Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-12-03
Mistellaneous Rcaaing.
OUR DUTY TO GOD
Synopsis of Sermon Preached by
EVANGELIST Black.

synopsis or sermon freacheo py
Evangelist Black.
BY a Reporter for The Enquirer
i Gods love for us and the duty we
owe him, was the subject of strong
simple and plain sermon which Rev
DR.. William Black preached to large
congregation in the Presbyterian
church Monday night. There were q
large number Of young boys and girls
present. While it was not announced
that his sermon would be devoted es-
pecially to children, so plain and clear
was the message, so interesting and
1 tender the illustrations and anecdotes
that 1t appeared as though it were in
tended especially for them and his
| juvenile auditors as we'll as their ell
ders were greatly impresseds as was
evidenced by their rapt attention. The
text was from Romans 12:1-"I be-
seech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies Of God, to present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable ser
vice.
| There isn't a book in the world like
the Bible, said the preacher. We can-
not look upon any page in 1t without
seeing evidences Of Gods love for us.
For instance, the first words Of the
text: II beseech you" There he con-
descends to beg us, and yet he could
bring down fire and birthstone upon
us In a moment. He wishes us to give
him our souls and bodies and in return
promises us mercy. We cannot count
all Of Gods mercies.
Suppose you young people tried to
put down all Gods mercies, said the
preacher. He has shown compassion
in sparing our lives. He has given you
not health. Can you think what a
predicament you would be In il you
had not health? He takes care Of you
every day, keeping your lungs breath
ing, etc. He never forgets you. We
breathe sixty times minute and
there are sixty minutes In an hour.
He is therefore watching over us $500
times each hour.
Yet we forget him. Many of us for
get to go to him in prayer when we
get up or go to bed. He Is faithful to
us but we are faithless. The dog
does not forget the hand that Is kind;
but we do.
But, If you don't want to thank him
for his many blessings, don't you want
to thank him for giving his only be-
gotten Son to save you?" queried the
speaker. They struck that Son and
spit upon him and crucified him, and
he suffered all for you and me. Don't
you feel sometimes like you want to
do something? l am sure you do.
Just give him your souls and bodie-.
Sometimes, little children, you are
sad and miserable when other little
| children treat you bad and don't want
to play with you. But don't 49, worry
about that. Remember God wants you,
not only your souls but your body
also. He wants your body pure
and unsullied. You can do many
things for him with your body. You
can attend church and prayer meetings
and otherwise work for him. So many
people think he wants only souls. He
wants bodies because they are USE
full OF course souls are useful, too,
but we know little about souls.
Little folks, continued DR.. Black,
sometimes say, i will give my soul
and body to God some day" Some day
will be too late. Isn't 1t shame to
keep our bodies until they are worn
out and then give them to him? He
says the only sacrifice which Is accept
able to him is living sacrifice.
Do you ask why 1t is reasonable
that God wants your bodies as a liv-
ing sacrifice interrogated the speaker.
1t is so because God asks 1t, because
we can make such sacrifice and be-
cause he has done 80 much for US.
God loves us so much that he would
| melt US down to love If our hearts
were not as hard and cold as steel.
The preacher concluded his sermon
with an appeal to old and young to
! accept Jesus and consecrate them
selves to him before God might compel
such conservation by punishment He
may take away father or mother or
dear brother or sister as punish
ment for our hard heartedness," he
said. In this connection he told the
story Of an engineer who had a sweet
| Christian wife and a dear little gold
en- haired. blue-eyed daughter. The
wife often plead with her husband to
accept Christ, but he had turned q
deaf ear to her entreaties. The hus-
band was wrapped up in his family
and each morning as he started on his
run his little daughter would follow
him to the gate and wave him good
bye and in the evening again be
awaiting his return. One morning the
little girl was sick and couldn't see
him off as usual. When he came
home in the evening she was not
swinging on the gate and as he ap-
preached his door he saw a piece Of
| crepe hanging tneTe. LIE cIHu VI III"
heart was dead. Going in he gazed
upon his daughters dead face and his
wife told him the childs last words
were: Tell daddy l got so tired l
couldn't wait at the gate for him but
will wait at the gate Of heaven"
| 1t was then he realized his uhfaith-
fulness to God and straightway be-
came a consecrated man.
Is that what you. my friends, are
waiting for? asked the evangelist.
Some dear heart to be taken away in
punishment. 1t may come If you con-
tinue to refuse him. Therefore now
is the time to present your souls and
bodies to him as living sacrifice.
| Profit and Loss.
That it is impossible for any person
to gain the whole world or a very large
part of it and that even if it could be
done, it would be useless because the
only thing worth having-the soul
would be lost forever. was the theme
of DR.. Blacks sermon Tuesday even