The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-07
VIRGINIAN'S WEEKLY SERMON
By Rev. w. c. Taylor, D. D.
Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Petersburg.

liness an opportunity for the spiritual
/ life.
Why should it not be SO to-day :?
, Our great Southland has culture
among the masses and vastness or
wealth never known before. We snow
marvellous progress in all lines or ma
terial progress and enlightened &C
! tivity. Trains OF Pullman cars are an
Incompatible Improvement over the
stage coach and asphalt streets have
! superseded the cobblestones, but
where is there a like advance in lofty
faith and earnest devotion over that
of our fathers? Moral reform has
abolished the duel. the lottery and
prize lighting. and the beverage liquor
business is on the run, but have fam
lily affairs increased in number or has
Increase of wealth or of morals regis
tered corresponding increase in con-
secrated service for cur Lord or in
( the heavenliness of human life9
A man may be outside the church
and be morally perfect. as the world
goes. or he may be in the church
and nothing more than man VINO
Is morally perfect. But II the high
ideals OF Jesus concerning the spiritual
+ life are to be realized We shall come
+ to that only as our lives are wholly
surrender to the truth, to the love and
to the services of our Master.
A surrendered life Is one that God
can use and one which He will use
and bless. He will not use us wrong.
In the faithfuiness of Joseph. of Da-
Vd and Daniel We have revelation of
laws of grace according to which the
very life of heaven may dwell in the
souls of men who have to live in ad-
s0ul's fiercest enemies
A surrendered life Is a happy life.
Take your own heart and study il. Is
there anything there that causes a
single pang OF discomfort? II SO, 1t
Is something not surrendered to the
Lord or which Is unfit for His uses
1t Is something that you ought to
give up and which You win give up
before you ever come to the fullness
OF the consultations of the spiritual
life.
The scribes and Pharisees had all
that doctrine and formal worship
could supply, yet they lacked the con-
solutions of the Holy Spirit and had
no power to bless their people with
the gladnesses OF the heavenly king
dom. In Virginia we have magnificent
equipment for worship and service,
TAR better than any preceding age has
known. In this lies a peril that
threatens our growth in the spiritual
life With our churches and with
many "a Christian 1t Is liable to be a
fight between the scribe and Pharisee
spirit on the one hand against that
OF the meek and seif-surrendered
Christ on the other. We have the
equipment for service; we have edu-
Gated ministers and cultured churches:
We have vast wealth and are in ade-
quate social touch with all classes
and conditions OF the people. Oh.
how we need to take these mighty
advantages and use them as stepping
stones leading to the affairs OF God
where in answer to the sHcrifces Of
our hearts deepest conservation
! takens Of divine favor shall shine
upon every cloud and divine benedic-
tons shall rest upon all the energies
and enterprises Of our lives; then
shall we realize that the kingdom of
heaven IL at hand and that we are
among those who Loyalty and loving
/ " serve the eternal King.