The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-07

Spirit of the Lord Is upon me. be-
cause he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor" etc.
/. If missionary enterprise were
nothing more than one of the most
remarkable characteristics of our
time. 1t would well deserve place
In the thoughts Of those who are
brought up to become English ctti-
zens Missionary work is becoming
more and more a national undertake
ing. the expression OF a deep national
conviction. Any man. whether he
be q statesman, clergyman. or
layman. who shuts his eyes to this
truth. Is so far out OF sympathy with
the English nation, and suffers from
that narrowness and isolation of heart
which is sure to come upon
those who look with contempt on ma
ton instincts. But missionary en-
terprise Is something more than
marked phenomenon characteristic Of
our times. 1t is no transient phase.
which may for time interest phiio-
sophical minds, and then pass into
obscurity. to be pierced only by the
researches of future antiquarians. 1t
is in its nature lasting thing, II
It pass away from England, 1t Is not
to too much TO say that the life of
England will have departed.
III. THE Spirit of the Lord God Is
upon me-" The missionary and
to say this from the heart There
is great danger of forgetting this.
This is an age OF elaborate organiza-
ton, an age of societies Beyond all
question there is a most real danger
that the great English religious So
cieties may cover much that Ia hol-
low. The very fact that religious en-
terprises have become an established
part of national enterprise is a reason
for making us fear that the Spirit of
God may be forgotten In the presence
OF the Spirit of the world. Where
the Spirit of the Lord is there is t1)
liberty. (2) perfect integrity. wher-
ever the wants OF Christ's children
are to be supplied. wherever there
are captives needing deliverance. poor
asking for tiding OF their Father.
brokenhearted to be healed. blind
praying for. or at least needing. re-
covery no sight. there Is needed one
who may we'll feel that he II la
borer working at an infinite harvest,
shepherd feeding but too. scant-
1y a countless flock OF sheep and of
lambs: and there. too. is needed the
mature counsel, the encouragement
and the warning Of one who is but
little disposed to be lord over Gods
heritage, and liz willingly and affec-
tionately accepted as a true Father in
God.
l. All the world has been under
one consciousness-name of limi-
tation of power. either inherent in
the individual. or caused by the re-
strictions of circumstances by ops
preston from without and to be
free has been the aspiration OF the
world. When the Saviour declared
that his mission In this world was
TO open prison bonds to set captives
at liberty. to preach the acceptable
year of the Lord, he announced a
doctrine with which the hearts OF
men were universally in sympathy.
That was Just what they wanted.
Mankind want the restrictions and
limitations about them to be de-
Etroyed.
III. The very first cay that the
Saviour makes toward the enlarge
ment of mems liberty wears the APP
pearancc of the opposite. The very
first blow which he strikes Mt tyranny
is at tho tyranny of sense and sensu-
BUSINESS In the individual He intro
duces us to God AZ Father: and II
we go to the Father through him.
and II he Is a living and loving pres
ence to US we, by being taught to be
in sympathy with Jesus Christ, are
under tho same conduct. and under
the same general instructive processes
which we see employed in the lower
sphere and In a more limited way
in our own households. We are
brought 20 a sense of the beauty the
grace, the sweetness, the power OF the
superior life In the soul over all the
elements and influences of the lower
life.
III. But the deiiverance from the
thrall Of appetite and from the in
drmitfes of the flesh is only one sin
ale element Of emancipation. Chris
delivers us from our bondage to sex
ular conditions The light and the iifs
that we receive by faith tend to make
often do make might always make
Z man superior to his circumstances
That this Is true Is pre-emtnenuI
shown, not so much by those VINO arr
most most obvious in life. as by th'
poor. to whom the Saviour said M
came to preach this gospel 1t u
the peculiarly OF the philosophy o
antiquity that IL came to the few wht
we're enlightened. and left in the darl
the great under class and II was th'
pecultartty Of the gospel or the Lore
Jesus Christ that It was designed Z
reach the great under class 1t Ia IL
hidden retreats and in secluded place
that you see that disposition Of Chris
which makes men in the midst OF al
limitations and under adverse circum
stances strong. steadfast. doing wha
the air-plants do. that. having NJ
root In the soil, draw all their nutri
ment from the great air above them
Nv. The illumination that we deriv
from the Lord Jesus Christ is one tina
sets us free from ignorance. and II
setting us free from ignorance II shut
the door out OF which come the ennis
saries of mischief. Knowledge domi
mates ignorance. and all through SO
ciety the strong tend to control tn
weak. Rnt 1t is not merely the wan
Of intellectual knowledge that make
man weak; It is the want OF tina
knowledge which comes by iliumina
ton through the Lord Jesus Christ.
The words OF the text are descrfp
tive OF the offices of Christ We sha'
place them before you In the strong
est light IL we employ the method Q
contrast; that Ia. X we cxamin
other systems, such as the law an
natural religion. showing what thes
can do towards healing the broken
hearted and delivering the captive.
7, The ceremonial law was but
a - A..