The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-05-22
4 TIE pUInVF
A SERMON &NS@
fMWFENDERSoNWSf
Subject: The Gospel Of Christ.

Irving Square Presbyterian Church,
on the theme The Gospel of Christ,
a Partial Message to Its Messengers"
the Rev. Ira Wemmell Henderson,
pastor, took as his text Romans lis,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ" He said:
The last and perhaps The greatest
privilege which our Savior has given
unto us is contained in that COM
mand which, it is reported, He gave
ago: Go We into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature"
Paul writing, as we have seen, to
the Church at Rome, but a few years
after the death of the Master, has
given to US a record Of his personal
and profound conviction of the
w%orthiness of the good news of the
Christ.
This, the opinion of the pre-emi-
nent evangelist of the Apostolic
Church, still stands unchallenged.
Through all the schisms of the cen
turtles the Gospel has come down to
IS as pure and beautiful in it's mes
sage; as strong and as potent in it's
power for good. as it vas when first
our Master preached, with His own
dear lips, the message of salvation
and Astounding love.
To-day, as we stand just within
the threshold of another century,
with the memories Of mighty eras
lingering in our hearts, let US glance
over the achievements of the church
Of the living God. Let US, as we
stand at the parting of the ways,
when to go forward is to accept new
responsibilities and to receive re-
newed opportunities for service, look
critically at the field before us. Let
US determine what course, as Chris
tians, we must pursue. Let US con-
slider the message of the church to
the men of to-day. Let US decide,
as God may give us power, our duty
as the messengers of the risen Lamb
OF God Of whose gospel we are not
ashamed.
About the year of our Lord the
thirty-Second a certain Pharisee, Saul
by name, %journeyed from Jerusalem
to Damascus, breathing out threat
enings and slaughter against the dis
ciples of the Lord" His intent was
to bring bound to Jerusalem all
Christians whom he might find at
Damascus. While or his way and
when but a few hours distant from
Damascus the spirit of God came
upon Saul and a marvellous CONVEX
sion, worthy of the mission and of
the magnitude of the man, took
place. Saul's question, Lord, what
wilt Thou have m to do?" was the
handspring of action in his life. In
the answer. of our Lord came a pro-
phecy of that work of evangelization
which was destined to change the po-
litical aspect Of the world, and to do
much to ameliorate the social condi-
lions and surroundings of human
kind.
Paul was the first world-evangelist.
His mission was to SOW the seed in
all the first century world. And so
in the outpouring of a grateful heart
"a heart thankful for success as a
spiritual seedsman-Paul declares, IT
am not ashamed of the gospel Of
Christ"
This same gospel it is which
claimed the allegiance Of Paul and
which holds the fealty of men in
every cline to-day, which has taught
men the principles of right living and
of eternal truth. To the influence
Of the gospel is due that esteem for
woman which has raised her from a
ehattel to her rightful position as a
forceful factor in society. To the
gospel is largely due that beneficent
scheme OF education and that grand
er conception Of the liberty of the in
dividual.
The words of Christ foretoid the
doom Of slavery. The eternal princi-
pies Of the new commandment could
not but be hostile to a system of hu-
man chattelhood-
The gentle teachings Of the MAI of
peace have entered into hearts in
every epoch and in every land,
Strengthening and mellowing the in
dividual character and life. Wher-
ever the example of the Christ is fol-
lowed there is prosperity and peace
and purity of heart. Widely spread
throughout a people it has made of
that nation a mighty and a moving
element in the political history of the
world. Applied to the lives of men
and women in whose hearts the love
Of Gods law was uppermost it has
given to US Luthers, our Wesleys,
our Lipcolns, our noblest and our
best
But it is within the space of the
past century and a half that the true
mission of the gospel has been COM
pretended and advanced. Little
more than a century is it since u
first plans were considered to send
Protestant missionaries to the East.
To-day we have the missionary of
Christ in every land. The message
of salvation through the Son is reach
ing round the world.
But let US for the moment forget
the things which are behind and
look rather upon the present condi-
ton of humanity. Let US consider
our duty as those who are mot
ashamed Of the gospel of Christ" to
carry that gospel into every acting,
longing soul. What application has
the gospel to the needs Of to-day?
How can we make it a force in the
lives of men and of nations.
We find ourselves confronted by
diverse and distracting social condi-
lions. The tendency of the times is
toward congregation in large cities.
The olden country life becomes dis
tasteful, and men in the rush to gain
a livelihood flock to the cities. Let
us take as an example the City Of
New York. Here are some of the
richest Of the rich, the poorest of the
poor; palaces, novels; luxury and ex-
travagance, perjury. and restitution;
costly cathedrals erected to the glory
of the living God, and beneath their
very steeples disreputable dives dedi-
Gated to all that is bestial in a
Commercialism is the watchword.
The city, as the land, is money wild.
The shirt of combination is abroad.