EXTRACTS FROM SERMONS.
Wednesday, June 6, 1888, by appointment of the Missionary Baptist State
Convention of Georgia, the Rev. Mr. Walker preached the opening sermon
in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Negro
Baptist Church in Georgia. The centennial exercises were conducted
on a grand scale, running through ten days, and the fact that he was
selected to preach the opening sermon shows the esteem in which he
was held by his brethren. Following are some extracts from the sermon
preached by the great leader and preacher at that time:
WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT.
“‘According to this time it shall be said, What hath God
wrought.’--Numbers 23:23.
“We stand to-day upon an eminence from which we may take a
retrospective view of a one hundred years’ journey. This is a glorious
day. We have come to celebrate the progress and triumphs of a century.
We are here to speak of the vicissitudes through which we have passed,
the conflicts we have encountered, the obstacles we have overcome,
the success already attained, and the victories yet to be achieved.
We are here to pass up and down the line of march from 1788 to 1888.
Old fathers, worn and weary with burdens and cares of long and useful
lives, their heads whitened by the frosts of many winters, infirm and
superannuated, have come up to shake hands with the century, to bid
God-speed to their brethren, and, like Simeon of old, to exclaim,
‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes
have seen thy salvation.’ Young men have come to get inspiration from
a review of the work of the fathers and to return to their various
fields stimulated, electrified and encouraged.
“We shall discuss, first, what God has wrought in the permanent
establishment of His church. The founder of the true church is Jesus
Christ. He is the Son of Abraham, according to the flesh, and He is
also the Son of God. Two natures and three offices mysteriously meet
his person. He is the foundation of the true church, the chief corner
stone, the law-giver in Zion. He has given us a kingdom which cannot
be moved. He began in Asia to ride in the gospel chariot. He sent
out twelve small boats at first. On the day of Pentecost, 3,000 were
added to the number. In 1630, He sent Roger Williams to America. In
the spirit of his Master, he planted churches in New England, and the
stone continued to roll until it reached the sunny South. In 1788, the
oppressed, rejected and enslaved brother in black, for the first time
in Georgia, lifted the Baptist flag under the leadership of Andrew
Bryan. The handful of corn was sown not on the high, wild and rocky
mountains, but on the seaboard; but the wind carried the seed to every
part of Georgia and the barren rocks and sandy deserts became gardens
of the Lord. From that handful of corn have sprung more than 1,500
churches, 500 ordained preachers, and 166,429 communicants. The little
one has become a thousand. In the entire United States there are
to-day more than 1,250,000 colored Baptists. I make bold to say here
and now that the progress of the Baptists in this country has been due
to the earnest, faithful and simple preaching of Christ crucified. The
fathers in their preaching did not preach philosophy, nor did they
strive to reach the people with rhetorical strains of eloquence, but
they strove to reach the people by preaching the plain, old-fashioned,
simple truths of the gospel. The gospel declared in its truth and
simplicity will make Baptists.
“Third, we shall discuss what God has wrought for our race during
this century. For our race, this century was one of hardship,
oppression, persecution and sore trial. We were slaves; we had no
moral training; no intellectual advantages during the greater part
of this century and the two preceding; we were run by bloodhounds;
sometimes whipped to death; we were sold from the auction block,
husbands and fathers being separated from wives and children at the
behest of some white man; we had to get a ticket to go to church;
we had to get permission from some white man before we could join
the church; we were outcasts. But all that has been changed. God was
against slavery, and in his own time and way He removed the foul blot
from the national escutcheon. Emancipated without a dollar, without
education, without friends and without competent leaders, like Hagar
and Ishmael, we were turned out to die. But despite all obstacles,
the Negro in Georgia has to-day $10,000,000 worth of property and has
proven himself worthy of citizenship. We have thousands of children in
our public schools. Our men will be found in the law, in the practice
of medicine, in legislative halls, among teachers and professors,
on the list of authors, skilled musicians, journalists, theologians
and business men. God has wrought wonderfully among us. God is still
opening the way for greater progress. The cry is loud and long all
along the line for consecrated workers. The harvest truly is white but
the laborers are few.
“A last thing, we would urge upon you by way of application. We
need more earnestness and simplicity in proclaiming the gospel. Our
fathers were men of one book. They received power from on high by
constant prayerfulness, and proclaimed earnestly and plainly what they
understood. They felt like Paul, ‘Though I preach the gospel, I have
nothing to glory of; necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is me if I
preach not the gospel.’ The gospel is the intervention of Jesus Christ
to save lost men. It is heaven’s appointed remedy for man’s malady;
and the directions for taking the medicine must be so plain that the
fool may take it assured of the fact that he will be healed. The
gospel is a ship loaded with the bread of life, and must be brought so
near the landing that the hungry can reach forth and take the bread
of life. The gospel is the announcement of reconciliation between
God and the sinner, a message of mercy, the history of the advent of
Christ, His life, miracles, death, burial, resurrection, ascension
and intercession. The gospel is the Messiah’s conquering, triumphal
car. There is power and magnetism about it. It is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth. It must be preached in its
purity, in its simplicity, and with blood-earnestness. Man has been
honored of God in being chosen to carry this holy message. Beginning
a new century in the history of our denomination, let us carry this
message with the same earnestness as did our fathers. Discourage
inactivity, coldness, indifference, formalism in our preaching, and
denounce spasmodic religion among our hearers. Contend earnestly for
those principles which have been the very life of Baptists. The gospel
must go, like the sun shining in his strength, scattering all clouds
from the face of the world, until the moon and the stars shall be lost
in its effulgence.”
GO FORWARD.
The following extract is from a sermon preached by Dr. Walker before
the Walker Baptist Association at Summerville, near Augusta, Ga., in
September, 1899. Following the sermon, he raised a cash collection of
$342.00 for the Walker Baptist Institute from poor country farmers.
[Illustration: DR. CHARLES T. WALKER AT THIRTY YEARS OF AGE.]
“‘And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak
unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.’--Exodus 14:15.
“For more than 400 years the Israelites had been slaves in Egypt.
God’s time for deliverance had come. Moses, his servant, is sent as
ambassador to the court of Egypt with divine credentials to represent
the court of heaven. Pharaoh refuses to obey the mandates of the
mighty God, and ten or more plagues are sent upon the land. The cruel
ruler decides to let Israel go. The mighty host, about three million
strong, began their march. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar
of fire by night led them; they start out on the wilderness route, a
distance of over four hundred miles. They rallied at Rameses, and
marched out in wide columns.
“The Israelites were on foot. They were pursued by Pharaoh with 600
chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over
each of them. The very flower of the Egyptian army hotly pursued the
people of God; and, as Israel came to the Red Sea, at a point where it
was probably ten miles wide, they saw mountains on either side, the
sea in front of them, and the Egyptian army behind them. Many of the
Israelites became faint-hearted and murmured against Moses. He said
unto them: ‘Stand still, see the salvation of God, for the Egyptians
you have seen to-day you will see no more forever.’ Moses seemed to
have been praying to God secretly, for there is no record of his
public prayer. Yet the Lord said unto him, ‘Wherefore criest thou unto
me? Speak unto the children that they go forward.’ Man’s extremity
is God’s opportunity. The last of man is the first of God--God takes
up where man leaves off. Prayer, diligence and effort go together.
There is a time to pray, and then a time to act, to move. God seemed
to say, ‘You have prayed--now obey orders. Go forward.’ The leaders
moved off to the edge of the sea; the mighty waters divided--the
Eternal God cut a pathway for the moving caravan. It was in the
morning watch, or between 2 o’clock in the morning and sunrise. The
king of day soon dispelled the darkness, and all day long the tramp,
tramp of the footsteps of the Israelites was heard passing between
the giant mountains of water. The angel, who had guarded them and
led them, changed his position from front to rear, and got between
the Israelites and the Egyptians. The Eternal God fully protects his
people. As the last column of Israel passed, the Egyptian host came
in. They traveled for a while as safely as did the Israelites, until
the last chariot had left the bank, and when they were all out in
the sea, and all Israel on the other side, Moses stretched out his
rod over the sea, the waters came together and deluged the Egyptian
army, while the Israelites saw the dead bodies of the Egyptians washed
against the banks.
“I would have you notice that
“(1) Diligence and action must accompany prayer. Jesus taught
his disciples to watch and pray. We are to pray for guidance, for
direction, for strength, for conformity to God’s will, for clean
hearts, for the renewal of the Spirit, for the coming and extension
of God’s kingdom, and then watch and seize the opportunities for work
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Joshua prayed, and then rallied
his men while the sun stood still on Gibeon and the moon stood in
the valley of Ajalon. God stopped the sun and moon; Israel did the
fighting. A Quaker going along the Valley Forge road, heard some one
in the thick brush praying. He turned aside to see who it was; he
found a man in deep supplication, face suffused with tears, calling
upon God for help. It was General Washington, praying for the success
of the American army. He prayed for it, and then rose up and fought
for it, and was victorious.
“(2) In order to go there must be reconciliation with God. The Lord
is pledged to those who have become reconciled to him through Christ.
Elijah built an altar, filled up the trenches, put the sacrifice
upon the altar, got everything ready, and then prayed for fire. He
was heard, for he was reconciled to God. Abraham was called from
Mesopotamia to wander along the banks of the Euphrates; he left all
he possessed for what was promised. He was reconciled to God. The
language of the Christian is:
‘My God is reconciled;
I hear his pardoning voice;
I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw near,
And Abba, Father, Abba, cry.’
“(3) They were not ordered to the right hand nor to the left, but to
go forward. The road to victory is often through seas, through the
fire, over mountains, through floods and through flames. We must go
through the world’s wild forest of tribulation, through the den of
lions, over the mountains of leopards, through the fiery furnace, but
we must go.
“(4) The guarding angel went from front to rear and stood between
Israel and the Egyptian army--so did the cloud. They passed over
and saw their enemies destroyed. When you obey God, he secures and
protects you. The angels encamp around to deliver. Cæsar said to his
boatmen: ‘You can’t sink, for you carry great Cæsar.’ But the child of
God can sing with boldness and assurance:
‘How can I die while Jesus lives
As my Eternal God?
Who holds the earth’s huge pillars up
And spreads the heavens abroad.
‘How can I sink with such a prop
Who rose and left the dead?
Pardon and peace my soul receives
From my exalted head.’”
THE RESURRECTION.
The following is an extract from an Easter Sermon delivered by Dr.
Walker at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, April 7, 1901. The sermon was
published in pamphlet form at the request of the church:
“‘To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many
infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God.’--Acts 1:3.
“The presence of the two angels in shining white from the glory
world, and the empty grave were evidences of Christ’s resurrection,
but not infallible proofs. Technically speaking, they would be
considered circumstantial evidence, but our text declares there were
many infallible proofs of his resurrection.
“The infallible proofs of his resurrection are to be found in his
appearances at different times in various places, to different people.
“First he appeared to Mary Magdalene. She recognized his voice, and
said, ‘Rabboni,’ which means, ‘My Master, my Teacher.’ She recognized
his loving voice and turned to grasp his hands, but he said, ‘Touch me
not, for I have not yet ascended to my God, and to your God; but tell
Peter and my disciples I have gone before them into Galilee; there
shall they see me.’ Then he appeared to two disciples on the way to
Emmaus, 7½ miles from Jerusalem, talking sadly, as they journeyed,
on the crucifixion, and of their disappointment. Then Jesus, as he
journeyed with them, began to speak of the fulfilment of the prophecy,
and to rebuke them for their unbelief of the Scriptures; when their
eyes became open, they found it was their Lord. The same evening he
appeared to ten of them shut up in a room for fear of the Jews. Thomas
being absent. Eight days after that time he appeared to eleven, Thomas
being present. Paul states that he was seen of Peter. He met the
disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. And then he was seen of the twelve,
as he gave the marching order from Olivet’s brow. He was seen of five
hundred of the brethren at once. He was seen of James. Then Paul says,
last of all, ‘He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.’
“Christ’s resurrection occurred at the time of year when nature was
being revived from the effects of bleak winter; spring had burst
forth in greenness and beauty, the birds were singing their cheerful
lays--nature was vocal with His praise; earth was putting on her
spring costume, representing a resurrection of all nature from the
death and grave of the winter. So our Lord chose that season of the
year to come out from the tomb when all nature was teaching the lesson
of the resurrection.
“Christ’s resurrection proved several things. It proved that he was
the real Christ, the Holy One. They had said he was a deceiver. He
had said that he would lay down his life and take it up again. Real
divinity, which had never died, resurrected humanity. Here the Godhead
sustained manhood and revived humanity. They killed his manhood,
but divinity was untouched; and on the third day Divinity restored
humanity to life.
“It settled the atonement, made it efficacious and gave power to the
gospel. If Christ had remained in the grave the claims of justice
would have been unsatisfied; reconciliation between God and the sinner
would not have been effected; heaven and earth could not have been
united. Paul says: ‘If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain; we are
yet in our sins, and we are found false witnesses.’ God sealed him as
the world’s Redeemer in his resurrection.
“It is a greater attestation of heaven’s approval than the voice at
his baptism, transfiguration, and prayer for special glorification.
He proved his right to leadership. He dignified and exalted humanity.
He reinstated man to favor with God. He founded his kingdom on the
impregnable rock of truth, and the kingdoms of this world must become
the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ.
“His resurrection was necessary for our justification. For if he had
not risen, man could not be justified with God, for our faith must
rest upon a crucified, buried and risen Redeemer.
“His resurrection was necessary for the payment of the price of our
redemption. It was to be a victory over sin, for he was to put away
sin in the flesh and establish the reign of righteousness. It was
to be a victory over the world; he was to have power in heaven and
in earth, and hence must conquer the earth and subdue it; and his
resurrection proved his power over nature, over disease, over death
and over the grave.
“It was also a victory over Satan, for Satan was styled the prince of
this world. The earth he claimed as his territory. He said to Jesus on
the Mount of Temptation, that the world with all of its glory belonged
to him, and he promised it to Christ if Christ would fall down and
worship him. Christ chose to win the world by entering into conflict
with Satan and overcoming him by his divine power.
“Ten years ago I stood on holy ground at the sepulchre where it is
believed that our Lord was laid. And it seemed on that morning that
I could hear again the message of the angels, ‘He is not here, he is
risen as he said; come, see the place where the Lord lay.’ I bowed
down on my knees and said, ‘Thank God this is an empty tomb; the Lord
is risen indeed.’
“His resurrection was not only the stupendous manifestation of his
power, but it was the exceeding greatness of his power. The Scripture
gives us many exhibitions of the greatness of Christ’s power. We
have an exhibition of it in his first miracle, wrought at Cana of
Galilee, when he turned the water into wine; there was a wonderful
demonstration of power in stilling the tempest on the Sea of Galilee,
when nature heard him and obeyed--the raging, surging billows calmed
down at the voice of him who said, ‘Peace, be still.’ His giving sight
to the blind, casting out devils, healing diseases, raising Lazarus,
the widow’s son of Nain, and the ruler’s daughter, all were wonderful
demonstrations of the power of the incarnate Christ. But the exceeding
greatness of his power was not even seen in his causing darkness at
high noon, while on Calvary, but it was the resurrecting of himself
from the grave. O, thou living Christ, thou resurrected Jesus, live on
to die no more! The exceeding greatness of thy power was seen in the
resurrection of thyself from the dead!”