Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-14
avorite CHARACTERS of
the Bible, AMI Why
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOXINS.
Text: Psalm cv. li5.


the centre of all. stands te blessed
Christ. who Is the Savior of the
world. our Friend, our Compnion, our
Master. But In tho study tire are 80
many wonderful servants oiGod that
II Is well for us to know heir lives
and see how they lived. We must
always remember that they lied In an
other country and under circumstances
quite different from our own Yet We
can trace clearly their characters, and
above all, their faith In God.
think ! have conmendc. before,
but | would like TO commcd again,
the wonderful volumes Of he Rev
George Matheson. The Reresenta-
tive Men and Women OF tn Bible"
They are helpful pictures. an like all
OF Doctor Mathcson's books 7ey lead
one to understand more clerly the
Bible biographies.
EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS
CHARACTER OF us OWN
Each leading individual in ae Bible
seems to have character his or
her own. We always think of braham
Tor instance. as friend of ;od: We
think OF Ruth as the loving ad loval
daughter: we think Of DAME as tho
brave man OF faith. and we link Of
Isaiah as the great Gospel prcactr SO,
IN tho New Testament. We tinlS OF
Petcr as the impulsive yet warm
hearted disciple; of Paul as th great
missionary, and OF John as the oe who
"a" a vision. ] wonder il terc is
anything In our lives which ca stand
as distinctive? Have We so strong
a motive in living. or Is our seyice SO
definite that men. when they spak our
names. instantly think not s, much
or our personality as of what W stand
for? Surely. there ought 10 btsome-
thing In connection with each ,ne OF
us which should make our chsacters
worth while.
Each one has doubtless hi own
iaTorite Bible character, and think
INC choice Is made, largely. tcause
or the influence upon our ow' lives
OK the one whom we admire, else
hecause o! the consciousness ofsomc-
ming In ourselves making us ain to
MIN The man OF daring, for intance.
VIII always admire Daniel wh, in a
foreign country. cx!led from hy own
home, nevertheless held Loyalty O God
ana would not be carried AMY by
heather habits or scenes. The tpubled
woman who has many househol, ca res
Will think sympathetically OF Srtha
who had so many things to lool after
mat che found her time for prship
and devotion limited.
EACH ONE HAS HIS OwS
FAEORITE CHARACTER
Tho man OF aspiration and poetic
temperament Will love David, NO. in
spite OF his many faults and uthout
regard to his kinEly power. vas so
human In his SHINING and SO hurdle in
his consciousness OF his need God.
SO the struggler with adverse ,rcum-
stances VIII think OF Jacob and tie man
who goes forth TO battle with In prob
lens OF life VIII think Of Josha Is
II not wonderful that God ha given
us these Bible characters IN sun fash
ION az TO make us know Ills I've and
care for us just In those paIiculars
In which we are especially trio.
Another thing to note In regud to all
OF the noble men and womer OF the
Bible Is their faith in God Thy were
not perfect by any manner o means,
nor did their faith always stad. But
somehow or other they alwas came
back to the Father who calld them.
and found their great strcnth and
rest In Him Some one asked Inc once
why II was that David. thouh such
n sinner, was n man after Gds own
heart tActs Kill. go. and wiz Jacob
was so loved OF God In spit OF his
treachery and cruel treatmen Of his
brother? j answered. and / hink II
Is the only answer. that In ,p!te OF
their sinfulness they would OF stay
away from God. but came baclto Him
again and again. After all. fc Is
struggle In which the currens some
times carry us away: but if Ne only
cling to Him who is our ,vrlasting
friend. and come back to HIM after
our foolish wanderings. VIC viii find
that our hearts are combHed and
that our sins are forgiven. Never let
us think that God turns Ill face from
us: 1t is We who turn our aces away
from Him; but when we rturn He Is
always ready to receive u.
MANY OLD TESTAMENT
CHARACTERS TIPrY CHRIST
So many Of the Old Tes,ment char
;'ctcrs were typical In SINE way of
christ. Joseph. in his rejection by his
brethren and in his final xaltation to
authority in Egypt, Is clear suR-
ces'ionof Him who was lespised and
Icjtcted of men and VIII. Is now tho
kim.; supreme over all thearth. Moses,
WI" led the Children offsrael out OF
i.G ~. was type of or Lord, who
las led His children on, of darkness
into light, and who viii bring us at
last. if we are faithful,to the Land
OF Promise. Samuel. the .reat prophct.
whose birth always macs us think
Of the birth of Christ. and whose
mother. Hannah. makes us think of
our LORDS mother was a ype of Christ
in that he was the Gret Judge and
prophet and lived so ner to the Di-
vine presence. Only as here is some
iHiHS VI Tie SnTlSl IN u8san ~C really
fulfil our lives. When we love our
brethren and long to hip them then
He have tho spirit Of ChIst. When we
look up and forward to he great good
.hich must finally come because this
is Gods world and not th devils. then
wc have the mind of Chist, who saw
the end of His work frm the begin
ming. When we are tendr and pitiful.
sorroWing with those wb sorrow and
rejoicing with those who rejoice, then
again the character of he Master Is
growing within us.
GREAT JOY IN THOUGH
OF PRESHCE OF GOD
And when we have gret Joy in the
fought Of the presence OF God and
owe to pray and WORSHIP. the divine
IN us proves that we are Christ's and
hat His Spirit is ruling IS. 1t Is the
uower OF God working Inland through
the men and women WON He has
made. leading them by tn. education of
life to the high estate witch Hc plans
for them. that marks TIN true mean
ing OF our human eXisterc. If we do
rot believe that God is still working
with us as He worked with the charac-
tcrs Of the Bible. bringing them little
ny little nearer TO rerferioD tbon ,ve