The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-08-24
THE LAST EVENING.
Close of the CamP-MeetinE at soden's
Grose-An affective Discourse by
Mrs Robinson.
EIshty-Five Conversions Reported Dur
ing the Session The Association
Satisfied with the Financial
Results OF the Under

ing the Session The Association
Satisfied whit the Financial
Results OF the Under
taking, Etc.
The camp-meeting which began at
Soden's grove on Tuesday Aug. 0, closed
last Thursday evening with one of the
most interesting services which has been
held during the session, and in almanner |
that was most gratifying to the mana
gers Of the undertaking. The attendance
was exceptionally large, and |
for more than an hour |
the attention of the vast congregation |
was riyited by the earnest and eloquent |
words of Mrs. Robinson as she made |
her concluding appeal to the people
among whom she has labored SO effec-
lively for the past ten days.
The basis of her sermon was the text:
What Doest Thou Here, Elijah 81
Elijah, said the speaker, was one of The
most remarkable figures in Old Tesla
ment history. Nothing is chronicled
concerning his birth, and the record is
silent in regard to his antecedents. He
flashed forth upon the stage of
action like the vivid lightning,
and after most eventful
life, filled with service for God, he was
taken home in chariot of fire. The
most prominent Characteristic of Elijah
was his indomitable courage; and yet
this man who walked with his head IN
glorY-who had enjoyed the most con-
vincing evidences of divine favor, and
had witnessed manifestations of Gods
power which should have lett no room
for fear or doubt-falis to the level of a
paltry coward, and he who had boldly
denounced Ahab on his throne fees
into the wilderness, intimidated by
woman's threat, and sitting down
in mis- detection under a juniper tree
prayed God that He might take
| away his life. And when the word of
the Lord came to his prophet saying
"What Doest Thou Here, Elijah? 90 he
employed the same fiimsy subtcrfuge to
palliate his lack of faith which so many
thousands have made use Of in all ages
of the world, and are presenting today
as excuses for turning aside from the
path into which they are directed by
God. He made answer that the children
of Isreal had iorsaken the covenant,
thrown down the affairs, slain
Gods prophets and that only he,
Elijah, had refused TO bow the
knee to Baal. But the Lord
said: "Elijah, have my thousands"
and infusing new courage into the heart
of the prophet, feeding him with angels
food rather than reproaching him, God
led him forth TO crown king, annoint a
prophet, and to the grandest achieve.
ments of his life.
The speaker then made a very forci.
bic application of Elijah's misgivings
touching the children of Israel to the
judgments which the world pass upon
the church, but proceeded to show that
even as God had His thousands among
His chosen children of old who had
not bowed the knee TO Baal, the
church today was flied with true
disciples whom Christ recognized, and
that though every preacher who stood
up TO proclaim the gospel to men
should be proven unworthy; though
every Waterman ON the wall of Zion
should fail in his sacred trust, that
did not effect in any wise the individual
responsibility of every soul in the con,
gregation to God. The account to be
settled was between each man and his
Maker, and it was better to trust TO the
merits of Christ than to the shortcom.
ings of our frail fellow men in the solu.
ton of this great problem.
And now, said the speaker, We are ap-
pcaling to the ElIjahs before us in this
congregation tonight. What doest thou
here, we mothers, this evening? Do you
know that you are welding a scepter
that will reach further and is more po
tent in its sway than that in the hand Of
the monarch upon his throne? DO you
know that through all the dust and din
of the worlds strife into which your boy
is going forth the words of counsel, the
prayers, the hymns of his mother,
will fall like music upon his
ear, and will penetrate to his
soul when all other influences
fail to reach him? Do you know that II
is largely in your power to be unto
your child Il SAVIOR of life unto life, OF
of death unto death? Oh, what doest thou
here tonight? Are you, mothers, di
recting the steps of your children into
the paths of wisdom and leading them
in the ways Of peace? May God help
you to realize the awful responsibility
of the sacred trust imposed upon you and
come forth as Elijah at the bidding OF
the still, small, voice.
And what doest thou here, oh, We
daughters? Do yon know that you car
step between the cross of Christ
and the man you love? Dc
you know that your influ
ence can mold the characters of the
brave, stalwart young soldiers going
forth to the battle of life? Let this in
fluence be cast for Christ-let it be EN-
ployed to promote the cause OF temper
| ~ CSldDllon llC WI hS Va IiEbt
eousEess and peace.
And oh, where are those mighty Eli
jahs' the fathers of the land? Do YOU
who are bearing the heat and burden OF
the day-whose successes in life are at
tracing the attention of the rising gen
Grafton, realize where you are stand
ing? Do you know that while
mothers may hedge in theil
boys with Christian influence:
and keep their childhood unspotteG
from the world it is to their fathers they
look for an example when they go forth
to grapple with the problems of maturel
years? Let me present TO you a few
plain facts, fathers and husbands. You
know that nearly three-fourths of the
names on all the church rolls of the
country are those of women; you know
too, that when penitentiaries are bull
that tier after tier of cells are provided
for men-and they are always filled
while small and remote corner OF
such institutions is set apart for
women. Does this speak nothing for the
religion of Christ? Does it not demon
strate that in your care and anxiety over
many things you are failing to choose
the better part, and Sinking the sol.
emn responsibilities which God has i'm
posed upon you. oh this wonderful
agency of silent influenced May your
eyes be opened to the awful gravity of
the trust which the Lord of heaven and