The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-09-05
Sam Jones at Fertile Springs, Mo.

But laden with golden wheat
Sam Jones at Fertile Springs, Mo.
The following is synopsis of a lee
ture delivered by Rev. Sam p Jones at
the Missouri Chautauqua Assembly:
GET THERE"
There is no stronger phrase perhaps in
our language than we lind embodied in
these words-'get there" They are ex-
pressive and forcible, and they belong
peculiarly to this nineteenth century
10 the age when we listen to the rush of
commerce, the roar of the engine and
the click of the telegraph. This is an
age OF movement-of intense, persistent
movement, and know no subject which
should be so interesting to us as this
phrase, get there.n
r might spend the hour telling you
how to get there socially. But when a
man gets there socially he hasn't gotten
very far. | believe the dude is the high
est development OF getting there social
ly. DO you know what a dude is? He
is just little pimple on the surface of
society; and when you squeeze it, it is "a
dudine. So there is not much gained by
getting there socially. Or might spend
the hour discussing how to get there
financially; but they who will be rich
fall into divers temptations, and pierce
themselves through with many sorrows
Selfishness is the nearest thing the Devil
ever invented, and hell itself is only
self1shness on fire. | have often wonder
ed why some men don't go to hell from
natural combustion. So when a man
gets there financially he hasn't gotten
very far.
Again, we might spend the hour dis
cussing how to get there politically. But
| have observed that when man gets to
be utterly useless in the world we send
him to Congress. | have more respect
for any class Of men than for the politi-
clan. | can pray for all sorts of men,
but when | get down to pray for the po-
litician | can't pray as high as | can spit
to save my life.
We have a better way to get there than
any of these. And, in order to get there
in the right way, we must suppose three
things: First, a man who wants to go
some place; next, way next, the
place.
First, we want man, | have heard
some people get up in church, and sing,
20 to be nothing, nothingw What do
you want to be nothing for? How can
God crown nothing? How can nothing
play on a harp? Fancy old Brother
Nothing going to heaven, and old Sister
Nothing going along with him. And
when they get to heaven people will
walk over them because they can't see
nothing.
l believe in human nature. God made
human nature, and whatever God made
is good. 1t is not human nature, but
perverted human nature that we are at
war with. 1t is worth a trip to the end
of the world to see one true, noble, royal
man. l sat down by man one day, and
the longer l walked with him the bigger
he got and the smaller l got. And | had
to get away pretty quick to have any
thing to get away with. We want men.
And, after we have got man, the next
thing we want is a way. There is a great
deal in the way. Young men, if you
choose the way of the saloon and the
gambling hell, you are going to destruc-
ton just as surely as those iron rails lead
to Kansas City. And when young
man chooses the way of honor and up
rightness ! say, young man, you are go
ing to be an honor to your father and
mother, and blessing to your country
and your God. If you want to be no
get there. Manhood, manhood is the
way.
Then the first thing ! would enthuse
into man would be life. If there is any
thing in this world | like, it is life.
like live Christian. live merchant, a
live lawyer, live town. There is one
thing I've got against Missouri There
are only one or two live places III all the
State You need life. 1t takes life to
make things go. We preachers need life.
We are heading the procession. You
can tell live preacher by the subject he
discusses. l heard an old preacher get
up and preach an hour and a half about
infant baptism-mistaking perspiration
for inspiration. All the babies in town
were fast asleep, and half the old folks
going to heaven. Another old fellow
preached on baptism, crying water,
water" and half of his people going
where they can't get a drop We want
a live preacher, who breaches gospel OF
truth, a gospel of power. Talk about
your dignified preachers. If a man has
anything else, he don't need dignity. But
if he hasn't got anything else, it will
take good deal of dignity to run him.
The next thing would give to man
is courage. No man can get there with
out courage Preachers need more cour
age The preacher who is afraid of any
thing that wears hats amt fit to be a
preacher Vi Ulit SOSPOl. We OIL uOC1i
courage Stand for the truth, and if you
die in the jail, die game and go home to
God to be crowned. 1t sometimes takes
courage to keep from being an intidel,
I'd rather be the lowest down criminal in
the State penitentiary than to be an open
avowed infidel What is Christianity do
ing? 1t is building almshouses, helping
the poor, raising the fallen. What is in
fidelity doing? Fighting Christianity.
And as | said, I'd rather be the meanest
prisoner than an avOwed intidel. We
| need the grit of a Daniei-of the three
Hebrew children, who dared to do right
in defiance of kings.
The next spirit | would enthuse into a
man is patience: 1t is wonderful how fal
patience will go in this world Be patient
Years ago, when | thought my wife was
on her deathbed, | settled the matter
then and there that before would speak
another unkind word to her I'd lay down
and let my head be sawed off with dull
| case-knife. ] believe man ought to love
his wife as much after he is married tC
her as before. And he ought to tell hel
every day or two that she is the dearest
darlingest, sweetest woman in the world
Some men will have to liz to do so, bu
do it anyhow
The next thing is kindness. Brotherly
kindness. That is word from home.
wish we could all be brothers. Some
people think that the religion of on
Lord Jesus Christ is Joining the Churci
and being baptized. That amt religion
Tell the fellow who thinks that that i
was something he ate which affecte.
him. Kindness is the very basis 0
growth in Christian grace. The life o
/ JeSus Christ NAV he summed m in a few
words: He went about doing good
And this is the kind of religion we want
This is the highest type of Christianity
If you take all the prominent men tn
world has known, you will fiud thai the,
have spent thalr lives deing good to al
men. And we conclude that to get Their
in the best sense is to attain true roya
manhood and womanhood,
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