Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-09-29
F\srIn1ors cnEIsrIANs.

But inhale some of the Odors Of the
large tannerics around Joppa. 1t is
there to this day. Il prosperous buSi-
ness, this tanning Of hides. And that
reminds me of Simon the tanner, who
lived at Joppa, and was the host OF
Peter the Apostle | suppose the olfac-
tories of Peter were aS easily insulted
by the odorS Of a tannery as others.
But the Bible says, "llc lodged with one
Simon, the tanner People who go
out TO do reformatory and missionary
and Christian work must not be too
SenSivivc. Simon no doubt brought to
his homestead every night the malOderS
of the calf-SkinS and OX-hidcS in his
tannery, but Peter lodged in that home,
dot only because he may not have been
invited 10 the houses Of the merchant
princes surrounded by redolent
gardens, but to teach all men
any women engaged in trying to
make the world better. they must
not be SqucamiSh and fastidiouS and
fnical and Ovcr-particular in doing the
work of the world. The Church of God
is dying of faStidiouSneSS. We cry over
the SuiTeringS in the world in hundred
dollar pocket handkcrchiefS. and then
put a cent in the poor box. There are
many willing to do Christian work
among the cleanly and the refined and
the elegant and the educated; but eX-
cuse them from taking loaf Of bread
down a dirty alley, excuse them from
teaching a mission school among the
uncombed and the unwaShcd, excuse
them from touching the hand of one
whose finger nails are in mourning Tor
departed soap. Such religious preciS-
ionists can toll in atmOsphercS laden
with honeySuckle and rosemary, but
not in air floating up from the malodor-
ous vats. No. no. no. excuse them from
lodging with one Simon, the tanner.
During the last war, there were in
Virginia some sixty or seventy wounded
soldiers in barn on the second n0or, 50
near the roof that the heat OF the Au-
gust sun was almost insupportaole
The men were dying from sheer eN-
haustion and sufTocation. y distinguish
ed member of the Christian commission
said TO the nurse who stood there,
"'wash the faces and feet OF these men
and il will revive them" NO" said the
nurse. Il didn't come into the army to
wash anybody's feet" "Well," said the
distinguished member of the commits
sion. "bring me water and towel, |
will be very glad to wash their feet.
One was the spirit of the devil, the
other the spirit OF Christ.
THE STORY OF JONAH.
Standing here in Joppa, remember
that where we this morning diSem-
barked. the prophet Jonah embarked
For the first time in my life fully un-
derstand that story God told Jonah
to 90 TO Ninevah, but the prophet de-
clined that call and came here to Joppa.
I was for weeks, while in the Holy
Land. consulting with tourist compa-
mics. as to how could take NlneVah
in my Journey. They did not encourage
the undertaking. 1t is most tedious
ride 10 Ninevah aud desert. Now |
500 nm additional reason why Jonah dld
not 90 To Ninevah. He not only re-
volted because of the diSagreeable mes
sage he was called to deliver at Nine
yah but because it was long way ana
tougb and bandit-inieSted, so he came
here to Joppa and took ship. But, aiaS'
for the disastrous voyage. lie palu MS
full fare for the whole voyage. but the
shin company dix not fill their part OF
the contract. To this day they nave
not paid back that passage money. why
ueoplc should doubt the story OF Jonah
and the whale is more Of a mystery than
the Bible event itself. | do not need
the fact that Pliny. the historian, re-
cords that the skeleton of whale forty
feet long, and with hide foot and
half thick, was brought from Joppa to
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