Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-07-21
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AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
Dir. Ohm LEWIS CLARK.
Theme: Quit You Like Men.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-At special ser
vice for men in the Bushwick Ave-
nue. congregational Church, the pas
tor, the Rev. Dr.. John Lewis Clark,
preached on 1Quit You Like Men.
The text was those words, taken from
4 Corinthians 1913. DR.. Clark said:
When Paul said to the Corinthians,
eQuit you like men," he must have
recalled an incident in the history OF
the children of Israel. The Israelites
were encamped Mt Eben-ezer and the
Philistlnes at ,Aphek. In the battle
that followed Israel was defeated with
a loss Of 1000 men. As remedy Tor
their weakness 1t was proposed that
they bring the Ark OF the Covenant OF
Jehovah out OF Shiloh. There was.
great rejoicing as the ark was
brought Into camp. The noise Of the
great shouting alarmed the rank and
file Of the Philistines, for they be-
lieved that God had come into Israel's
camp. @Woe unto US! Who shall
deliver us?" they cry. The answer
came from their stronS-hearted lead
ers. BE strong and quit yourselves
like menIand fight" The result Is
told In a few words: 4And the Phil
istines fought and Israel was smittea,
and they fed every man to his tenr;;
and there was very great slaughter,
for there fell Of Israel 10000 foot
men. And the ark Of God was taker,;
and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain" The mention
to aged Eli that the ark Of God was
taken, caused his death also. Years
later, when Israel had reformed and
returned to Jehovah, and quit thens-
selves like men, the Philistines were
smitten before them. 3Then Samuel.
took stone and set it between Mil
pah and Shen, and called the name cf
1t Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath
Jehovah helped u.s."
Corinth was a city of 100000 in
habitants when Paul first visited II.
IT had cosmopo politan population. It
combined culture and vice. While it
was a Gentle city, many Jews wers
there also, and had their synagogues.
Cor'1th was sort of ancient Paris,
with some resemb blance to London.
The athletic contests in the stadium,
tie garlands worn by the yictors,. tho
courts of justice and the theatres fur.
nished Paul with many figures o.
speech. The sensuality of the city
was indicated by the conservation o.
1000 girls to the vile worship Of the
patron goddess Aphrodite. Other
evils which Paul vigorously com"
batted were dishonesty and drunk.
enness. The apostles one remedy
81 rD,.,nthfon nyys1c r1yoC I6duel
Christ and Him crucified. No more
pandering to prejudice, as in Athens
by preaching the unknown God.
One of.the first converts is Crispus,
ruler of the synagogue, who, with all
his house, is baptized. But Jewish
opposition finally compels them to
vacate the synagogue and worship In
the private residence Of one Justus.
He is assisted by the faithful Aquila
and Priscilla. He remains in Corinth
for year and half and makes many
converts, fishing other churches
in Corinth and other parts of .Achaia.
This episode is believed to have been
written from Ephesus.
After speaking plainly on many
other subjects, the apostle exhorts
r them, .Quit you like men,"
1T is interesting to note the, Greek
conception OF q man. He must he a
man as opposed to a woman. The
Greeks had no use for an effeminate
man. Neither did Paul. He was to
he a man as opposed to q god. and, as
a matter Of fact, most of the men of
Corinth did not exhibit many Godlike
characteristics. He must be man
as opposed to a youth, one who had
put away childish things" a man
indeed. He was not man in the
true sense of the term unless married.
They were hard on the wicked and
selfish bachelor. He must be man
with some title or occupation or pro-
fesston. He must act like man,
play the man.
The context gives Paul's idea Of
playing the man.
4 Watch ye." says he. 1t means to
awake ones self UP. To the Thessa-
sonians he said:' go, then, let US not
leep, as do the rest, but let us watch
Ind be sober" Only wideawake
man is useful anywhere. And as he
wrote the Thessalonians to @be
SOBER" possibly he had in mind how
some of the Corinthians would get
drunk even at the communion table.
It, is bad enough for man of the
world to get drunk, but Infamous
for protesting Christian or church
member. If Paul had been writing
in our day he possibly would have ex-
horted the women also not to get
drunk. He doubtless had i'll mind
also that they should be sober in all
things.
All intoxications do not come from
alcoholic beverages. Thank God for
our Mems Club. For it indicates that
the men OF our church have walked
up and mean to make their influence
felt for good.
AS men, stand fast in the faith"
Tell some ministers to-day that you be-
lieye in preaching the simple Cos
pel,n aud they will answer The ques-
tion is, what is the gospel?" And a
good many are spending time and
talent in an effort to formulate a
gospel theory to suit an age Of crit
icism and doubt.
If the ministers and theological
professors kept to the faith once for
all delivered unto the saints" there
would be less criticism in the pew.
Most Of the doubters and critics
would soon be converted, But if
theological professors and ministers
are tossed about by every wind OF
doctrine" can we wonder that our
pews are empty and that VIC have but
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