Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-24
REASONS FOR OBSERVING
THE BIRTHDAY OF CHRIST
Rev Russell Cecil D. D., breaches Christmas Sermon at
the Second Presbyterian Church From the Text
Christ Is All, and in All"

season wcro delivered in Richmond
churches yesterday. At the Second
Presbyterian Church, the pastor Rev.
Russell Cecil. d. D.. preached Christ
mas sermon on the topic, "All in
Christ" from the text. Christ is ALL
and In ALL" Colossians Iii. II.
DR.. Cecil said:
We are celebrating at this season the
birth OF Jesus Of Nazareth. the Christ
OF God. Why should We celebrate His
birth rather than that or any other
man? What was there about Jesus Of
Nazareth that has induced men to per-
pctuate tho observance OF Ills coming
into the world for so many centuries.
! by 90 many different nations, and over
Garth? What has given Him such an
important and persistent place in the
| history of tho human racer
1t must be remembered that Jesus
I himself did not write any books. lie
had no Official secretaries TO take down
Ills teachings and to keep a record Of
His works. He apparently was uncou-
ccrned about the preservation OF His
sayings and doin6s. lie gathered
= about Him i'll His carly public career
who became disciples. lie appeared as
teacher among men, and these dis
ciples wcrc His pupils. lie did not cs-
tablish school located at Jerusalem or
at Nazareth. but thesc pupils follow cd
Him around through the country. and
learned what they could from Ills con-
versation with them and His public adj
dresses to the people.
IN N
TO TESTIFY OF IIIM
From among these disciples. Mark
says that "Hc ordained twelve, that
they should be with Him, and that lie
might send them forth to preach. and
TO have power to heal sickness and to
cast out devils" mark i'll. 1919. These
apostles who were to be with Him"
came so powerfully under His influence
that after an association o. three years
when Ills public career came TO a
tragic end in His crucinS ion--thcy be-
came His worshipcrs. and were con-
WINGED that lie was tho Christ Of Cod.
tho Savior OF the world. 1t il to
them. and to the early disciples that
we arc indebted for such records as
We have of the sayings and doings or
Jesus. The impression lie made upon
and lasting that after the lapse OF
many years they were able to repro
duce in written form tho intelligent
narratives which we have OF His life.
Upon these records all subsequent fol-
lowers OF Jesus base their knowledge
of Him, and it is to these narratives
that the Christian world has always
looked for tho foundation of their faith.
Tho remarkable thing is that Jesus, by
the adoption OF such methods as we
have described. could have secured the
continuance OF Ills influence and power
in the world down TO tho present time.
Not only has the knowledge of Him
been preserved. but His influence and
power among men have grown TO mann
moth proportions. and continue TO in
crease as the years go by.
WORKS SHOW THEM TO DE MEN
OF ABILITY AND DISAGREEMENT
1T has been said that the apostles.
of whom Pcter. James and John were
the best Representatives. were plain
and untaueht men. and that they might
we'll have been imposed upon by Jesus:
but that men OF trained and educated
minds would net have received the
same impression from compa nionship
No one can read the works of these
men and not recognize the fact that
they were men OF ability and discern
mcnt. and could not nave been imposed
upon by their memory OF Jesus after
His death, and have been willing to
sacrifice their lives to His cause which
they had espouSed. But whatever
might be said about the carly apostles,
hn oha ~
of Tarsus, who was ono OF the most
!, intellectual men OF his day, with very
careful and comprehensive educa ton:
man of deep thought. who had mucl,
at stake. and yet who became so COM
plctely under the influence OF Jesus
whom. apparently, he had never seen
pcrsonally-that. rs he himself SAYS.
he counted all things but loss for the
excellency OF the knowledge Of Jesus
Christ: and 1t is Paul to whom we
arc indebted for such remarkable ex-
pressions of his faith as. For me to
live is Christ" 81 can do all things
through Christ which strcnEthsneth
me-" Christ is all, and in ALL" How
was 1t that Jesus made such a ire
mendous impression upon Paul as TO
radically change his life and outlook
upon the world? OF course what was
true OF Paul has been true also OF many
of tho choice spirits and intellects OF
the human race since his time IL
is because OF this wonderful influence
OF Jesus upon men that we continue
to celebrate His birth, and make this
season the most joyful one of the year.
In what sense are these remarkable
words OF the text, Christ is all, and
in ALL" true? Are they true Of Him
in any sense? How could Paul have
made suLh remarkably compreben-
sive statement about Jesus of Nazareth
and His Work.
UNITY OF HUMAN RACE
WILL BIZ FOUND IN CHRIST
The first thought suggested by the
words OF tho tcAt is that the true unity
OF the human race will be found i'm
Christ. This is the thought that FAM
had In mind in the immediate con-
rection In which the text is found
When have ;,,tx>