The record-union., 1895-05-06
EVANGELIST MARTINS MEETINGS.
His Tabernacle Filled With Attentive
Hearers.
He Divides the Soldiers of Christ Into
Classes and Defines to Which
They Belong.

Rev. s. NJ. Martin, the evangelist of st.
Louis. opened week of services on Sat-
urday night at the big tabernacle that has
streets, with a sermon on "The Ideal
Congregation"
| Yesterday he held morning, afternoon
and evening services, the subject for
| the evening being SOLDIERS of Christ"
A large audience was present. and listened
with the closest attention. Mr.. Martin is
by turns witty, sarcastic and eloquent,
and the transition is somtimes sudden,
| but at such times there seems to the
auditor to be no incongruity In it. There
is an earnestness an force, a sincerity in
his appeals and warnings that the audi
! ence over which ripple of laughter has
| just passed. at some witticism or home
thrust Of the preacher, suddenly sinks
| into reverent attention to the sober and
| heartfelt utterance of his message that
appeals 10 their hearts and understand
] ing and penetrates to their inner con-
! sciOusneSs, whether they hear 1t willingly
or unwillingly. His sonorous voice and
distinct articulation render it easy for
every person in the building to hear
every word and that his hearers acknowl-
edge his fitness for the work he has
undertaken could easily be seen from
! the remarks that were made after the
service by the people as they wended
| their way homeWard.
| He handles his hearers without gloves,
and brings home their shortcomings to
them in a manner that must be very un-
| pleasant to those whose conscience tell
them that the shoe fits, but with all his
wit and sarcasm there is nothing that
| borders on levity. IL is the trenchant
| remark of which people acknowledge the
truth that provokes laughter, and no
one with the incest sense OF the reverance
due to religion could lind fault with his
utterances last night.
Among other things, he divided the
soldiers of Christ into classes. There
were the soldiers who fought with will,
who were ever facing the enemy and
ever obeying the will of their leaders.
| There were the suffers, ready to be on the
side on which they could make the most
money. Among those he classed those
who join the church on account of the
influence and standing it gives them, or
for the purpose OF making it aid them in
! business, and who always, in coming to
new place, join the richest and strong
est church.
Another class, he said, are always
wanting to get furlough, and are never
on hand when the battle is raging. They
are afraid to face the music. The only
way TO leave the Lords army is to die or
to take French leave. The church never
| COmpelS service; il wants volunteers
they are the best soldiers. 1t never pun
ishes deserters Or tries to bring them
| back except through persuasion.
| While Christ was in the world, giving
| to mer the example of perfect lie, He
also gave il the example OF great suffer-
ing. AS far as physical suffering is con-
cerned, the two thieves with Him prob
| ably suffered as much as He. But His
was more than physical suffering-He
was bearing in His body the sins Of the
world. We commit suicide to avoid
| bearing only our own sins when we cam
not endure them longer. How much,
then, must Christ have suffered in
bearing the sins OF the whole world? No
wonder the sun was darkened and the
earth shook at His suffering.
He spoke of the love of all nations for
their country and the sacrifices they would
make for it. Shall We, he asked, guard
the interests of our country more zeal
| ously than the Christian does the cause OF
his God? Are we ready to make greater
sacrifices for our country than for our
God? Yes; protesting Christians, many
of them. give more and do more for their
country than they dream OF doing
for their Maker. We cannot make
4
did not want to destroy single
patriotic feeling, but he wanted them to
! be true TO God and to Christ their Savior.
| God knows whether we are towards,
suffers or deserters; whether we are will
| ing to make sacrifices for him or not.
Preachers, he said, are the enrolling otfi-
GERS, and want to know who will enlist in
| the Lords service. and also which OF the
old soldiers will come back.
After the song of invitation and prayer
collection was taken up. He afterward
announced that tomorrow question
box would be placed near the door, and
all were invited to put into it any proper
questions they wanted answered, not
signing their names. but if i'll reference
to any scriptural extracts, writing out
the verse, so that time may not be wasted
in looking for it.
The subject for tonight will be mir
rors of Christ" The choir is an excellent
! one, and Otis Harrell, who has charge OF
| the music, sings number at each meet
| ipo rat 10 worth baarin