Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-07-24
AN INrEREsrINe INcIpENr.

AN INTERESTING INCIDENT.
once knew a man who said some
preacher had told him: at yOu'll
do before you get religion just like
you expect TO do after you get rcli-
gion, you'll get it," lie was all hon
est penitent; SO the next time he went
TO meeting he joined the church.
When he got home his wife said
"What do you mean? You don't
say you've gone and joined the church
before you got religion2" "Yes," he
said, "the preacher told me TO do be-
fore | gol religion just what | expect
cd to do after got it, and should
certainly join the church if l had re-
lig' on. There wouldn't be anything
else for me TO dol"
That night he took down the old
family Bible to have family prayer,
when his wife stopped him again:
Husband, you don't intend to have
prayers before you get religion, do
your"
"Ycs the preacher told me TO 90
ahead and act before | got religion
just as | should expect to act after
ward-and if had religion Id be
sure TO have family prayers every
night aud morning--sO here goes
Laughter.
Well, he prayed Wednesday night
at the camp meeting, and SO lie kept
on, right on, working and praying
for God aud heaven, until the first
thing he knew the biggest case of re-
ligion broke out on him you ever saw
in your life. Renewed laughter.
Brethren, religion, in some respects
is like the measles. Laughterl. 1t
won't break out on you right good
till you take little gospel lea, and
go TO work aud do something to make
il break out. And sometimes il
strikes in on fclow-and kills him.
Laughterl. Some men-who never
did lick OF work for God-who never
gave dollar TO the pOor-go about
saying they've "got religion right
here" Qaying his hand on his heari)
Brethren, love man that's got il
all over-from the crown OF his head
to the sole of his fect-that he may
work, and walk and talk for God.
Amen, amen don't like IA man
whose religion has struck Uneven if
IN his heart. Lord, if it ever has to
strike in on any single spot about me,
| want 1t in the hand, so | may 90 on
working for God. Laughter and APP
plausel.
Some men expect to 90 TO heaven
OH their morality; they think be-
cause they've quit drinking and ours
ing, God owes them something
Why, you old rascal, you ought to
HAVE A THoUsANDLAsHEs
for ever drinking and cursing at all |!
Laughter I'd like to know what
right you had to curse! Suppose a
fellow should walk into the Cover
nors office and say: "Well Cover
nor, I've murdered four or five men,
burnt dozen or more houses and
stolen 100000! But | amt going to
do so any more! Good day Cover
nor" Laughter. DO you suppose
the scoundrel could get Off that easy
Not bit of it He'd say: "Just hold
on a minute you grand rascal, I've
sent for an officer to take you in
charge! | intend to hang you for
what you've already done! What
right did you ever have to kill, burn
and steal, at all, I'd like to know !"
Renewed laughter.
Why, the devil is very willing to
have you quit two or three sins
maybe he'd be better satisfied with
you on general principles, for I've no
doubt he's somewhat ashamed OF you
as you are. Laughter.l lie likes a
mean cuss but you pleas MIN too well.
Renewed laughter, In times like
these, the devil would be willing to
compromise on most any terms, for
he hast got the hold he once had on
this community. Amen, amen, and
thank God.
Religion demands that you shall
not only cease to do wrong,
BUT BEGIN TO DO RIGHT.
In the Christian economy, you can
not cease TO do wrong until you be-
gin TO do right. How could you go
to Nashville without leaving Muir
freesDoro, and TO make the trip from
here to Nashville you've got to do
both.
If it were possible for God to par
don a man while yet in his sins-and
permit him TO keep on shining
would not our jails and asylums still
be full Of gamblers, murderers and
drunken wretchesp How could man,
under such conditions, be made even
better citizen, to say nothing of be-
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