Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-01
DR.. J. {. COOK OCCUPIES
SECOND BAPTIST PULPIT
Baptist Council Secretary
Takes as Subject, PERSON.
atty Of Jesus
DIR. COUSINS breaches IN y. y.
Richmond Pastor Addresse, stated
ConrOcatfon OF Columbia Untver-
shy-Ffrst Time Ntnister From
Capital Han Been Called.

Rev. John Ernest Cook, d. D.. filled
the pulpit OF Second Baptist Church
yesterday. morning and evening. for
the pastor. Rev. Solon Il. Cousins
ID. D.. who was in New York. where
he preached yesterday ut the stated
| convocation of Columbian University.
| IT is the custom OF this university To
| have at such convocations noted
American preachers, and sometimes
ministers from abroad. This is the
first time a Richmond minister has
! been called.
DIR. Cook Is tho new executive sec
rotary of the Baptist Council Of Rich
mond, and has been in the city but
a short while. Al tho morning Ser
Vice yesterday his text was from the
sixteenth chapter OF Matthew, where
in is recorded the conversation be-
tween Christ and his disciples as to
| who the people said Jesus was and
who they (the discipies) said He was
His subject was The Personality OF
Jesus DR.. Cook said in part:
Under Warm Discussion.
I'm the Baptist denomination, both
North and South. just at this time
the matter of crccdal statement is
under warm discussion by many of
the leading men Of the denomination
| without aiiEning myself at this time
| with or against the movement I beg
| to quote what every student OF John
| a. Broadus has heard him say scores
of times in his lecture room, Cen
| tlemen. this is free country. As
Baptists. we are free. AS Christians
we must be gentlemen
| II we arc to have Il creed. certain
ly we should prefer one that is as
explicit as the Scriptures. Certafnly.
also. we should halt at that point
1 n and y ,@k. L..
selves do not go.
| ono of the storm ccnters is the
personality of Jesus. recall no other
scripture that presents In clearer or
broader lines the personality OF Jesus
than does the text this morning.
mere Is this distinct advantage in
the text. Jesus himself has set His
own seal to these words. attcstinr
them as true and approved He here
| also defines the processes by which
ms Followers come to know who
Jesus Is.
| "Son of Mnn."
he s2calts first OF himself as The
Son OF Man. His friendly critics sur
mise him to be. In turn. John the
Baptist. Elijah. Jeremiah or. at least
one OF the great prophets
ihe apostles hold him Tho Mes
siah' translated in alien thought and
language The Christ We hold tina,
blessed" '"
Simon confesses a further conv,c-
ton. Thou art the Son OF the living
'od. We have here four conceptions
OF Jesus: Son of Man. 'Prophct.
savior Son of God The first one
Jesus assumed from the first. The
last one. Son OF the Living God.
Jesus mere plainly accepts and be Il
noted, with the most dcvout appr,-
|
silence upon His apostles.
! hcn He turns at once to the pro-
cess by which Simon Peter was
brought to this high. persistent and
winning conviction of the personality
OF Jesus. Thou art the Son of the
Living God
Answers Question.
| or the four terms mentioned.
only son OF the Living Cod answers
the question, Who am r. The other
three could only be replies to What
am ~
| on this hypothesis build my ex-
PLANTATION of the experience of simon
and my reasons for the caution OF
jesus. And, on the hypothesis that
we must answer What Is JesuSc' he
fore we can affirm who is Jesus?'
explain. what otherwise is a very
strange fact. namely. the cautious
| revelation OF His sonship by Jesus
| Himself. 1t is also n fact that it is
the latest Gospel and not the three
earlier ones that magnify Jesus as
the only hesotten Son OF God
| so il seems TO me the connection
| that Jesus is Son OF the living God
is the final and fairest explanation
that comes 10 the followers of Jesus
That it is also the only answer TO
| Who am - no one can for a moment
doubt.