St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-08
PREACHING In A THEATER.
Closing Services in tho Olympic
Last Night.


inc, and conducted by DR.. Dana. Every |
coat in the auditorium was filled, and good
,,ronortion of the gallery chairs were occu-
pied. the whole forming an audience seiuohl
seen within those walls. On the stage were
DIR. Dana, Chaplain Robert Smith ana heV.
NJ. l.. Gilbert, speakers OF the evening" also
the chorus choir anu SIX VlollhlslS col!ectou
from various churches. After the initlatory |
singing. Chaplain Smith eXpounded the
scripture lesson. the ninth chapter OF 81. |
John. at considerable length, holding that
the curing of the man blind from ms Dlrth
proyed the absolute sovereignty OF GOD,
that the man was born blind for speclal
purpose: that all were born spiritually
blind. dead in sin, dead TO God ana 10
Christ He eXhorted all to come to christ
aud IN make for themselves character Oh
which they would not be ashamed, either I'D
This world or i'm the world to come. lie
then offered prayer especially invoking the
Divine blessing on the work OF the evening:
After the singing of "Whosoever Wlll"
the Rev. NJ. J.. Gilbert, rector OF ChrlSt
church, addressed the audience. Inc Ioi-
lowing is a summary of his remarks;
I come before you simply fellow struggler
I shall NOT preach long sermon, but only
SOW a few direct words. We all want 10 DO
orr dutv. / know this because you are IN
the image of God, men ana women Nnen
YOU commit sin are you proud OF ~ !
know you are not; you are ashaiheu vi II at
heart There is no one here that does not
rrov 10 he a better man. He may not ger
down on his knees to pray DuL nc say III MS
heart. 'God be merctul To me, a sinner
whenever YOU make a good resolution you
rrov. Whenever we resolve 10 do better we
&c cd now To ret ND higher. There is no
other method but that of living righteous
ness We may talk regretfully OF the past or
bonefullv OF the future, but If our life grows
not 10 the stature of the resolution IL Is Oh no
avail. You say II want 10 come TO my
Saviour. How can ! do it!' You don't quite
see how TO do it. Remember what Christ
said to the multitude in Jerusalem; ne
nent and be baptized" This is the dill
Guilty, this is the open gate, this is the APP
proved way. Many man repents ever!
week he wakes up in the morning win
headache and repents and then goes and re-
meats n again that night. tbs is or no
avail He must not only repent, but must
do something TO prove it. He must be pap
tized This means he must enter the NE OF
the church. / care not which church so
iono os he enters any regiment of Christ's
church throughout the world. You say
You would like TO lead hte
of Christianity, but the churches are
too far away, that people go there 10
show their fine clothes. rus Is lauIt III
yOur argument. You would not keep away
from beautiful park because you saw rich
men drive there. No, you would say II was
your pure air rs well as the rich mans 5. There
is not Il church in the city but there is room
for you for all of you. Go TO the churches
of the city and you will see empty pews 10
many of them; two-thirds of them are empty.
Not welcome? | would strike of my right
hand first There is plenty OF room. why,
will YOU allow man who dresses better than
Won to stand between you and Chrlstlan
lifeY man is not judged by his clothes or
ha n.
character as il is. You say You don UNDER
stand all the doctrines. Neither do IL nut we
all understand that we need Christ to lead US
ND to higher life. You point out hypo-
-crite in the church. DO you suppose Ohrist
made that man bad? Was it not because he
did not take the principles of Christ? 1t is
the fault of the man. l am SIMPLY placing
before you these popular objections. You
can't be as good a Christian outside tue
church You might as well try TO 1--we with
ont eating or without water. The church is
not going 10 save you, but the church Wlll
helm us TO save ourselves TO build up Chris
tian characters. it is necessary TO be in the
church to be Christian. Where L fell once
should have fallen ten times II had no'
been a confessed Christian. Tomorrow we
all 90 to another world. Shall we awaken III
glory or shadows, with Christ and the angels
or in darkness? God help us 10 live that we
may die Alright
Mrs. Matthew. formerly of Plymouth
church CHI Dir, sang the beautiful solo
Ashamed of Jesus?" after which DR..
Dana
GAVE THE CLOSING ADDRESS.
At the close of his remarks Mrs flaming
sang 80, Where is My Wandering Boy To
night?" with chorus by the choir. DIR
Dana's address was substantially as fol
lows:
We now bring the second series of these
gospel services in this place to a close. Gen
erously welcomed here, without cost; gener
ously assisted by this chorus choir; on
hand bills printed for us without charge 10y
various firms; this exhibit of general lnteres
is indicitive of the public estimate put upoi
them. ] believe the services have beer
productive of good; that much has beef
gained in the way of bringing the churche
into closer sympathy with the multtudes un
affiliated with them Some of us have com
to understand better the religious needs o
our community. These meetings demonstrau
that when we carry the gospel TO where tn
people are they will hear it, and the lesson o
the hour is to 20 forth and seek those outsld
of the churches. The place / believe 4
which TO preach the gospel to men, is thu
place where we can get them. And in thi
city there is need of gospel tabernacle TO
popular Sabbath evening services, undenomi
national in character, where those withou
church homes can be invited; tabernacl
down town, accessible TO the people an
open freely to every class. Such buildin
would be of immense evangelistic value
Now as to the seed sown here in faithfulnes
and amidst much prayer, no one knows say
the Great Father who is over us what is I
come of it. But it was worth sowing: tn
effort has been worth all it has cost. Som
may disparage it,others may doubt its utility
but / have no misgiVings as TO II
usefulnes. | believe the testimony of thos
who have attended these meetings. is thu
they have been helpful. They have rouse
some to thOughtfulness, awakened in other
longings for a better life and started up i
all new respect for genuine religion an
for its outspOken advocates. | am NJ
ashamed of the tribute the boys have borI
to the value of these services. / only wan
i'm conclusion to urge on all my hearers wi
have as yet no church home to find on,
Don't live without Christ, without prayer
Don't let slip the purposes formed on thei
Sabbath evenings as You have listened
those who have addressed you. i know W
are capable of becoming noble, earnes
hearted Christian men, and that is the appe
of the hour. BE the men God meant you
be. live so as to honor Him, act well yol
part in this life you now are living, aud {
which is To hinge your eternal destiny, al
let me say to one and all of yOu, if i'm time
trouble l can serve you, call on me and
will go as far as any man to do aught TN
will benefit you. ! want you to get hold {
the help of the Lord Jesus. He is 1.-The friel
that sticketh closer than a brother"
man ever went TO Him and was diSappointe
and only when you surrender to Him do yC
know what it is TO really live. The voices
all who have proved Him call back to yo
saying: 'Come, follow as your ma ster a
teacher, the Lord Jesus"
LESSONS OF A WEEK.