The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-19
THE SERVICES OF SUNDAY.
The City Hall Union Meeting Attended
by Fully Three Thousand People.
Rev. III. L. Haines breaches on the Lessons Of
Abraham's Sin-TWo Interesting Ser
mons By Rev. William Herr.
A GRATIFYING SERVICE.
TomIinson Hall Crowded Last Evening with
an Interested Audience.

| Union services at Tomlinson Hail last evening,
showing the fact that even in the absence of
| professional evangelists with proper notice and
| endeavor, satisfactorily large audience may be
attracted to that hall to hear the gospel preached
| by home ministers in decorous and worshipful
| service. The music was of unusual excellence.
! Prof Carl Barus directed the chorus, and Prof.
| Hubert Schumacher was at the organ. Arthur
Miller. of Boston, baritone, sung Tagliapetra's
great song, palm Branches" Mrs. U. j.
| Hammond, in fine voice, sung mot Half has
| ever been Told" assisted by the chorus. and
| ''The Pilgrim" The well known quartete,
! Mrs. Lynn and Mrs. Morrison and Messrs.
| Williams and Morrison sung my faith looks up
| to Thee" and "Are you Coming Home Tonight"
| The hymns sung by the choir were Were
Marching to Zion," Sweeping Thro the Gates"
and "Why Do / Waltz The opening prayer
was by Dr. Jeffery, of the First Baptist Church,
and the benediction by Rev. John Baltzly, Of
| the English Lutheran Church The audience
was deeply interested one and listened with
| marked attention. The collection taken up was
one sufficient to meet the expenses of the even
ing, reimburse those out of pocket by the pre-
ceding meetings and leave a remainder of $15,
| G.. L. McNutt of the Fourth Presbyterian
Church. will preach next Sunday evening.
Rev. NJ. L. Haines was the preacher of the
| evening Mr. Hanes took as his text the Incl
| dent of Abraham's denial of his wife to Anime
lech, King of Gerar. Genesis Xxx, 2:
| And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, she is my
| sister,"
| Abraham said that, but in so doing he was
| ham lied. And it was not the first time. Abra-
| ham lied before, and got caught Singular how
man will repeat that which he has done, even
though he has suffered for it. Despite the fact
| that his former deception had caused him so
! much damage, now he goes back to lying as
means of getting along better. Sin tends to
blind mans Judgment and make a fool of him.
| The patriarch distrusted Gods ability and
willingness to take care of him down in the
country of the Phiiistines, and to protect him
self he resorted to lying. Abraham is not dead.
| / met him not long since He had changed his
name, dress and occupation but it was the
same man. In appearance he was an
Indiana storekeeper, but in disposition
and talk he was Abraham come to life.
| He said by way of excusing certain questlona-
business; man must live" That is exactly
/ Abrshams first plea He must look out for
| himself down there in Gerar. The truth is,
man may sacrifice his real life to gain his living
"a poor bargain. On the other hand, he may
| do as Matthew did when sitting in his business
office, and hearing Chrst's Invitation, "Come,
| follow me-" He did not remain behind his desk.
/ saying, This is my only means Of support;
| must live" No; he arose, laid down his pen,
| and walked out that door after the Lord. He
| gave up his living, but he gained his life.
Jesus answer is to be yours and mine under the
strain of temptation: Man shall not live by
bread alone, but BY every word wAPh proceed
eth out of the mouth of God" Nh shall not
| walk with undertaking fidelity TO truth. to hon.
| estv, to duty, and trust in God for protection
| and sustenance.
| Augustine seeking to Justify Abraham de-
clares: HE said she was his sister, without de-
| nying that she was his wife, conceaing the
truth. but not speaking what was false" Alas,
| Augustine, you have lost your moral bearings
| for once Abrahams deception was a half truth
| in form, but whole lie in fact, for he intended
| and did convey the impression that she was only
| his sister. Now the Bible does not attempt to
| justify Abrahams prevarication. It simply puts
it record In giving the story of his life. Here
we come upon CHARACTERISTIC OF the sacred
writings, the transparent unflinching honesty
| that marks these records. They do not attempt
| to tone down SINS even in saints, heghten
| the radiance of their virtues. Saint and sinner
| are pictured just as they are. And it bears
Witness also, to the fact that these records are
| not merely exact truth, but diviney inspired
| statements of truth. The writer's OF the Bible
| would never have made this unreserved, bold
| assertion of facts, human anu divine, as no one
| else has ever stated or conceived them,n unless
| they had been guided by wisdom higher than
| mans. Proof! This twentieth chapter of Gen
| esis was written by Moses, a descendant of
Abraham, a man who reve.enced the great
founder of his nation with all the Hebrew
4 xnr{G nf o. IN
| strong colors the lying of Abraham as
| contrasJed with the straightforward, noble
| bearing of the heather Abimelech. Would you
| have told the story in just that way II Abraham
had been your grandfather Would you not
| have said: Better just omit any reference to
| that incident down in Gerar. There is no need
/ to allude to it. It weakens the impression. it
| will be made matter of abuse and Of scofff-
| this weak spot in the career of tba patriarch,
| Who on the whole, gave us one of the grandest
exhibitions OF a heroic faith that the world has
seenw Yesi and your life of Abraham would
| have been very sided, goody-goody, I'M
natural one. This book is Gods book, for in its
| treatment OF men it shows respect OF persons
| If Paul and Barnabas have disagreement; we
| are-told of it. Ii Peter swears we know IT. Ii
| Noah falls under the power of drink, We are not
| left in ignorance of it. If Jacob acts tho skin
flint and cheats, there is the account
| for it. This book tells the truth
! about apostles prophets, patriarchs aad kings
| 1t does not whltewash or shield a man because
he is great 1t goes the principle thai where
| much is given much is required.
| So it does not give us even the name of the
woman who sinner" who was dragged
/ into the presence Of Jesus. She a poor, lost
woman Of the street, and, humanity speaking,
| perhaps she had no chance, and her fall may
| have been one of necessity. But when King
| David falls, or ST. Peter denies the Master or
| Abraham lies, down goes the record in extenso-
| placed there by the pen of inspiration. to be a
| warning for all the ages Our text furnishes us
with an example. of which there are many in
the Bible. of the lapses of true servants of God
of the sins of saints. These cases have been
stumbling to many believers They form
a large part of the stock in trade of infdes and
scoffers What can We say of them2 sug-
gest that we cannot join with those Who say
Abraham sinned and yet was saved, therefore