The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-03
THE PULPIT.
a BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. JOHN c. ADAMS.
Theme: Hope.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-Sunday night
the Rev. John Erskine Adams. pas
tor Of the Ross Street Presbyterian
Church, preached the second sermon
in a series of three on I. Corinthians
1918: Now abideth Faith. Hope.
Love, these three, but the greatest of
these is Love" The subject last
night was Hone" Mr.. Adams said:
The nan who wrote these words
practiced what he preached. 1t was
he who said: Brethren, he we fol-
lowers together Of me-" Whenever
he pointed up the steep slopes of
duty he was ready to jump into the
lead and show the way. He was the
first to lay himself upon the altar
when he enioined uDon others the
duty of sacrifice. He lever slum-
bered while others were on the
bridge; he never stopped. to rest
while others we're on the march.
Men had not only the enlightenment
of his counsel. they had the energy
Of his conduct; not only the ilium-
nation of exegesis. but the inspira-
ton of example. Great as was his
preaching. the practical illustration
In his W life of the things he urges
upon others is still greater. Unlike
the modern general who, from the
distance of miles. perhaps upon some
eminence. from which he surveys the
entire field of battle, mobilizes and
J moves his men by semaphore, aide or
telephones: himself far removed from
danger of shrapnel or Mauser. Paul
never sounded the charge that he did
not plunge into the thickest Of the
fight. Did he preach Christ as the
ultimate ideal and goal for which
men should strive? OF himself he
says: "Not as though I had already
attained . . . But n thing l
do press toward the mark for the
prize"
We are not surprised. then. to
find in him the apostle Of hope.
When he places it among the graces.
re does so because it had graced his
own life. He can urge upon others
the duty and privilege Of optimism
because he knows what it is to glorv
IN his own infrmities. and count all
worldly losses as gains. He ever
walks with buoyant and springy
step. With him the shadows never
'engthen and the night e deep
,ns, it is always day. He walks in
he light: he is a child OF light: he
-ejoices in tribulation, and through
is leaden skies the star of hope ever
shines.
Hope is defined as the desire OF
tome good, accompanied with an ex-
,ectation of attaining it. or a belief
hat it is obtainable. 1t Is more than
IN emotion, therefore, or a wish. or a
iesire: it is a confidence, an expects-
ion; it almo st reaches the stage OF
conviction. IT is the philosophy Of
optimism, and as such it abides and
deserves to abide. We are told that
travellers in the Alps. standing upon
he middle ground" see. beneath
hem. the shadows and valleys and
larkly flowing river. and. above them
he snow-clad heights on which the
;un rests long after the valley be-
leath is in the grip of the night. AT
me time. then. it is possible to look
Town into the shadows or up into the
sunshine. Pessimism is the philoso-
)hy of the downward look; hope lifts
is eyes unto the hills from Whence
:ometh mans help: and believes that
The best and not the worst is yet to
aome.
David was an optimist. In the
!orty-second Psalm he IS facing a
.risis. He cannot stand upon middle
ground. Fie must either deskend or
lsccnd; it is the abyss or the noun
ain top. And so, he lays hold upon
/ he one refuge from peesimism n
lespair. and calls upon his soul to
lope. why art thou cast down. o
ny soul? And why art thou dis
,uieted within me? Hope thou in
Tod. for shall yet praise Him for
he health Of His countenance.'
Hope abides because it is the sur
ri-si of the ittest. Dependency I'M
its. humblcs, dethrones. 1t saps the
rcry strength from manhood. Fran
,es H. Burnett in "The Shuttle"
rives us the picture of the English
ord. sitting hour after hour, hold
;ng the wasted hand OF n OF MS
common laborers, who Is stricken
With typhoid fever, and calling back
| through the power of hope the lie
that had almost gone out in despair.
The great specialist, who has been
! .allcd in in the hour Of crisis, when
The faces Of the watchers are pale,
and fear has frozen the very foun-
.ains Of life and energy. gives the
! verdict Of "Hope," and instantly the
body straightens. tho back stiffens,
the blood courses through the veins.
Hone is energy. The provisions
nave failed: the boat leaks, the seas
rise, strength is gene, and intolerable
thirst alone remains. But, upon the
horizon there rise the masts and then
the hull Of the liner. Hope at once
encrgizes. With the vcstige OF re-
naming strength, the distress signal
Is hoisted, it is seen; it is answered:
the steamers course is changed, and
rescue is at hand. Hope is the gran
Itic element of nature. OF Samuel
| Adams. Bancroft says: !"Diflculties
| could not disco urge his decision, nor
dangers appall his tortitude. or des"
tendency he ltnew nothing; trials
only nerrcl him for superior strug-
giles. His sublime and unfaltering
hone had a cast Of solemnity, and
was as much a part OF his nature as
if his confidence sprung from insight
into the divine DEGREES, and was as
firm as a sincere CalVinlsts assur-
ance Of his election"
Hope is life's song. Once Elijah
lost it, and life was ~paralyzed. HAY
ing seen hope slip away from him. he
was ready to die. The wilderness is
about him and within him. The best
thing God can give him is the grave.