Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-12
The Death of,Stephen
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD W. TOMI<INS.
TcAti Acts VII. I-eO; viii, Ia.

brilliant man. began TO declare the COS
pei TO the Jews they met i'm their
SHnaSogucs. Their bitterness against
Christianity led them TO have him ar
rested, and he was brought before tho
nigh priest Nothing dauntcd how
ever, he preached III" most wonderful
sermon the world has ever known from
the lips of "a man, and as a result he
WAS stoned to death. Stcphcn was tho
hrst martyr, and through All the CEN
turicA since he died h" has been re-
inenbcrcd. and the inspiration Of his
iifc has touched hundreds Of young
men: FOR lie WAS q young man full OF
gifts and brave enough to cspouSc the
cause or Ono whom men had crucificd.
ara whose law WAS contrary to the
customs and beliefs Of tho age IN which
ITO lrcd. There is nothing which at
tracts US more than the courage OF
youth.
STEPHENS DEATH AND
HIS WONDERFUL MESSAGE;
VIC cannot consider stephens death
without noting his wonderful message.
Notice. frst. how well hc knew the
history of Gods people from the time
Of Abraham. No human crltomc of
that history OF Gods people can be
found so complete and clear a. is this
inspired picture OF the deacon stephen.
II is fine thing TO have a bir.'a-cyc
view OF Gods dealing with men from
tho nrst. The best way 10 study tho
Biblo is to gain 4 complete sweep of
tho ages and sc" how, from the Garden
OF Eden 10 the 'iHrdcn Of Gcthscmauc
and then on TO this present the Father
has bccn leading Ills children and plan
ming good things for them. We are apt
10 neglect tho old Testament too much.
stephen evidently found Gods love and
chriSt'S mercy very clearly in its pages.
Christ referred TO tho old Testament
when lie said, search tho Scriptures"
The history ih" prophecy and the
poetry Of I'll" Kihlc form library UNI
'Huhlcd by anything that man has con
cciNod or brought forth.
We cannot but notice how boldly :.
stephen accused tho Jews Of killing
Christ. Evidently bis love for the Mas
ter was so great that ne felt personally
ana deeply the sorrows of his Lord. lie
probably know the fatal result Of such
bold speaking. hut I've did not hesitate.
There arc times when ~" need to speak
clearly nnd almost without restraint.
When mems hearts ar" hard they have
I" hc dealt with. not with a gentle
hand, hut with vigor Do not 10, us
lie afraid boldly 10 rcbukc vice and 10
hold M our Christian faith without
troubling. At the same time. We no.
ticc that stephen. love for Christ
thrchA through all his great address.
We can almost imagine him holding
The hand OF his Master as il were AZ
inc sweeps through tho history of ;hc
centuries. and then holding that hand
more tightly s,in $50 he accuscs tho
Jews Of their sin and thou falling into
the arms OF his Christ and in his dc
"otion CRYING out: "Echod. | SEQ the
heavens opcu aud ,hc Son Of Man
standing on tho rich, hand of God
CLEAR AND POSITIVE
Di:t ItHtTION or FAITH
Critics might ana here q case OF emo
nonal excitement The Christian sees
only that iuii-ling 81 faith aud love
which alone can make the world be-
licvc.
In regard to stephens death. lie, rs
note the clear aud positive declaration
of his faith IN Jesus christ. ilc had
no doubt concerning his Master and tad
no fear I'm declaring his loyalty. Sure
II IL is worth any amount Of suffering.
and even. death. to have such splendid
and heroic couiid"uc" i'm God
Notice again tho vision which came
10 him. believe that ~" would have
moro OF thcs" visions even TO-DAY If We
gave ourselves more wholly TO the
guidance Of Gods spirit The dreams
of our lifc. the longiugS which carry
us away on the wings OF imagination.
tho memories al tn" past and tn" an
,icipatio Of happ* DAYS Ia come are
all Of this same ability to see things
Invisible TO others. which, when IL i
Consccratcd cod will use TO reveal TO
us as lie did 90 St Paul things un-
uttcrablc Indeed think that VIC ought
beautiful hymns suggest thcm-"Jeru-
salem tho Golden" for instance. and
that dear old chldhood's hymn. There
Is IIappv Land" We are so hound
10 material things and realism has so
gotten a hold OF us that have
forgotten tho ideal and perhaps
rather scorn II. AS Christians We must
have this ideal ever before us. and the
music OF the brighter world must ring
In our ears we struggle on our way.
STEPHEN PRAYED
ron his PERSECUT0RS
And then as stephen knelt ana en-
iurcd the agony OF death like his
Master he prayed for his perso cutors:
II shows how wonderfully he had
drawn unto himself the nature OF his
Christ. AS we pray and strive ana
contemplate the Master. We. too. may
gain more and more of this spirit,
which shall lead us to forgive our
enemies. The worst part OF this tor
rblc war which is tearing tho world
10 pieces is the expression of hate.
for hate means murder. \ man may
go out to fight. compelled to do 50
by tho rulers or led to do SO by his
loyalty to what he cstecmS right. but
no cannot be called murderer in any
sense. II. however. he goes out with
hatred in his heart every time he
shoots his gun he commits murder. hut
we cannot throw responsibility across
tho water and into the trenches. II
comes to us at home. Every time NC
have a bitter feeling against any one.
every time we let cruel word escape
us. every time wc keep thinking OF
how people have injured us. we arc
encouraging the germ of tho same
hatred to grow within us Only as VIC
have the spirit OF Kindness which is
the spirit of Christ. can we hope to
become like Him, and SO find peace.
Notice, too, how stephen comments
his soul to his Master: Lord Jesus, re-
cclve my spirit" Again the words
were like those of his Christ. Yet We
cannot think them "a mere repetition or
quotation, but rather an uttcrancc OF
the spirit which had become one in
loyalty and love with the spirit OF his
Master We need not wait until the
hour of death thus TO commit our
selves to Christ. Every nigh: when We
lilo down to sleep and every morning
when VIC awake may we'll COM