The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-15
IN METHODIST CHURCH
The PASTOR, THE REV. HENRY STOKES
SPEAKS OF ARkIH!AHISM.
Gives Scripture Authority for His Belief,
and Warns the People to Continue to
be Faithful and to Hold Fast to that
Which is Good.

be faIfnful ana 10 nol0 raSl 10 thdt
Which is Good.
Last Sunday morning a goodly number
OF worShipperS assembled in the Methodist
church at Abbeville. The pastor, Rev.
ing for his text st. John vi :66, From that
time many of the disciples went back, and
walked no more with him."
The preacher commenced by saying that
he feared that the distinctive features OF
the Methodist Church had not heretofore
been presented as often or as fully as they
should have been. For this reason he
would present this morning his belief in
some of the grounds upon which the Ar
minian faith was founded. He thought to
inherit the final blessing which was vouch-
safed to the faithful by our Saviour, we
must be steadfaSt in our faith, and must
make perpetual fight to keep sin from
our minds and hearts. That at any time
sin might enter the heart and lead us into
evil ways. In the past conspicuous exam
pies were furnished to show that some of
sacred desk, had abandoned godlinesS for
unrighteOusnesS. Men in no station in
life were safe or exempt from temptation
or danger. Conversion was no guar
antee that we might not later on fall into
sinful and evil ways through which we
might forfeit our hope Of eternal happiness
in the world to come: The life OF the
Christian must be vigilaut and unrelent-
ing watchfulness to guard against letting
sin into the mind and heart. He himself,
after preaching the gospel for fourteen
wears, felt the need Of unremitting care in
guarding himself from the possibility OF
committing in five minutes some act which
would ruin the character he had so long
and so earnestly labored to establish. DE
thought it was necessary to keep vlglant
watch to prevent the strongest and the
best of men from falling into that SIN
which might ruin the character OF a llfe-
time, and send the soul out into that night
and darkness which is perpetual. Let
him that thinketh he standeth take heed
lest he fall"
In the Scripture we are often admonished
to be on guard or to arm ourselves against
danger. Even human wisdom would not
guard us against impossible danger. II
human wisdom would not guard us against
impossible danger, why should the divine
wisdom do so?
The mother, in this beautiful and level
country, does not warn her children against
the danger of preciplce which does not
exist.
The divine wisdom guards US only
against possible danger, and the wise man
will take heed to the warnings OF Scripture
lest he fall.
Our Calvinistic friends rely upon the
following words to satisfy themselves that
once converted and brought to the foot or
the cross salvation would surely follow
to all those who embraced the faith:
"For am persuaded that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor princlpalltleS, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to
come,
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from
the love Of God, which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord"
The preacher said that he fully agreed
with that sentiment. Every word Of it is
true. But, my friends, it is nowhere said
that by his consent sin may not enter the
heart of man and do that which neither
powers nor principalitieS may not, or can
not. do. Our final salvation, then, depends
upon our own faith in the Redeemer and
our service to the Father, which includes
faith, purity Of heart and correct living, to
which, of course, is given or added to us
that Grace which comes from above. Sa-
tan himself was once an angel, but because
of that innate power, which neither life
nor death could control, he fell and from
that time he walked no more with him.
The Father of us all did not create the
evil. 1t was in the heart, and, obeying the
promptings Of evil, Satan fell from his
high estate.
1t was the evil in his heart, not any out
side power, that induced one of the disci-
pies to betray our Saviour at the Last Sup
per.
the betrayal, being about equal to $500 OF
our money.
If the idea that conversion included as
surance Of the divine irrevocable decree OF
final salvation was correct, then the Ar.
minian doctrine was in no way shaken. II
Calvinsm was right in the contention that
there was no falling from grace, then
the conversion Of the Arminian was as ef-
fective as the conversion OF the CalviniSt,
and the Arminian had an equal chance o!
salvation though he might fear loss at the
last. Our constant watchfulness does moi
initiate against our chances OF final saliva
tion.
Some may contend that what we believe
matters little. But tell you, my friends
that mans actions, or his conduct in life
are largely governed by what he believes
II he believes in the right he is much more
apt to act right than if he believes in the
wrong. We must so guard our minds anC
hearts as to keep out that evil which can
not enter except by our own consent.
At the conclusion of the sermon the
preacher read Hymn 493, which was after
ward sung by the choir, two verses o
which hymn are as follows
NV soul, he on thy guard;
Ten thousand foes arise;
The hosts Of sin are pressing hard,
To draw thee from the skies.
Ne'er think the victory won,
Nor lay thine armOr down
The work Of faith will not be done,
Till thou obtain the crown