toward mis- Maker. 1t afirms the
basic necessity for absolute and un-
swerving loyalty to self. 1t insists
and asserts that motive is more than
! manner, while demanding that all So
cial responsibilities be met squarely,
honorably, manfully and in the fear
of God.
!, The character of Christ is positive.
Christ is remarkable not for the
things that He refrained from doing
but rather is He ideal IN the acts OF
nobleness, virtue, good-heartedness
which He did. His was no puIiy
soul. Obeying the words that came
out Of Sinai's mighty glory, He went
beyond them. Keeping we'll within
the requirements Of Pharisaic legal
ism, He pushed on and out and up,
above and beyond and ahead of all
the self-complacency and moral blind
ness of the ecclesiastics, and did
things positive and powerful for men
and for God. Feeling within His
+. heart the call of immortal duty the
Christ exemplified in His own life
those qualities of character which
have for all time secured Him in His
proud place as the ideal man and
proved to a multitude in this sad and
SHINING world His Godhood and His
grace divine.
To you and to me the call comes
down the centuries bidding US TO
show forth the excellencies of Him
who hath called us out Of darkness
into His marvellous light" Having
accepted the Christ and been sealed
with His love, we must bear in our
lives the express image-that is to
say the signet stamp, that is to say
the character-of the Son of God.
The character of Christ presents to
us double study and preserves to US
q two-fold duty and example. With
in the characteristic attributes of
holiness and righteousness are COM
prised all the qualities that pertain
to the Saviour in His social sphere.
Holiness toward God, Righteousness
toward self and society, these two are
the broad truths that come to us from
the character of the Christ and which
summon us to show forth His glory
and His love-. Spirituality and NOR
ality. A sanctifed sense of oneness
with the Father, courageous de-
termination to stand square before
society and upright at the bar of his
own conscience, these are the two
great lessons for us from the charac-
ter of Christ, and the mighty truths
within which all else in the world Of