The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-09-25

Certainyl to every angelical' believer
this is profound statement and wor-
thy OF place In the fundamentals of
the kingdom of God Himself. Many,
persons, and religious communities, in,
deed, are trying hard to build up what
they call churches Without any recog-
milton of the divinity of Christ at all.
They soon fall into mere clubs and So
cial organizations. without any abiding
principal in them.
What can q church do for the regen-
Grafton OF the world IL it does not be-
lieye In the divinity Of Jesus Christ
and His power to regenerate souls that
are dead in sin? II this note be left
out of this church our work today will
be q mere sham and false pretense.
I am glad to say that every genuine
Bantfst Church stands safely on the
divine rock. Christ. the Son of God. for
salvation. The divinity of Christ Is
fundamental In the laying of the cor
ner stone OF the faith; OF this church,
and hence 1t Is sf-nda1lhentalin the lay
Ing OF this corner stone, for the visible
temple in which this church is to wor-
ship.
When in days that are to come your
children pass by this stately temple OF:
"tl1e living God" and ask yoll what
mean We by these stones?" please to
tell them that when the corner stone
was laid the preacher: told you they
meant n recognition of the divinity OF
Jesus Christ MS Supreme In the lie
and lnbors of tile church. That 1t
stands for belief in the inspiration of
the Holy Scriptures. and the freedom
nf conscience In every mnn to worship
God according to the dictates of his
own conscience.
Christ Is the head of the church. and
the Holy Spirit Is active in the hearts
and consciences OF Gods people. We
do not believe In clerical orders. hus
rather the equality OF all men under
God. and the rule OF Christ. We stand
for the Sabbath Day as fl1v of rest
and religious observance. and believe
in regencrated members only for.
church membership. We believe In
n Judgment of God upon sin and sin
ners, and the ultimate salvation OF all
believers, and tho eternal punishment
or all who die unrdpentant andIwithellt
Christ as n personal divine Savior.
It Is clear to be seen thrt n Baptist
Church not believing In the divinity of
Christ Is an impossibiIity. Indeed,
think that 1t would te impossible to
think of an evangelical church without
tho divinity of Christ in the first place
MS 4 its corner stone. MY Masonic
brethren here. mt least some Of Sthem.'
have seen the ;"stone which the build
ers rejected" being brought from the
rubbish outside of the temple. and put
In It's proper place with great acclaim.
7 wonder II each one OF YOU has ac-
iknowletlged the divinity OF Christ in
yutlr own heart and given Him the
chief place there There will come a
fine when He will be placed in your
heart as a foundation stone or He Will
fall upon yon like milestone In 1tids-
ment. .. ~
It is distinctly declared that Other
foundations can no man lay than is
laid in Jesus Christ" We announce
TO the gerat public today that we are
having n s5rorner stone of n Baptist
meeting house In which we hope that
thousands Ct men and women and
children shall sayit to Jesus. Thou art
fhe Christ. the Son of the living Coil"
n is vain to pile this fabric up II Is
nnly, TO he tplnce of selfish amNse.
ment or personal interest Its chiet
purpose is tos encourage sinners p
make this good confession. 1t takes
cunfessor and n confession to make
church. md the one cannot get on
without 1.-THE other. 1t Is nnon these
two combined rs one that Christ builds
and perpetuates His church. rs =
III IIl.-The Conquest
II will build my church, is the first
great statement Christ makes to HIS
disciples. It is the first time that He
has indicated that He will be repre-
sented In the world by such nerrmla- nesrl
nent organization. 5gi
a In the 5iden of a building we gee the
labor necessary to build. When Solo
mon would. build his great temple he
made 1t OF material made ready before
hand: ""And the house. when II was
an building, was built OF stone made
ready before It was brought thIther.""
;Ins this figure you can see the long,
tedious taak OF cutting the timber; and m
n