Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-03-19
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
DIR. DWIGHT e. MARVIN.
Subject: True Greatness.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-Preaching Sun
DAY morning in the Flatbush Presby-
terian Church on "True Greatness, ~
the pastor, the Rev. DR.. Dwight IL.
Marvin, took for his text John 10:41:
1John, indeed, did no sign; but all
things whatsoever John spoke Of this
man were true" In the course OF
his sermon DR.. Marvin said:
John did no miracles, yet he was
great, the greatest of the prophets.
Human nature loves the mary velous.
Men turn and look in wonder at the
featS of the performer on the Srapeze.
whether it be in theology, business.
politics or science. Dazzling feats of
mind and body give a false view of
life. John did not measure his great
ness by that of others; he was too
much absorbed in his mission to think
Of the work of his fellow men. Like
Moses, who twist not that his face
shone" when he came down from the
Mount OF Communion, John went to
the river bank to preach in oblivious-
ness of his own superiority to others.
To himself he seemed but voice. q
breath, or slave unworthy to loose
Messiah's sandals. Yet John was am
bilious; he aspired to a position of
faithfulness that would make him
worthy OF his calling. Ambition is
natural to men,, indeed there is little
nope Tor advancement in life without
It, Young people are sometimes ad-
vlsed to be satisfied with the condi-
tions in which they are placed and
crush all desire to better themselves.
ambition IS right and praisew orthy
Wnen 1t IS founded on humility and
obedience; it is wrong when ground
Cd IN pride and selfishness. i Daniel
was ambitious to make known the
power of Jehovah in the land of his
captivity Joshua was ambitious to
Oe a worthy successor of Moses. Paul
was ambitious to plant the standard
Vi the cross in every town of Asia
MINOR. John the Apostle was am
oltlous to repeat the vision that
came to him On Patmos, and Jesus
was ambitious to save the world.
IN studying the life of John the
5aptlst we discover four things that
mao! made him great: He was faithful to
Ills call; ne was humble in his SER
vice. ne had vivid realization of
ne presence Of the Messiah, and he
was devout in all that he did.
he was not a miracle worker. but
Nc was 1orerunner, and as a fore
1anlef n ne gave himself to his work.
hume mad extended it's power in
many directions; the destiny of the
eia enplre was in one mans hands; the
%u sturdy Roman stock had died
u,o oL.' tWo classes of men took its
sra.e: sna the petted devotees of wealth
hu;a, hna luxury and the slaves. The old
oiich III: imperial city had given way to
i,r. e''y OF marble. Stoicism, epicurian-
% ,Dm ana superstition prevailed. Men
@ulsnlped their ancestors and the
hpslor. haaosr. The Jews in Palestine had
Dot DeSone restless under the Roman
cont. one anu were ready to resist foreign
srD,4ol. grDa they waited only for some
ro5~,.n ra5~r man to arise and stir them to
1sso5llon. rso. There was a feeling everv-
ra nnefe that the kingdom of heaven
ss sas at hand, that the Messiah was
on ~ W appear and lead their armies
Pom,noo ooccaSsIul combat against the
msdo s1la4s. as Suddenly John the Baptist
tha 1d nls appearance on the banks of
positina joluah. His strange garb, his
attrsote<, atte preaching, his bold message.
from '.su o attention, and crowds came
mons very district to hear his SER
Is No aao submit to his baptism. It
presoh ~onoer, for John was a great
tberree sometimes hear it said that
cant n1,, 100 many ministers. Va
and tbbeiplts' unemployed clergvmen
ChriStia prevalent unwillingness of
their irans ro1:s 10 pay living salaries to-
tionaa iehglous leaders are all mon
nav ho IN evidence of the fact #
ninieDtee rue that there are too MANY
pronboas' but there are not too MANY
Thap and there never can he
view uouble is, we have a narrou
tho c VI the ministry. The wort Nv
dow gospel Herald cannot he haid ~
Eleven W ~, me limits of profession
O'clock CLOCK in the morning. s
Prayers III the evening, so MANY
Sermons 80 many readings, so MANY
Week ana 80 y many calls during the
Angeicna au the work is finished. Fra
his rU wond preached when he wrought
preacbedI bdIuerlui sl1 pictures, Savonarcla
thenas Wnen he hurl ed his ana
ruptionn az against the prevailing cor
preaoha, ~ religious leaders; Runyan
reogsr a.. When he penned his mar
sress:o OlTam Cm OF the Pilgrims Pro-
planned carey preached when he
Norkina missionary service while
don nre,a at a cobbler's bench; Cor
ample of ofcned ne. when he set an ex-
Soldiers righteousness and led his
Livingstounn un to sacrifice and service.
Way on th fl preached as he pushed his
Atgassiz Trough the dark continent :
lllvestipa 4Piaeached in his scientific
ne saw t{a1ois; 49, IS; Mile" preached when
n the 500 footprints Of the Creator
aaVergal ns' nn' and Frances Ridley
yer Doemvp pieached when she wrote
sho her songs. Every
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