The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-10-30
Rev A. z. Taylor Preached an Flo
quent Sermon in the Episcopal -
Church: Urging Mankind TO
be Faithful to the Cause
of Christ.
Rev. T. n. Rule Talks OF How 10
Keep Men Ont of Prison, While
Rev. John Barbour Takes
for his Theme. Young
Men Entering the
MinisfeTy.

SIIue q q Gear anu B+IguU aAJunu
day. As the bells pealed forth their
glad notes Of welcome TO the sanctu-
aries throughout the city, many de-
Vout persons entered the several
churches 10 make their humble con-
fessions and worship, glorify and mag
Nifty their maker.
st. Johns Episcopal church was
comfortably filed with congregation
which participated in the opening ex-
erclses, and listened intently to the
sermon as preached by Rev. A. B.
Taylor The Rector selected as his
text Hebrew y Chapter and part Of
the 18th verse: mot forsaking the
assembling Of ourselves together In
his opening remarks he said that
with many men Of the day, it had be-
come so that the head Of the house
hold stayed AT home on Sunday, TO
read novel or newspaper, while the
wife or daughter entered Gods house
20 worship and adore the Almighty.
ITO my mind" said the preacher, this
act Of the men Of the dayis selfishness
pers0nifed. Why 10 they do this, do
you ask: One reason is because they
think If they enter Gods house they
vii listen 70 the same old doctrines
and the same old stories Of a thousand
or more years ago, instead Of some
thing tTanspiring at the present time.
They also believe they viii hear the
preacher talk on secterianism and
topics disagreeable TO them.
The men Of old made many excuses
when called upon to assist in the
cause Of advancing Christ's kingdom,
just as they do today. Go into our
churches, and we see four women to
every man, and in the connection
desire 10 say that no man has right
TO keep TO himself, whether in the
church or home, for he has a duty to
perform, and sooner or later he will
find il out, The speaker did not de-
sire TO be understood TO mean that
men should be in attendance con-
tinually, but went on TO say that a
man who loves his home, his family,
his church, his country and his God,
must look into the subject of politics,
society and religion. IF he fails to
study these three great problems,
then he is indeed living to himself
II is whispered that politics are not
snow-white. This is all the more a
reason why he should search out the
wrong and assist the right in the poll
tical arena.
Suppose our courts are 1Iled tOOVer-
flowing with divorce cases. 1t be-
comes his bounden duty TO help and
make pure homes. and to raise society
10 a high and holy plane. In the
third place the church stands for the
brotherhood of man. We cannot al
ways think Of the mere living Of this
fitting life of ours. By and by our
voices viii be lacking about the fire.
side. True it is, many Of US are poor
at doctrines, theory and theology, but
We DO know that we have duties TO
perform. II il be true that many
times the church is passing away its
valuable time at hair-splitting, then
il behoOyes each one of Us TO work
all the harder for the cause which we
represent. Again, it is dangerous for
Us a. church or country TO neglect
our work Read the books. if you
want TO know what became Of the
countries that forgot God, and wor-
shipped him not. Brethren, let US
not skulk in our tents, but be up and
doing, for when We get TO the bottom
Of the subject, the Christian church
is TO lift men and women up, and
make them pure and holy.
Let me say that if we are faithful:if
we do all we can with our whole
might. we may be the means of bring
ing others into the knowledge of the
truth as it is in Christ" He then
went on TO say that:
..God works in a mysterious way,
His wonders TO perform.
In conclusion he urged his hearers
to become disciples Of God, perform
the duties of life as the Almighty d.
reefs. and when the Death angel calls
safe entrance viii be assured into
the heavenly city forever and forever.
. ~
Sunday morning the theme Of
Rev. Z. NJ. Rules discourse was IN
the form of a question. viz: What
shall be done TO stop the increase OF
crime in this country" He chose for
his text the 1st verse of the XIV chap.
ter of Romans, I'VE that are strong
ought TO bear the intirmities OF the
weak"
He gave some figures taken from
census reports showing the increase
of crime TO be in about the following
ratio. In 1850 there was one criminal
to every BAD of the population: In
1860. one to /, 647; in 1870, one to l, 020;
in 1880 one TO S37, and in 1890 probably
one TO every 500 or 600,-and stated
that large percentage OF criminals