The record-union., 1892-11-28
NOT FOLLOWING CHRIST.
Last Evenings Sermon by Rev. R. NJ,
Stevenson.
lie Classes RaiIroadinc on Sunday With
Various Unchristian Occupa-
tions that Men Fellow.

Rev. r. NJ. Stevenson, at the West
minister Presbyterian Church last even
ing, took for his subject, "Evidence Not
the Chief Need"
lie read a number of verses from the
sixteenth chapter of Luke, and called at
tention to the miracles performed by
Christ in raising Lazarus and restoring
the cripple at the gates of the temple. He
held that the Jews did not doubt Christ's
power, for they had plenty of evidence
before them, and that on the contrary
they Immediately sought to check his
influence by every means in their power,
even TO plotting his death. With them it
was not lack of evidence, but it was un-
willingness to follow Christ, because Of
their 1ondness for temporal things.
Christ did not lead them i'll the direction
of their desires, and therefore they would
not follow him. Abraham said, Neither
Will they be persuaded, though one rose
from the dead''; and Christ said, You
do not will to come 10 me, that ye may
have life"
The pastor made the application of
Lnese lessons to our own times, and gave
as the reason Tor so many men OF the day
not following Christ as the same which
influenced The Jews.
Men are IOnd OF following a course in
hich.Christ will not lead them, and per-
slst in their own inclinations. As in
stances he cited the people who prefer
going to plcnics on the Sabbath. or upon
other excursions, rather than to the
churches, where Christ went on that day.
Another great multitude, said MIR.
Stevenson, are fond of the saloons and
other places OF reVelry and they 20 there,
and yet another multitude, especially
young people, follow the dance or the
bail, and ali OF these will readily ac-
knowledge that Christ and His teachings
do not lead them there.
OLher multitudes follow other forms of
pleasure, simply because they are fond of
doing so. Another multitude was COM
posed OF business men who know and
do not hesitate to acknowledge, the bene-
hts OF the influence of Christ's teach
lngs, but they Will not follow Him,
because they are engaged in business
which is inconsistent with such life.
Some men will not follow Christ. be-
cause he depends upon money derived
from business Of q character that is in
every way inconsistent with a righteous
life, and because they own shares in
brewery which they cannot or will not
dispose OF. There are many others who
prefer to go on accumulating money as
rapidly as possible rather than to live con
slstent Christian lives.
There We're many men engaged in hon
orable business coming under his obser-
walton who conducted their affairs upon
dishOnorable methods, and among these
he condemned the running Of railroad
trains on the sabbath, which require an
army of men to give the day to that work
In most cases he held that the running of
trains of Sunday was entirely unneces-
sary and certainly not consistent with
Christ's teachings.
One might 90 about among the saloons
and other disreputable resorts, and find
them thronged with young men who were
there not because they did not know there
was better life, but because they were
fond of the course they were pursuing,
and had no other reason for it. Not one
could be found who would not readily ac-
knowledge that lie was not following the
best life Of which he knew
While he would be the last one to dis
parage the work of the Young Mems
Christian Association, he referred to the
comparative teebleness OF its influence
against SO many attractions and induce
ments of the other character.
The singing of the choir during the
services was excellent, and a solo by Miss
Ida Clinch was finely rendered