Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-03-25

any. word Of exhortation to the pco-
pie. This is Paul's opportunity. He
arises, and, reckoning attention with
his hand, launches upon the sea Of
Hebrew history, suggested by the
law, and explains the fulf1llment of
Isaiah in Jesus Christ, and declares
ITO you is the word Of tais salvation
sent, The people gather about him
after the assembly is dismissed and
beg him to come back next Sunday.
He explains the gospel to inquirers
as he works through the week, and
on the next Sabbath almost the whole
city assemblies to hear him; but when
he declares that this salvation is for
the Gentiles, !. the Jews grow jealous
and soon stir up per0Grtion and
compel them 70 leave Thus.
while his great miss breach
the gospel, his grl was
Jewish exclusivenesA chief
and immediate work. the form
of c~hampioning the cause Of Gentle
freedom and propping open. SO that
no man could shut it, the door which
Peter was privileged to OPEN
Tne greatest battles of human his
tory have been battles for freedom,
and each struggle has had its hero.
Battles for national freedom-Moses
for enslaved Israel, Washington for
h oppressed colonies. Battles for
freedom Of conscience-Luther and
Knox. Battles for human rights
WilberfOrce and Garrison. Battles.
battles for catholic thought and q uni.
versal gospel-Paul, the apostle to
the Gentiles! The rest of my sermon
shall be an elaboration of three great
points which I gather from this great.
typical missionary speech Of st. Paul:
/. How the history of the world,
Is TRANSPORTED in the light OF the
gospel into the history of the King
dom of God.
The present time is vitality con-
cerned with history. The criticism is
historical. archaeology is historical,
philology is historical, evolution is
historical and the profound search
OF human thought is. for a key to
history. a philosophy of history.
st. Paul's address was historical.
he went back through the national
history OF the chosen people; and
while It was historical, the name OF
God is in every sentence. No speech
was ever more bold in it's assertion of
God in history. To the speaker, his
tory was not chaotic, with no purpose
or goal; not an eddying current. but
a great Gulf Stream, flowing on with
gathering momentum and speed to-
ward a '.far off and divine event"
The history vas progressive, evolu-
tionary, and the goal Of evolution is
freedom in the Kingdom of God.
The Law" w was that but the
necessary objective standard in the
! times Of compulsion and force,
. but now in the freedom of love alb
sorbed In Christ, who is the end of
the law to every one that believeth,
and to bring us to Christ, the law as
a s~choolmaster was ordained.
The prophets! What were they
but the awakening of visions as the
insufficiency of law became manifest
and the declaring and promising on
divine authority a great incarnation
OF suffering, atOning love, who would
be the fulfilling of all the law and
the prophets? All the promises and
prophecies OF Israel's. history are de-
clared fulfilled in the coming of Jesus
Christ.
And now I arrive at the second
great propositions: q. Jesus Christ
is the centre of human history, full
filing its law and prophecy. and fur
A1oA1u6 IuS typo-udu anu uDeTdCOr
of all humanity. Let me quote DR..
Martinsen: 1.-THE perfect revelation
of the woodworking Providence
OF God is presented in the incarnate
Logos, in the world-redeeming, soul
saving manifestation Of God in Christ.
Human history finds its centre, its
true meaning, in the revelation of
Jesus Christ. It is only in the light
which comes from Him, that human
ity can look back upon a past which
is full of meaning. can look forward
to a future full of promise, and can
contemplate its development as an
organic whole. Human history,
which moves on apart from Christ,
without desire for, Or belief in Him,
knows neither beginning nor end-it
is objectless, it has no centre"
Now, we have been looking over
large areas and asserting vast gen
Civilizations. We have discovered a
philosophy of history, that it has a
purpose which is redemptional, that
1t has a goal which is freedom, that
it has a centre and head which is
! Christ, that is has a glorious consum-