The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-13
MOODY ON MAKING EXCUSES.
PARABLE OF THE LORD, WHO IN
VITED THE WEALTHY TO HIS
FEAST.

parent Contradictions of the Bible.
Hypocrffes I'm the Church Not Good
Excuses for Not AIIying Ones Self
With the Christian brotherhood.
The RevivaIisrs Programme for
the Remainder of His stay in the
City.
Evangelist Moody preached one OF his
strongest sermons at the Independent
Presbyterian church last night.
AS usual, the church proper, aisles and
galleries were filled TO overlooking and
many were turned away. The crowd last
night was closely estimated at 2.10O TO
$50. and that at the afternoon meeting
at 1900. The subject dealt with at the
afternoon meeting was the assurance
given the Christians and the faithful in
the Bible OF life and eternity.
The customary excellent music with the
large choir, led by Prof. Spencer NJ. White.
was had at both services. Mr.. Moody
announced before beginning his serman
last night that he would conduct sur
vices to-day and tomorrow at the same
hours, o'clock and o'clock p. m. Sun
day afternoon at A o'clock there will be
special service for the ladies, and Sun
day night at s o'clock a special service
for the men. Monday there will be SER
vices at the usual hours, and Monday
night will close the services at the In
dependent Presbyterian church. Tuesday
and Wednesday he will preach twice each
day to the colored people at one of the
colored Baptist churches.
Last night Mr. Moody spoke about ex-
cuses people give for not becoming Chris
tians. He read portion of the 14th chap
for NJ fEa
parable of the lord who gave a feast to
which he invited number Of his wealthy
friends, all Of whom made excuses, where
upon the servants of the host were sent
into the highways and byways and Invited
in the poor and the down-fallen
Mr.. Moody said he never saw a man or
a woman either, who was not ready to 20
TO feaSt, but when they wanted to stay
away from any place they were always
ready to give excuses, and often spent
some time in conjuring them up. The
three men who gave excuses in this case
he said, found themselves in a very PEE
culiar position. when they had to inspect
real estate, try a yoke of oxen and get
married at supper time. These three men
were all liars, he said but he Ventured 10
say there We're men and women in the
congregation who could not conjure up
as good excuses as these three men did,
should they be asked why they did not
become Christians.
All OF them, he said, were ready to give
excuses, and they had all sorts of them.
He spoke OF the skeptcs who said they
could not reconcile themselves to the
statements, and yet, he said, when asked
about il, they all admitted they were not
competent to pass upon its merits be-
cause they had not read II carefully. He
never met but one skeptic, he said who
said he had read the Bible through, and
he didn't believe him. The only words
Were Jesus wept" and they did not
show that he had read it to any extent.
No nation, Mr.. Moody said, had ever
made any material progress without the
Bible, and he gave several examples to
show how the presence or absence of the
Bible had made or married nations, and
how those nations which had tried to give
it up had deteriorated.
Another excuse he mentioned was that
some people were not Christians and
church members because they believed
they were not of the elect "Whosoever
will may come" Mr.. Moody said. The
club and the secret society keep all eX-
cept their members outside, but when the
gospel meeting is reached all are invited
in and the speakers talk to the people
about about the elect si,o when they get
trine of election, he said, but in it's
proper place. The elect were those who
in heart and soul chose to come and be
He spoke too of those who were not
Christians, because they did not want to
give up the pleasures of life. A man
could never find any pleasure in serving
the devil, he said, and If anyone got up in
the audience and said Il have enjoyed
serving the devil he would hear from al
most every pew, \ GU re liar. The true
Christian, he said, always lived a happy
life.
Hypocrfts in the church, he said consti-
tute another excuse.
I'm find 100 hypocrits in the world where
you find one in the church," he said. "As
long as the world lasts the wheat and the
tares Will grow. together Therell be no
hypocrits at this feast you're invited to-
Come to it tonight. There are no flaws
in Christs character. There'd be Jubilee
in hell tonight If they could find flaw in
ready to spend time on their physical
bodies, but they give too little care and ar
tention to. the immortal part of them
which is the important part"
Too much excitement" he said, was
another reason why some were unwilling
TO be converted tonight They did not
ike sensational preaching and large
crowds. He said he only wished there was
100 times more excitement but if there
We're any who wanted to be converted
without excitement, he said he would hunt
up n church for them tomorrow. or If
he couldn't find a quiet church he would
take them to the grave yard.
Mr.. Moody devoted considerable discus-
SION 70 the question of belief and faith
Inability to believe was an excuse. he said
which many gave because they did not be-
become Christians because of some one
sin which they could not give up. IL thew
We're leading impure lives, they We're ready
their
failure to attend to their Christian dulles
Mr.. Moody was very interesting when
he spoke of young club men who presume
ably refused to go to the bar and drink
What been to hear Moody have Won >
Did he convert you? So Moody caught YOU
did he?" were the questions he suggested
as having been asked some of them
Such sneers and scoffing, he said. should
not be needed, and he admired and praised
the man who praised God in spite OF such
talk and jeering.
In fifteen minutes there'n be some of
these young men here. in the saloons
laughing and cracking jokes over what's
been heard here tonight. God grant it
may not happen. God help you to accent
this invitation tonight Come, will YOU do
It? The invitation is before you. will you
do it? Let us bow our heads in prayer''
Mr.. Moody closed the meeting with a
fervent prayer, after which he went TO the
inquiry meeting at the First Baptist church
which was attended by about 500 DeonIe =
TRUCKERS MUST KEEP OFF.