The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-01
THE vIRGINfAN's WEEKLY SERMON
HIS NEIGHBOR'S DUTY
Bv Rev. F. w. Moore, D. D.
Faster of the Second Baptist Church Petersburg Va

John II 22---''what is that to thee
Follow thou me-
Simon Peter was more concerned
ahou, his neighbor's duts 10 his Lord
than about his own. But in this par
ttcular Peter has multitude ~ toll
lowers. His tribe is on the increase.
His kith and kin are with Us to-day.
T The tendency to shuttle OF individual
responsibilities and TO note faults ct
character and neglect 81 duties on the
part of others IS one OF the strongest
of human nature. Leaving the his
torfc drapery az the text. let US heed
the application-our supreme obliga-
fion 10 follow Christ. regardless Of
the intellectual difficulties in his word,
the Inconsistencies Of many Of his pro-
fessed followers and the multiplicity
OF sects into which his disciples are
divided. These In their order
First there are many who refuse
TO follow Christ because there is SO
much in the Bible beyond their com
prehension. What is that to them
Let them follow Christ 1t was John
Ruskia who said that ne could not
yorship q God. all Of whose ways and
cards he could understand. II IS true
ct God says. Come, let US reason
gether," but reason is not the only
for truth There are far-reach-
ssts for moral and spiritual truths
ex those supplied 10y reason. The
sect is its own touChstone for spirit
mai truth 7-.A,eeF when the heart goes
before. like lamp. and ilumines the
pathway, many things are made clear.
that else lie hidden in darkness.
III any man will do his will he shall
Know Of the doctrine, whether II be
III God or whether / speak Of my
self Infidelity is disease Of the
heart and not of the head. Men viii
mot believe what they do not want
n believe. We shut our eyes against
the binding light OF the sun. So do
men deal with the Word of God We
can at least apprehend what we can
not comprehend. The truths OF Scrip
ture are coiored by the glasses through
which we look. While there is much
In the Bible beyond our finite minds,
yet its doctrines are easily understood
lin proportion an they are essential to
our welfare The introduction of evil
into the world Ii a deep problem, yet
nothing Is clearer than that all have
sinned and come short of the glory
OF God The new birth and our vital
Mnion with the Saviour are mysteries,
but nothing is simpler than faith with
Tut works is dead. All understand our
Lords test, IF a man love me he
VIII Keep my NtIdS. / He pDEl Try
den Well says in hts "Religio Laicr':
sAnd that the Scriptures, though not
everywhere
Free from corruption, or entire. or
1 clear,
sAre uncorrupt sufficient. clear. entire
In all things which our needed faith
require
re there difficulties in his word ?
ow Christ. Stop clubbing; believe
word. Do not limit truth to your
u Ixible horizon. Not to believe in con-
aversion and eternal lie. because you
do not understand all their details, is
- unreasonable as to refuse to eat
ahread because you fail TO understand
S1ts chemistry or 10 decline wi Ter
clothing until you knew how the sheep
transform grass into wool.
Second, let the application Of the
text be needed by who refuse TO
follow Christ on account of the in
Inconsistencies and hypocrisies of some
who profess 10 be his disciples. An
Apology Is hardly In order for those
NfsB follow him affair off or In crooked
paths. We are watched; We ought TO
he watched. Our behavior is OBJ
berged.