The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-04
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
DR.. JOHN LEWIS CLARK.
Theme: Quit You Like Men.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-At a special SER
vice for men in the Bushwick Ave.
nue. Congregational Church, the pas
tor, the Rev. DR.. John Lewis Clark,
preached on Quit You Like Men"
The text was those words, taken from
1 Corinthians 1913. DR.. Clark said:
When Paul said to the Corinthians,
"Quit you like men," he must have
recalled an incident in the history of
the children of Israel. The Israelites
were encamped at Eben-ezer and the
PhiliStines at Aphek. In the battle
that followed Israel was defeated with
a loss of 1000 men. AS a remedy for
their weakness it vas 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 strong-hearted lead
ers. BE strong and quit yourselves
like men-and fight" The result is
told in a few words: "And the Phil
istines fought and Israel was smitten,
and they fed every man to his tent;
and there was a very great slaughter,
for there fell of Israel 10000 foot
men. And the ark Of God was taken;
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 them
selves like men, the Philistines were
smitten before them. Then Samuel
took a stone and set it between Miz-
pah and Shen, and called the name Of
it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath
Jehovah helped u.s."
Corinth was a city of 100000 in
habitants when Paul first visited it.
1t had a cosmopolitan population. 1t
combined culture and vice. While it
was a Gentle city, many Jews were
there also, and had their s~ynagogues.
Corinth was a sort Of ancient Paris,
with some resemblance to London.
The athletic contests in the stadium,
the garlands worn by the v~ictors, the
courts of justice and the theatres fur
nished Paul with many figures of
speech. The s~ensuality Of the city
was indicated by the conservation OF
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
for all Corinthian evils was Jesus
Christ and Him crucihed. 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 tc
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 a year and a half and makes many
converts, establishing 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
them, "Quit you like men"
It Is interesting to note the Greek
conception of a man. He must be a
man as opposed to a woman. The
Greeks had no use for an effeminate
man. Neither did Paul. He was to
be a man as opposed to a god, and, as
q matter of fact, most of the men Of
Corinth did not exhibit many Godlike
characteristics. He must, be a man
as opposed to a youth, one who had
put away childish things" a man
Ilo1 IL --0 ~o@ n WAN IN tho
true sense of the term unless married.
They were hard on the wicked and
selfish bachelor. He must be a man
with some title or occupation or pro.
fession. He must act like a man,
play the a
The context gives Paul's idea Of
playing the man.
Watch ye," says he. 1t means to
wake ones self up. To the Thessa-
lonians he said: Go, then, let us not
sleep, as do the rest, but let us watch
and be sober" Only a w~ideawake
man is useful anywhere. And as he
wrote the ThGssalonians 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 a man. Of the
world to get drunk, but Infamous
for a 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 in mind
also that they should be sober in all
things.
All i~ntoxications 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-
lieve in preaching the simple gos-
pei" and they will answer "The ques-
ton 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 1.-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 II
theological professors and ministers
|. are tossed about by every wind of
doctrine" IAN we wonder that u
pews are empty and that We have but
few accessions to our churches?
Strike the roots OF your faith
deep in the soil of eternal realities"
and then stand fast, set yourself in
battle array for the defense of the
faith, and fight on the offensive as
we'll, and victory is sure to follow.
There never was an age when peo-