The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-10

his grandson. found perhaps ctmfra
to their minds something of the hftr
tory Of their country. They hau
reached the climax. perhaps, Of the
history of their Fatherland in that
they had invaded the country OF their
enemy. and secured a great conquest.
and those men as one man raised
| their swords above the heads of these
three men and renewed their fidelity,
their service to their country.
MI. Gladstone went to church every
morning of everv year at Z o'clock,
because he realized how much he
needed the power of God in the pre-
miership. So it was with the Marquis
of Salisbury and with Disraeli. the
! three greatest statesmen, perhaps,
I that Great Britain has ever had. They
sought for this solace and comfort
and strength, so that they might un-
derstand their duty.
So it is with us. We come this
morning
lust cs I am, without one plea,
| But that Thy blood was shed for me.
And that Thou biddest me come to Thee,
o, Lamb of God, I come, I come.
hope that there is somebody COM
ing this morning, some man who for
some reason has not been coming to
this blessed table, who wants to come
to sanctify his resolution to proclaim
to God his purpose to take upon him
self these responsibilities.
I remember years ago a man en-
tered st. James Church. Chicago. His
dress showed he was from the Far
West. He said to one Of the ushers,
TT want to see the rector" The ush-
er told him that it was too late then
to see the rector, that he was putting
on his vestments for the service. The
mar said, perhaps o cal help me.
Twenty years ago I lived in the East.
7 went to church. Then I went West.
There was no church where I was. |
drifted away from God. And now, at
the end of twenty years, I want to
come back. 7 am hungry. I want to
renew the VOW that I made in my
youth. I want to know if I "a come
to holy communion and take it." The
usher was a practical man. and he
took the hymnal and showed him that
hymn and they went together.
Now. my friends. we have talked
about Socialism and the various isms
that are to deal with various condi-
tions, but I tell you, I have studied
them, and I know that the only one to
solve that is Jesus Christ and Him
crucifed. Every man is; brother. 1t
is not philosophy, but the affection
which we have for Jesus Christ which
makes us love our brother. And the
man who loves Jesus Christ and be-
lieves that He was crucified, that Is
the man who Is willing to take his
brother by the hand.
My friends, let us have. before the
Lenten season closes, before the
Whitsuntide, let us have the Holy
,Ghost upon this congregations; let us
have the full power Of His truth and
our duty, and then we have the out
pouring of the spirit here, and others
will come. And therefore I begin my
service and nv mission as your rector
in this imperfect fashion, simply Of
fering to you the sympathy OF a man.
I love men. No. mar has too fire.
quently fallen into temptation to pre-.
vent me from leading him back to
God. In Gods good time He puts
upon him the stamp Of His favor. In
Gods good time He plants upon him
the sunshine of hope. and nuts out his
hands for help and strength.
We are reminded Of what the Car.
thagenians wrote upon Hannibal's
monument: I'VE greatly desired him
in the day of battle" And so we de.
sire Jesus Christ in u day of battle,
and all the theories and isms shall be
as wrecks along the road of time. The
eficacious work of His sacrament
shall be visible to men everywhere,
and they shall thank'G o for the glo'
rious opportunity of believing in Him