Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-09
DR.. ]. Y. FAIR breaches
ON THE DEITY OF CHRIST
Name of the Savior Stands
Prc-Emincnt and Alone, Iso.
lated by Its Grandeur.
THE POWER or ms INFLUENCE
Orig innting In an Obscure Quarter, II
Has Gently and silently lnSIn-
united Itself Over the Entire
Globe.


Rev. James Young Fair. ID. D.. pas
tor emeritus Of Westminster Prcsby-
terrain Church. preached yesterday
morning on the deity OF Jesus.
lie said that in the large and
splendid array OF illustrious names
that adorn the pages Of history. tn.
name OF Christ stands prc-cmincnt
and alone isolated 10y it's very grand
cur And ii is universally conceded
that Jesus mas attained the highest
position ever occupied by man and
that lie has exercised upon the dcs-
tiny of the race an influence incom-
pirabiy greater than any other.
when we consider the extent, the
power and the clcvatinE character
OF Ills influence which lie has
welded through the ages" he said.
the mind is excited with admiration
and wonder"
Originating in an obscure quar-
ter His influence has gently and ST.
globe. until today IL is world wide,
in it's extent. II cannot be confined
TO "a nation or any age. 1t has en-
twincd itself with tho revolving CEN
curi"s, ovcrlcapcd the lofticst noun
'ain barriers, swept across the wild
est seas and penetrated even to the
Arctic regions and junglcs OF Africa.
II cannot be limited to the ignorant
and fanatiCal: in fact il is amongst
the most highly civilized and adj
vanceh peoples the influence of
Christ is most strongly felt.
Cross ny Focal Point.
"RadiatinE from his cross as a
focal point his influence has touched
with dynamic force. not only the
spiritual. but the mental and esthc-
tic worlds; the greatest books that
genius has written, the greatest
STRUCTURES that architecture has
rcarhd the greatest pictures ever
painted. the vrandcst music of the
old masters. owe their existence 20
His influence.
AS an illustration OF this phe-
nomenal influence. We have seer.
within the last few days this great
modern world. pause in its busy ac-
tivities To commemorate His natal
day.
How can we account for this
admission tina, he must be divine!
Everything connected with His
earthly career tended to create prcjri.
dice against him and retard the
spread Of Ills influence. Jesus of
Nazareth was what the world woull
call an uncducated man. 1t is a sig
nihcant fact that when He began His
ministry thOSc who knew Him best
seemed surprised that lie could even.
read.
After teaching three short years.
lie persisted at last by crucinxion the
most SYNONYMOUS death known. After
Ills death, His followers compiled
four brief histories of His life, and
when these are cNpungcd for their
repetition. they cover only "A few
pages. which perhaps can he read in
an hour.
Link together all these adverse
facts, does IL not seem contrary -
all the anaiogics of history that this
young unlcttered mechanic, from Il
remote, disreputable village, among
a desp!scd people who wrote not :.
line and left not a book behind Him.
would have any influence upon the
world?
Docs it not seem the waves OF
oblivion would roll over Him and
bury the memory of His name for
ever? And Yet, we have seen from
the testimony of His foes that He
has cNertcd the widest and most po-
tent influence ever welded 10y hui
man being.
In the few fraSmcntary words
which His illitcratc disciples have
given us, we find the germ OF all the
moral growth the world has made
These four gospels, short. simple,
similar though they seem. have done
more TO elevate. more TO unity. to
and to glorify our humanity
than all the writings OF all the
Combincd''