The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-12
THE NIGHT SERVICES.

in Attendance
The Jones' Stuart meeting last night
was largely attended. Tho tabernacle
was filled to overlooking. the aisles and
windows also being filled. Hundreds
we're unable TO got in and were turned
away at Tho door. There wero alto.
gcthcr about 1000 people present. The
meeting opened with the singing OF that
grand old hymn, Come Thou Fount of
Every Blessing" led. as usual, by Mr.
Excel, Mr.. Jones most able and valu-
able co-wcrker. Hymn 229 was then
rendered, after which beautiful and
touching prayer was offered by Rev. Mr.
Cox
After the prayer Il collection was
taken up while the choir sang IL beauti-
ful hymn MIR. Jones then arose and
said: IL uEc erstaud that somebody has
said that the letter read the other
night they had heard mo read in Georgia.
Now, ] want To say that man is liar
and bigger liar than any man in Roam
nhc and that il saying Is good deal. |
want you to understand that Brother
Excel and Brother Stuart were in the
room when I received tho note and can
testify to that effect. would like the
IEan who made that statement, if he is
here tonight. 20 stand up would
Ike TO sec him.
"triends. am standing here talking.
| have one object have nothing to saw
about anybody or any official or any in
stltution-and that is to do good I'm.
derstand that. understand the excise
board is in every mouth here now. they
are going around talking now all the
time about Sam Jones.
al will call your attention now to the
9Th verse "f tho LIST chapter of the LIST
Apostles OF st. John. IF We confess
our sins, God is faithful and Just to for
give us our sins and cleanse us of all
our impurities. II is wonderful how
St. John could put the whole gospel in
less than three lines Of that blessed
book. mean the whole gospel on tho
human side, and realty, brother, it IS
only on that side that you and have to
deal with.
at is in religion just like it is in
farming; there are two ideas. What is
the human side to farming? You men
must pillow before you can got your
harvest; that is the human side of it,
and the Heavenly side of it is. the rain
and the sunshine that God seads to bring
up the crop that you SOW. The gospel
that we preach tonight is on the human
Side. and really have nothing to do
wi h anyth ne Else hus the human side.
bave nothing 10 do with IT, any more
han the farmer has 10 do with the sun
shine or tho rain. bavc nothing to do
with regeneration, tha5 is Of God S work.
No" whaE ii we confess our sins. God Is
faithful and just TO focgivc you and TO
Cleanse us
five repent Of our Gins God Will for
give us, but listen TO mr. We have got
10 repent first. Now Repentance of IL
I ~
alphabet is To Il man Of learning. If
you learn Greek, Or Latin, or even to
read or spoil or write, you must first
learn your alphabet, and you have TO
use it in all phases of life. Listen. Tho
first thing that Sam Jones ever did to
please God was to get on my knees and
get good. hearty repentance. God
forgive the sins Of omission and COM
mission Of this day. Do you know what
the gospel is? 1t is breaking the Dews
TO 4 fellow right straight.
Some brethren say repentance is sor-
row for your sins, but listen to me; l
say repentance is quitting. That's what
it is. and quitting right on the spot:
that is repentance. Some think this is
repentance; for instance "a man goes out
and promises his little wife before leav-
ing her that he will not touch drop
and that no is sorry for the past. and
will do better in the future. Well that
same young man comes homo in few
days as drunk as fool.
sob God, pray that ] can put the
way before you wayfaring men as clear
as possible. so that no one can mistake
my meaning. Now, listen to me. You
men who think that sorrow and long
face and blabbering and shouting is re-
pentance. You were never SO much
mistaken in yonr life; that is not re-
pentapee, because in week or so you
arc just as bad as you were before. If
you repent-that is, il YOU quit your
eanness and live a good life. then we
may call that repentance.
''Some people say that Sam Jones is
going through this country preaching
reformation, Well, brethren, if you can
tell me what this country needs moro
than reformation / will gladly fall in
with you and fight with you, but there
is nothing that it needs as bad as rofor-
nation. l will show you the difference
between repentance. Here is one fel.
low. he gets up and shouts and jumps
three miles high. and in little while
you will see that fellow drunk. Here is
another fellow who comes up to me and
says: Mr.. Jones, am tho meanest low
down dog there is in this town, but, by
The help of God, from now on | mean to
lead better life, so help mo God That
last man is the one who is going to be
the best and brightest Christian
And what do you think? Some men
want and must have feeling before they
VIII get relig.on Now feeling has no
more 70 do with religion than nv coat
is Sam Jones, or the sweat on nv brow
Is part OF me or Is Sam Jones. That
is lust like q man who has pona out in