The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-11-21
ONE CENT.
SUNDAY SERMON.


interesting Discourses by ReN, BOWiCk N
the NJ. +. Church.
The service in the NJ E. church on Sunday
morning was for the special benefit Of the
young. Copies Of "Pentecostal Hymns"
were distributed through the congregation,
which joined heartily with the children in
the singing The sermon, which was divided
in two By the singing Of a hymn, was on the
duty and blessedness of obedience to parents.
Children, obey your parents in the lord for
this is right. Honor thy father and thy
mother, which is the first commandment with
promise, that it may be well with thee, and
thou mayest dwell long upon the earth
Eph, 6,1-3
The sermon in the evening was on Moth
ing but leaves Matt. 21-19.: And when
he saw a fig tree in the way he came to it and
found nothing thereon but leaves only, and
said unto it, let no fruit grow on thee hence
forward forever. And presently the fig tree
withered away"
The barren fig tree is an emblem Of grace
less and fruitless humanity; or that portion
of it which while making fair professions are
barren of good works. We find, alas too
many instances in which, under the guise Of
a religious profession, much that is earthly,
sensual, devlish is not only cherished but
indulged. We sometimes find members of
the church keeping saloons, attending
theatres, participating in balls, profaning
Gods name desecrating His day. One man
thinks he may take the sacrament in the
morning and play base ball in the afternoon.
| Another who would not miss church in the
morning does not scruple to get drunk in the
evening If all the vestibules Of hell, known
az saloons, which are kept by church mem
bers were closed there would be very few
left We should have prohibition in most
places. Others, whose inconsistencies are no
less offensive to God, though less gross and
repulsive TO man, find the same element of
sensuality gratified in evening parties, popu-
lar games, merely time-killing amusements,
idle gossip, Sunday newspapers, silly fashion,
and an hundred other forms of selfish graft
fication, which are antagonistic to the spirit
of piety.
The question is not what or B may think
or say concerning the propriety of this or
that, but what are its actual effects upon the
interior life from which the fruit of the
spirit is to grow2 Do those professors of re-
ligion, who indulge in these things, usually
produce much fruit that remains? A1e they
the persons who influence others to lead bet
ter lives? Are they the persons that dying
men send for to pray with them? If Jesus
We're to walk the earth and examine them
I,o
leaves? Fig trees were often barren because
Of early neglect. No amount of subsequent
culture could make it fruitful if it had been
starved and neglected during its early years.
So many are barren Of good works because of
defective early training. However, in the
case of men, divine grace can remedy all such
defects if they will but seek it.
Some fruitful trees become barren through
subsequent neglect. In like manner some
who give great promise of a useful and
fruitful life become unfruitful through the
cares Of the world OF the deceitfulness of
riches. Great care was necessary in order To
fruitful fg-tree, but still greater care and
effort are necessary in order to bring forth
fruit unto holiness What the Saviour
desires is not an exhibition of beautiful
folage--a mere profession-but of fruit. A
man or woman destitute of the fruit of the
spirit-love, joy, peace, longsuhering, gentle
ness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
is as worthless as fruitless tree. And like
such tree he is worse than useless because
he "cumbereth the ground and will receive
the withering curse of the Almighty.