The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-02

a eVanRS1i9k
said, with a broad smile: f'Now, You zee those
who went ont are getting vet
While the audience assembling the choir
sang number of songs. Rev. DIR. Jeffery led
in prayer. DR.. Mcleod announced that he
wanted to collect $500 to defrAy the expenses in
Cured by the meetings. and ASKED for sums
DIR. Jeffery supplemented the petition, and told
the auditors .'pay for what they get. IL
you'll give $500 tonight you can all come to my
church next Sunday and needn't give nickel"
He stated that he had received letter from q
lady who not able to attend the meetings,
and who derived ner only benefit from them
through the newspapers; get she contributed
S.. 90 to pay the expenses.
Mr. Mills announced the outline of ths serv-
ices for the week. To-day there will be but
one meetng-a service for young people at the
First Baptist Church at 7:30 P. n. On
Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday and Friday
there will be services at the First Baptist Church
in the afternoon, and at Tomlinson Hall the
evening. We expect to make Wednesday"
said the preacher, 'the grandest day ever had
in this city. There will be, in addition to the
regular meeting. service at 10 A NJ, 60 which
we desire especially TO invite the business men.
l wish could make this day a general day of
prayer in this city and that we could get the
business men TO close their stores during the
morning service" He said large factories had
shut down on such occasions atone or two places
where he had been. During the war business
was frequently suspended and the doors closed,
on certain days, in order that the people might
unite in prayer service for the success of the
Union army. The battle for the salvation OF
been the battle for the preservation of the Union.
de also stated that there would be sermon for
men only again next Sunday evening, and
that at that time it would be announced how
long the meetings would be continued 1T
would not be very long service" hesaid The
evangelists text last night was from Prov.
xviii, 13 He that covereth his sins shall not
prosper; but whose confesseth and forsaketh
them shall have mercy"
One of the deepest curses Of sin the insen-
sibiiity it produced. The terrible thing about
sin was that the moro it cursed you the less it
panied you. Some men attempted to cover their
sins by taking limited views of the divine law.
God looked at the condition of mans heart
and not at what he was doing He judged him
Dy the opportunities which he had. God judged
him not merely by the Influences which he had
exerted but by the influences which he had
kept back-by what he might have
done If he had been willingly
sons. brothers, neighoors. There were sew
eral ways in which. men were accustomed to
cover up their sins. One was by making false
assertions about the mercy of God. The place
to learn of the mercy Of God first in the
Bible, and there it was described ve>y clearly.
Then, men sometimes endeavored to coVer
their sins by making false stand points of action
They thought they we're all right, perhaps, be-
cause they were better than some other people.
Whether the latter was true depen6ed
on the surroundines of the men. depended
upon who their father and mother were. upon
what had been their education. or where they
had lived. A great many thought they would
be judged according to their conscience. but
very few people understood what conscience
WAS 1t was tho most delicate instrument in
the human organization. Very few people knew
whether their conscience was right wrongs it
depended on whether the conscience had been
regulated right ike a watch. you had TO set it
properly and see that il was kept in order.
Another way that q great many attempted.to
cover up their sins by claiming that they
were not responsible for them. That was the
way tn Adam and Eve had tried TO cover
their sins. When the Lord asked Adam why he
had partaken of the forbidden fruit be replied
1.-The woman gave it to me-" and when God
TO nd
me-" That was the way sinners to-day fire.
quently attempted 10 shelve the responsibility.
Men tried to blame their sins to their clrcum
stances. As q matter OF fact no one ever could
sin unless he wanted to; if he did not want to
he could not. No ahmed unless he wanted
to. Others tried to cover their sins by alleging
that their sins were few and small: eup-
pose they were small would not they
gradually multiply And then sin would
down man. One did not iced to strike man
with to kill him; touch his heart with
needle and he will die. One leak, however
small, would sink a ship.
Some attem pted to cover up their sins by try
ing 10 believe that the Consequences of sin
would be light and temporal The text itself
answered that: He that covereth his
shall not prosper" Then 1.-The wages OF sin
death" great many thought that even the
memory of sins would be sufficient punishment.
However that might b. there was one certain
punish punishment. In Lon
don, not long time ago, there had been
ganization of infdels called ''The He'll fire
Club" They met for the purposes of bias
phemy and reviIiug. On occasion one of
their most prominent members, man named
Archibald Boyle. dreamed that he died and went
the principal apartments and after looking
about him awhile, said to himself: "Why. hell
seems to be q very pleasant place." Presently
he observed in smaller apartment company
of men and women deeply absorbed in gambling
One OF them he recognized as q lady who
had been accustomed to visit the ''Hellfre
Club and participate in the gambling there
He went up to her, but she did not seem to
notice him, and then he said TO herr Wont
you rest NOME He about to say
moment, but when he said ''rest" the woman
started and exclaimed: "Resei There is no rest
in hell :" and again sank back and became alb
sorbed in her game. This, the evangelist said,
which awaited those who would not from |
their sins It was certain that the Bible |
spoke in no unmistakable terms of |
the punishment awaiting the unriehteous.
Another way men had of covering their sins was |
by affirming that they had no feeling concern
ing them. And yet that soul which had COM |
mitted one sin had mortgage upon it, held by |
the devil, who would foreclose the mortgage |
whenever he saw fit. To have concern about |
your Sins was as 1t would be sor the people of |
the South to have no concern about yellow fever |
IN winter time.
The evangelist then closed by urging his |
hearers to forsaks their sins. By Gods mercy |
men were enabled. no matter how sinful their |
career had been, to prosper if they would but |
forsake their sins The Bible had said that |
David was a after Gods own heart, and |
yet he had commi tied some terrible sins. That |
was fact which had puzzled many people. |
for David had been guilty OF four OF |
the worst kind OF sins. but he became |
> man after Gods own heart because he forsook |
his sins And so it with sinners to-day, no |
matter how wicked they had been, If they only |
became sincerely penitent and then forsook |
their sins, they would be forgiven and would |
prosper in the best of that word.
A mum Der accepted the invitation to rise and |
signify an intention of starting upon a new life
They were invited to remain TO the after meet |
ng, and number were LED to confess Christ
-@1--
Cruelty to Animals.
To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal
Thank Won for the kindly words which hava