The Parisian. (Paris, Tenn.) 1907-1962, 1921-08-05
Forceful Sermon Delivered
BY Pastor of First
Christian Church.
Large and Interested Aud
fence Hear Able Deliv-
cry Sunday Night.
Speaks On the Fall, Con-
demnation and Re
demption Of Mark.

Work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling'-Phil. 2:12,
was the text of strong sermon
delivered by the Rev. FL. l.. Patter-
son to a large and interested aud
fence at the Christian Church Sunday
night.
Taking Mark, as the man who
nobly redeemed his past, the speak
er traced his Christian struggles
through his fall, his condemnation
his redemption, addressing his SER
mon not to the unsaved, but rather
to those who profess Christianity
but have not worked out their saliva
ton.
He said in part: "a mans past
does not necessarily ruin him. Last
Sunday night, 1 spoke to you of
man who was ruined by his past
rising up to smite him during a
crisis. / want to talk tonight, of a
man who redeemed his past. That
man was Mark.
I'VE first meet him when Christ
was under arrest, being led from
Gethsemane to the home of Annas,
This young man, wrapped in a light
robe. rushed from his bed to the
side of Jesus. The soldiers caught
at him and he escaped by leaving
his garment in their hands 1t was
a valuable garment and in few
words in his gospel he describes it
because it was his own His moth
er's house was the headquarters of
the Christians at Jerusalem. 1t was
to that home that Peter went when
the angel released him from Jail.
He was a cousin to Barnabas
so we are told in the letter to the
Collosians. Hippolytus the historian
tells us that he was deformed either
in his hand or feet. Peter calls
him son in the faith because his
conversion was due to that disciples
influence. Is any one a Christian
due to your Influence? Have you
any sons in the faith?
Mark was living at Jerusalem
when Saul and Barnabas brought
the offerings of the church at Anti
och to the poor Christians at Jeru-
salem; and when they returned to
Antioch John Mark was with them.
When they were called of the Holy
Spirit to start on the missionary
journey, he travelled with them as
an assistant or attendant looking
after the smaller and necessary mat
ters that are today looked after by
platform managers and advance
agents of public speakers.
"All went well on the trip through
Cyprus, but when Perga was reached
Mark suffered a relapse. The sight
of the vessels sailing for home
where his mother was momentarily
in danger of arrest as a Christian
the prospective dangers from swollen
nvers-the attacks from robbers who
were notorious in that section---the
fear OF increased luminosity of the
Jews-the fact that the itinerary
had been changed from the coast
to the higher attitudes because of
PauPs health--the fact that his
position in the company was sub
ordinate and might easily be dis
pensed with--any of these reasons
or all of them gave the young man
cold feet and he turned back"
In emphasizing how past offenses
crop up unexpectedly when the least
desired, Rev. Patterson told how, |
when three years later, Mark hav-
ing returned from Jerusalem to
Antioch, and when Paul and Barna-
has We're planning second mis-
sionary journey, Paul refused his
consent to the request of Barnabas
that Mark accompany them, on the
grounds that he was unwilling to