Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1907-12-09
Sermon by Rev. ). o. Wrightson.


At the Sunday morning services in
the First Methodist Episcopal church
Rev. J. o. Wrightson the pastor, de-
livered an interesting sermon to a
large congregation. He said in part:
"The people, therefore, that stood
by, and heard it said that it thunder
ed; others said, an angel spake to
him. John 1929.
This is the third occasion mention
ed in the gospel narratives upon which
q voice spoke from heaven concerning
Jesus When he had received baptism
from John at Jordan, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the spirit
of God descending like dove and
lighting upon him; and 10 voice from
heaven saying, This is my beloved Son,
in whom ! am well pleased-Math
3. 1917. James and John, upon Mount
Hermon, a bright cloud overshadowed
the apostles, and there came a voice
out of the cloud saying, This is my be-
loved Son; hear him.-Luke 8. 55.And
now that He is about to be offered as
sacrifice for sin, yet once again the
voice speaks that the popIe might be-
lieve on his name
Certain Greek proselytes had sought
an interview with our Lord They
came to Philip and said Sir we would
see Jesus" Philip consulted with An
drew about the matter and then they
went and told the Master. The pres
ence of the Greeks stirred the soul OF
/ Christ with conflicting emotions. In
this little knot of strangers he saw
the first fruits of the unreasonable
! harvest which was to be reaped among
the Gentiles, and in the glad anticipa-
ton of his hope, he said: THE hour is
come that the Son of Man should be
glorifled." And then came the thought
of the painful means by which alone
He could be truly glorified, and, per-
/ haps to check the rising tide of enthu-
siasm among his followers, he adds
Verify, verify, | say unto you, except
a corn of wheat fell into the ground
and die, it abideth alone: but if it die
it bringeth forth much fruit He that
loveth his life in this forld shall keep
1t unto life eternal. If any man serve
me, let him follow me; and where |
am, there shall also my servant be: If
any man serve me, him will my Fa-
Their honor A great conflict was rag
ing in the breast Of Jesus. He had
the same love for life that is shared
by man universally, and the thought
of the Cross with it's humiliation and
shame was abhorent to him. Yet the
way of the Cross was the way of SAL
walton and He must tread it if He
would be glorified. What should He
Of our Lords mind in the soliloquy
recorded in this chapter: Nov is my
soul troubled; and what shall say;
Father save me from this hour: but
for this cause came l unto this hour
Father glorify Thy name 1t was not
necessary for John to speak of Geth-
semane after describing this bitter CON
fiict for the supremacy between de-
sire and duty.
Gethsemane was simply repetition
of this struggle for perfect submission
to the Fathers will, and the "Thy will
be done" of the Garden finds its coun-
terpart in the prayer Father glorify
Thy name." which fell from the lips of
Christ upon this occasion. In response
to this prayer, there came voice from
heaven, saying, II have both glorified
it, and will glorify it again" The peo-
! pie, therefore, that stood by and heard
it, said that it Numbered: others said,
an agel spake to Him. They failed to
receive the message of the Almighty
A few understood the words spoken
from heaven. They were Ineligible
to Jesus and to John; but to the null
tftude the voice was only thunder
or the utterance of an angel. How
sad the thought that God should speak
to men and that they should fail to
recognize His Voice?
The experience was not peculiar
to the people who surrounded Jesus
in the temple; it is the common expe-
rince of the reace. God speaks to us
today, and we 90 not hear. His voice.
or else fail to understand the message
He would bring us He speaks to
us in nature. Nature is one Of Gods
great books. 1t tells of His infinite
power and wisdom and goodness.
St Paul declares that "the invisible
things of Him from the creation of
thew orla are clearly seen. being UNI
derstood by the things that are made,