The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-31
PEOPLE ON THE LORDS SIDE.
The Evangelist Says They Must Know God
the Lord.

as the Lord =
1.-THE Gallery is Full" was the placard which
met the eyes of those arriving late at Tomlin-
son Hall last evening. There were still seats
in the lower section. however, but they were
rapidly taken up. and in short time people
were being turned away. Mr.. Mills had taken
a horseback ride after the afternoon service,
and when he arrived at the hall, a little earlier
than usual, he looked refreshed and cheerful
AS usual, the time was spent in singing while
the audience arriving. disap-
pointment was in store in that Pro-
lessor and Mrs. Towner failed to favor
the audience with any duets. Early in the
services Mr.. Coffin. of the finance committee,
made an appeal for larger collection. He
said that when the meetings first began it had
been hoped that they could be carried ahead
without the aid of collections from the audience,
but that it had been found necessary to change
their plans in this regard; yet the collections
thus far taken had been small that he consid-
cred it advisable to make especial appeal to
the people to be little more liberal. Some ex-
travagant reports had been put in circulation to
the effect that large salaries were being paid to
Mr.. Mills and others connected with the meet
ings, where such not the case. This appeal
had the effect of augmenting the contributions
to 8 considerable extent
After announcing the services for Sunday. aud
having tickets of admission TO the same distr ID
utsd the evangelist took his text from Exodus
xxxi &c; 'Vho is on the Lords sidel" aad
said: THAT is the Lords side who
practically acknowledges God his only Lord
Now every word of that means something.
| Most men acknowledge God the Lord, and
| most men acknowledge God the only Lord;
| but to practically acknowledge the Lord means
good deal. 1t means. for one thing, to obey
| the First Commandment: Thou shalt put
other God before me- That commandment
contains a great deal; il is inspiration in the
| search of knowledge and power. Then that man is
| on the Lords side who practically acknowledges
| Gods Book as the truth. The question is
| sometimes asked whether God has really
| revealed Himself to men; but you never hear it
| asked by one to whom God has revealed Him
| self as He has to so many of us. But most
people are willing to say they believe the Bible,
and that they believe in it's truth; but if that is
| so, why don't they get on Gods sidef Devils
| have believed the Bible. In fact. no one be-
| lieves it more firmly than the arch enemy of sim
/ To practically believe the Bible is to take
| it and put it in practice in our daily life. You
| know he who read and believed like the
man who built his house upon the rock; but he
| who read and did not believe was like the man
| who built upon the sand. You had better be-
lieve one thing in Gods word and do it than be-
lieve all and not do any of it. The trouble with
| us, friends, is, not that we do not know enough,
| but that we do not do enough"
! Then. that man the Lords side who
| acknowledged Jesus Christ as his Lord aud
Master Fora man to say that he loved God
| and for him then to turn his back on Jesus
|
| ever lived could not have named one attribute
| in Gods character that was not also an attri-
| butte of Jesus Christ Therefore, to turn your
| back Jesus Christ was TO turn your back on
| God. On all the pages of history there had
been discovered just man who was perfect,
| and that was Jesus Of Nazareth. That man
| not only claimed to be himself perfect, but he
| claimed the power to make others good. Poo
| pie heard him. and few said: WELL
vii. .h make the H experiment ,an~S, ths
told them that they must do their duty to God
| and their fellow-m men. When they found that
the carrying out of these instructions led up
| AGAINST obstacles, a few Of them stopped and
| turned back But others kept on. They learned
to know this man of Nazareth. They walked
| with him and talked with him. Little by little
| they comprehended His true character, and
| cepting His observation-disclosures transformed
| and when He SAID, 'He that hath seen me hath
seen the Father, they cried out, 20, thou art the
| Father" Christ had been in the world not to
| discourage US as being one exceptional man.
but a pattsrn to u.s.
| Then that man was a Christian who practical
| " acknowledged that Coos spirit was his guide.
| A man might say he did not understand all
| these things; that he had warped prejudice,
perhaps, and yet had sincere desire to know
| tEWeli If YOU have such desire. my friend"
said the preacher, Fall you have to do is to SUBJ
NIT your spirit to the spirit Of God. Simply
Weld to the best impulses which Gods spirit
brings to you tonight and you will come very
near to the kingdom of heaven. Let Gods
spirit show you your opportunity. Ii you do. 1T
will lead YOU to Chrst. Oh. friends, il ia time
that some of us heard that voice"
When Aiken was in this country he had told
a story the truth of which the evangelist
doubted but which served for a good illustra-
ton. 1t was of little vessel on the Niagara
| river which had been allowed TO drift too Tar
point called Point Redemption. before
those on board realized their danger.
They then exerted all their powers to
head the boat about or turn it into shore. but
1 without success On, on it drifted until all on
board had given up; but suddenly the one IN
charge of the boat was observed TO start and
look up: an eager look had come into his eye,
and he shouted to hoist the sails for he had sud
denly felt upon his cheek the first breath OF air
which was coming up the river. The sails were
hoisted but at first it seemed to have no effect.
| AS they proceeded further down. however. the
breeze quickened and began to Ill up and spread
out the sails. The vessel began to sIow mp. ana
| 6aaliv stopped moving forward. and finally
| guided by the steersman, was turned safely TO
| the shore. The wind had triumphed over the
| mower of the rushing waters "Oh, man." said
| the evangelist you have been drifting upon the
tide of selhshness, of avarice, OF sin, of unoe-
lief; it has been bringing you nearer ana nearer
| to that awful chasm. In Gods name tonight,
spread every sail and try and catch the breath
OF Gods spirit which may bring you back into
| place of safety.
| of criticisirg the church and OF condemnIng
| church members. Better preach to the sinners
other day make good reply to this kind OF
| CRITICISMS" said the preacher. when some
body told him that all church members weren't
just right, he said: Wen. we tisn' VI ~
| one in twelve. There not
any of us but what might be better if We would.
The church of Christ may have some Wea9 n
nesses and failngs bus 1t is not for you to speak
Of them If you would ever become charged
with Gods spirit it VIII be through the medium
of Christs church She is to be your mother A
man might better point at his mothers frailty
and say unkind things of her than
stand outside and abuse the church: It
IS the salt of the church of Jesus
Christ which has kept rs from going down into
corruption long ago. Who would want TO live
IN indianapolis if you had taken all the Christ
laus out OF 1T What would your property be
WORTH What has organized unbelief done for the
woridf Nothine&but filled il with wretchedness,
and misery and want
1ne evangelist closed by saying: There ara
many lines dividing the congregation to night
lines OF '-ge. and of wealth. and OF social posi-
.toLi Out wnen the great ocean of eternity breaks
upon the sands of time All these lines will be
loreEef washed away But there is one line