The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-05-12
.DR. M'NE|LL SPEAKS' I'D BIG AUDIENCE AT.
 HIGHLANDS CHURCH.

pr. John McNeill began his ministry in Birmingham yesterday under very favorable auspices. He had a large con- gregation, filling the auditorium of the South Highlands Presbyterian church, who gave the closest attention to his
 sermon.
 Prof. Rienzi Thomas at the pipe or gan and an excellent vocal quartet rem
 dered an attractive musical programme, several new members were received into the church and al the close of the morn- ing services the congregation shook hands with the new pastor and cordially welcomed him to the church and to the city
 Of attractive personality and possessing a pleasing voice of good carrying quality pr. McNeill charmed and interested aA who heard him at the two sermons yes te1day.
 At the morning service, his first at the South Highlands church. though not his first in Birmingham, he preached on the subject of the Ark of the Covenant and the death of one who touched it while it was being transferred, as set forth in First Chronicles. This chapter, he said, was not in much favor with preachers and commenta tors because of the dark and foreboding picture drawn by it. In his opinion the displeasure and then
 the fear of David consequent upon the fatal touching of the ark point a valu- able lesson and for that reason he likes to preach of the incident.
 l When David was about to move the ark he consulted the chiefs of thousands and of hundreds, then consulted tne 1 people and then God, Dr. McNeill said | He said that is the trouble with us to- | day We want to do a thing and secE ] the advice and approval of our friends. 1 If they say it is all right we then tell l God we want it very much and pray tha: | He give it to us We do not ask God l to give it to us if it is good for us, or If | it is His will that we have it. | When death had followed the touching l of the ark the people were very much afraid they were afraid to touch it. Obededum, in whose house it was placed. instructed his wife and his children not | to touch it, that death lurked in the 1 contact and there was fear in his house.
 hold lest it bring trouble to him and his. l But as time went on and he prospered, . his and his wifes and his childrens s health improved his crops grew and his stock were fat, his fears began to dis l appear
 The death came, Dr. McNeil said, no; l from the mere physical contact with tn"
 ark, but from the fact that Gods law had been violated. The covenant, which
 it contained, gave specific instructions as l to the manner of it's moving and David | rad violated this covenant. The covenan, i directed that the ark be carried on the | shoulders of men, four rings through which slaves were to be passed and these | to rest on the shoulders of it's carriers, | having been provided and this was the
 way prescribed for carrying it.
 On this occasion it had been loaded onto a cart drawn by oxen in violation or the Jaws of God and punishment was
 meted out for this violation. It was bet ter that one person die than that all of the tribe should perish, so when one Of | David's chieftans touched the ark h. dropped dead.
 1 Paralleling this incident with Christ s
 death on the cross Dr. McNeill said that
 the people had transgressed the laws or
 Cod and Christ died on the cross that tall the world might be saved.
 | With the coming of Dr. McNeill as nastor the officers of the South Highlands congregation are planning number of in Innovations which will be announced rom time to time One of the first will be a
 large choir which they expect to make
 an attracAe feature ol the regular sun day services.
 pr. McNein, at the conclusion of his
 sermon yesterday, stnted that he wanted his congregation to begin all over again
 bv attending the Sunday evening services as well as those in the morning and the
 NadpeSday evening SerN1ceS.