Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-07-17
PARAMOUNT PREACHER
TAKES GROWTH AS TEXT
Congregation Gather. in Audi.
forum Following E.vangc-
llstic Services.
ENROLL TEN >Ew MEMBERS
speaker Asserts M">t Crnnks mud En-
nnfhs Arc Such Brcnu,c Of Dnc-
sided Growth-thrist's Life Per
fcctly Natural One.


The Fairmount Avenue Methodist
congregation gathered IN their audi
,orium for their frst service after
thu" Lightbourn" cvangc!is,ic cam
raisn, which was held in a tent. Ton
new members We're received into tho
membership Of tho church and the
sacrament was observed The mas
tor Rev. Samuel l.. Dumville
pr"a ched ON Growth. He said. in
part
Let ia take tho boy. Jesus. Is an
example Of tn" Kind 81 growth that
God wants. Jesus advanced In Wig.
dom and stature. and IA favor with
God and man. SAYS Luke. Ills was a
perfectly natural growth. SYMMETRY
cal and harmonious. Jesus was rot
prcC"cipuS. he. was perfectly nat.
ural as Il child His mind dd no,
develop at the cNpcuso Of iIis BODY.
neither did tho BODY develop 4, the
expense Of His mind. We have seen
men with big. powerful bodies. who
have neglected their mental devotion.
m"nt. and we have also known Of
men and women Of grea, mental pow
crs who had neglected their physical
Development: but here was one whose
body. mind and spirit keep, pace with
ph' another. MS vas Symmetr iCal
growth. Hence His character hacame
perfect and entirely wanting In moth
INK
Asserts Cranks Onr-Sidcd
Most cranks and fanatics M. such
because Of onc-Sidcd growth They
have not trained all thor powers.
They are what Rev. George u. stew
ard calls Iop-sidcd folks \ person
may he "a crank IN one lin. o9
though, /, ~ we'll. rs some one has
sad To know everything abou,
something and something about
everything. bu, not to try 10 know
all about everything 1t is we'll to
have general knowledge Of many
things, hut We must specialize IN one
hing our profession or occupation.
whatever II may he. mus, he given
oar best thought. II We would sue
coed
Then this harmonious growth
must he according To the laws Of
nature. {. O.. those laws which gov
crn the natural world Jesus said
OF ,hc kingdom that II would come
'hrst the blade, then the ear. then
I tn" fun corn on the ear Nearly
'v"rythinv worth while comes hy "A
gradual process. Rome was not built
~ day neither is character Hence
do not expect the fruits 81 an old
person in child. nor should we ex-
pcct the babe in Christ 10 manifest
n" character Of the full-grown man
in Christ Jesus, hut don't he babies
all III" time. Grow II is pitablc to
see people stop developing spiritual
| ~. becoming dwarrts spiritually.
some bodies never mature: we sympa =
,hiZe with and pity the physical
dwarf. Some minds never mature IT
/ IS indeed sad thing to see the mind
/ Of child IN the body Of a man. Some
/ SPIRITS never mature. | am sure that
I in the mind Of God. the dwarfted soul
| is the saddcs,. tho most ptiable OF
/ all
Playing with Christinnity.
The Apostle Paul. In concluding
/ that great prose poem on love. said.
When Was a child. | spake rs n
I child. felt as child thought
as child. now that | am become a
man. l have put-away childish things
J There arc so many who are still
/ PLAYING with Christianity. Like Il
/ child with toy. they play with II
awhile and then tire Of IL. and when
/ II interferes with their plans or
/ pleasures. they pu; IT aside. Surely
there Is no growth there. We must
realize that God demands the first
/ place. and that for all the time.
! our recent revival will prove an
I aho-tivc thing unless there Is man
Hesitation OF spiritual growth on the
l part OF our membership. more faith
fulness. more manifestation OF the
grace OF God In fact IL there Is rot
an abiding effect. an enriching out
/ growth from this great spiritua;
weakening through which we have
/ passed, then this revival period has
been ~ no more value 20 us than the
explosion Of skyrocket."