Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-26
WHARTON ATTACKS SATAN.
the AnLE DIVINE GREETED ny 4
VERY LARGE AUDIENCE.
II. Takes his Text From the 10Th
Chapter of Romans, From the ISL
TO the 10th verses-synopSis
of what He said About IT,

At the First Baptist church last
night Dr. wharton again attacked the
hosts OF Satan. and routed them horse
foot and dragons He was cheered
hv the nresence of very large audi
ence. and preached enc OF his very IN
teresting and characteristic sermons
Preceding the sermon and following ]
the usual song service Dr. wharton /
held his customary bible reading. lie !
selected the tenth chapter OF Romans
from the first to the tenth verse be-
ginning. brethren. my hearts desire
and prayer to God FOR Israel is, that
they might be saved" dwelling partic-
ularly on the fact many people were
ashamed to embrace Christianity on
the plea that IN doing so, they We're
made too conspicuous. why" said he
remember my friends that Jesus
Christ was made very conspicuous by
being nailed to the cross that we might
live. Don't you think you ought to
be conspicuous occasionally for himY
He then sang by request, Jesus
Savior Pilot Me-" and announced that
his theme for the morning discourse
today would be "Our Church Home"
The preacher announced his text,
"Thou Art Not Far From the King
dom OF God" and said that he could
announce with certainty that everyone
IN the audience was OF one mind ON
tho aJect that there was good and
evil in the world, that there We're two
elements Of humanity the good and
the bad: that there We're two armies
In this world. one marching under the
flag OF worldliness ana sin, the other
marching under the flag Of religion
and holiness. God was ruler of one
kingdom, the devil Of the other and
the church was Gods invisible king
dom Church membership was as the
lawyers say, prlma facia evidence Of
goodness, but by no means conclusive,
az there were alleged members Of the
church who reflected no credit upon
the church, but ON tho contrary,
brought dlshonor and disfavor and dis
repute to the sanctuary. OF such We're
those church members who frequent
saloons and sit at the gaming tables.
God says, whichever kingdom you are
In In this world. you viii be In in
the world to come. As the tree leaneth.
30 It will fan. and said he: (which
ever way you are leaning, contrary to
Gods commands, the devii is hacking
away at you" He said the time had
come to stop preaching fulsome SER
mons over the dead who had not died
in the Lord
Preachers had lied long enough In
stating that they felt somehow or other
that such people would go to heaven.
This idea had been adopted too often
out of respect for the parents and
friends of the dead who had gone be-
| fore their Maker with all their sins and
imperfections full upon them. Il was
pitiful picture to see husband and
wife on either side OF the line; one In
the kingdom Of God, the other IN the
kingdom Of the devil. It was pltlful
| sight to see n drunknrd who every day
| Of his life was crushing the very life
out OF his devoted wife. whom he prom
| ised to love. honor and respect. and
hear the excuse offered that 1t was only
when drunk that he WAC bad. 81 tell
| YOU that such man Is bad at heart,
and that is all there Is about H." It Is
pitifm to hear the inhdel going about
caekllng about his disbelief. Did you
ever see an infdel who produced q
hope or who ever made any one
hapnv, or helped anybody along the
journey OF life? He told a story to the
effect that Simon Cameron once saw n
fellow Kick the crutches out from under
cripple and called 1ngersolrs atten-
tion to the matter. The great agnostic
said that II he had seen the act he
would have crushed the fellow to the
earth, when Mr. Cameron said That's
you, Ingersoll; l once had a hope of
heaven, but you have Kicked the
crutches from under me-"
Il tell you my friends, there are peo-
pie who have good wives, sainted moth
ers, and who are surrounded by every
good influence. who are going down
TO hell. and yet all the devils imagin-
able could not convince them that
there was nothing beyond the grave;
that this was 10 be the end and all of
life" Whenever a man begins 10 pray,
to inquire about heavenly things. he
is not far from the kingdom Of God.
People come to the church not from
curiosity. No; they come fun Of n de-
sire to hear OF the beauties OF Gods
saving mercy; to hear OF the posslbili-
ties Of that windowless heaven. which
viii he the reward or all who follow the
teachings OF the great Nazarene. Yet
Is was possible TO attend church. and
right beneath the very droppings Of the
sanctuary to go down to everlasting
perdition, He prayed that God might
make his hearers realize that such a
thing was possible as to be lost within
sight OF heaven.
Al the forenoon service Dr. Wharton
preached to the ladies. who Allied ,hs
church perhaps with an idea tbot Ia
was about to deliver dissertation ON
the effects OF dissipation and inter- IL
appeal to them to exercise their IN
fluenee over father. husbands nnd sor.
in that direction In this the oud,.noa
We're disappointed. as the evange,,st
made no mention Of these matters ,,,,t