Smyrna times., 1885-11-11
A Sermon to Men.
TRUE MANLINEss.

Sunday was a rainy day, especially
so when the evening darkness closed
in and it looked very much as if the
churches would be deserted that even
ing, but instead the Episcopal Church
was well filled to hear the sermon to
men, by the rector, Rev. VIM. B. Cor
don. The heavy shower which lasted
until nearly the church hour kept the
most of those away outside the town
limits, or the church would doubtless
have been crowded. The success of
holding n meeting for men only was
surprise to everybody who attended.
Two or three familiar hymns were sung
with masculine volume and force.
when the rector announced his text.
" Quit you like men," his subject be-
ing True Manliness," which he en-
forced earnestly and pointedly in dis
course of rapid utterance for thirty
five minutes, which elected the earnest
attention of his audience. Opening at
once on the subject without any slow
approaches to it, he described the man
without, such as the drunkard who
would neglect and degrade his wife
and family, the man who followed his
appetite, passions, &C., in contradis-
tinctiOn to the man with true manli-
ness, and said there was nothing un-
manly in Christianity. st. Paul in his
personal characteristics was dwelt
upon and presented in his triumphs
over temptations, besetments and vi
cissitudes as the highest type of the
manly man. Turning to the other
side of the question he asked if there
was not something unmanly about
those who were not Christians? Sin
debased a man, put him in subjectiOn
to Satan and made him a slave. LeaV-
ing the general topic he took up the
lusls of the flesh as being specially de-
praving to manliness that there was
something in man that linked him to
the rest of the animal creation and
something that linked him to God :;
that the yielding to the lusts and pas
siOns was subjecting that which linked
him to God to that which linked him
to the animal, or, in other words, put
ting that above which should be kept
beneath. He said that there was a
panacea for these ills, and only one :;
that was stretching forth of the hand
of faith and laying hold of the cross Of
Christ that as man was debased
when sin took hold of him. so he was
elevated, ennObled and made manly in
the truest sense when he allowed the
holy spirit to enter and dwell with
him. He concluded with the follow
ing peroration:
Men and brethren, "Quit you like
men," There is a battle to be fought,
there is victory to be won, there is a
purpose in life. You are not sent into
the world to sport your season and be
seen no more. There is a nobility i'm
Ourhumanity. Be true to yourselves !:
listen to the voice of God, who calls
you up from your degradation lis
ten to the voice of God which calls YOU
| from useless life. There are better
things before yOu-nOble things, glOr-
iOus things. "Quit you like men, {"
God says it, The Eternal Spirit speaks
it to your heart. And in order that
real manliness may begin, that you
may commence to lead manly life, let
there be death of the old man. This
there must be before there can be res
direction of the new. See yourselves
! guilty-crucified on yOnder cross see
| your flesh crucifed, see your sensual
| ity, your goddess life, your uRmdRLiness
oh see them nailed to the cross.
And as you gaze at the terrible sight,
open your hearts and receive the New
Adam to be your life. Throw yourself
by faith into the arms Of Jesus, and
you, my dear brother, will find that
mighty Voice which spake to Lazarus
when he lay in the tomb shall speak
to yOu. And from the tomb of your
sensuality, your worldly ambition,
your vain and empty life, you shall
come forth and shall put on the armor
Of God, and shall go forth to battle,
to fight and to cOnquerl