The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-08
The Third Preacher.

Almost twenty centuries later new scene
presents itself, two thousand leagues away from
the barren crests the wooded hills, and the ter
raced vineyards of Lebanon. It is in city on
the plains-a great city like the Babylon which
once sent It's cohorts to Judea and swept away
its people as with the broom of omnipotence.
The scene is not under the open blue Of day
whore the sea breeze fans the hot brow of the
mountain, but within a somber Enclosure of
night. It is in a great building with cushioned
pews, carpetsd aisles, archod ceilings, and an
altar rich with Furnished wood and upholstery
An organ peals at intervals through the space
and glittering gas chandeliers food the building
with sensuous light A vast audience fills the
place; there are gray hairs, the rosy cheeks of
youth, the royal garniture of furs; a great dis
play bedzened in all possible combinations and
complexities of stuff and color; grave leeripg
intelligent Sinking. silly, intellectual, empty
faces; immature youth gangrened old age
motherly countenanceS, and all the odds, ends
and sweepings, and infinite varieties which are
to be found in the composition Of vast modern
cosmopolitan city.
The respectful solemnity of the simple fisher
men who sat at the feet of the Master high
among the rocks facing the sea of Galilee is
wanting In its place there is an eager curiosity
arestlessness. an expectancy of something piqu-
ant and unusual. There are a futter and the
novel and exhilaratiug
A slender man with close-clirped hair. a
smooth shaver face, and a mustache like that Of
the boulevardieP of the great cities, the faro
dealer, the dude and the gambler, comes forward
and gaZes nonchalantly over the audience which
sits with a smile rallying to its lips and hands
gathering for bursts of applause The conspicu-
Gus figure with one hand thrust deep in the
pocket of his trousers, in voice ia which there
is strong nasal quality. and with accents
xuhi oh ipd Aft yrif thn rift
element of the South, speaks.
IL
81 don't 60 much on physical courage, because
we find a much higher expression in the bull pup
Laughter.
Another thing You would sit here all night
and yell AmenP Lay on Macduffp aud Give it
him. il were to attack the drunkard Yet if
were to assail one of you-you who allow four
thousand saloons to thrive among you-you
would say: Hold on He belongs to the Dung-
tunr Loud applause and laughter.
.'If | were a woman and had married a man
who did not pray at home, | would 60 to the leg
islature and have my name changed right away
Renewed laughter. II he didn't have the man
hood to pray with me would take the baby out
of the cradle, ram him into it. shave off his
whiskers. and nurse him at my breast. Little
bit of an insignificant thing! l would not marry
such little ratrerrier. Screams Of laughter. |
81 know an animal that likes to sit on the
doorstep and howl at night. He seems to enjoy
il. He hOWlS because ne UdS uodS lLduSIlbeF.f
He likes to keep everybody awake. But you
can't get the devils feas off man so long as he
plays cards or goes to the ballroom. Do you
understand that9 A person with the devils feas
on him is always rubbing against something
He is rubbing against the round-dance in the
ballroom. [Laughter.l Take that home with
you! - . ON
pound, tenth rate. big, fabby Methodist Put
him in Gods scales and he wouldn't weigh an
ounce! .
..Why, brethren. could find more Christians
in Hong Kong. China than there are at this
meeting to day. If you can't pray want you to
take your carcasses ont of here, and stay out.
We don't want you herel
.There was but one preacher in Atlanta that
had the brazen effrontery to stand up in the pull
nit and indorse the charity ball. and it not
three months afterward until this very man was
found in q brothel in Cincinnati.
"A skunk-a pusillanimous skunk!
..If get religion only in my head get the big
| head with it.
ssThere are some men who would wish TO get
| ont of heaven to get a cocktail. 1 think one of
| them was the ran who attended services on the
| South Side the other day and couldn't sit 1t out.
| He had to go over to the Calumet Club to get a
drink. There are a great many mon who, when
| told of their faults, conclude that the man who
tells them is no friend. My talk about the cock.