The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-17
SERMON TO THE WHEELMEN.
4 Remarkable Incident in Cycling An
mails.
Capital City Club Members Attend
Rev. A. G. HerriCk'S Church
i'm Body.

Some weeks ago Rev. A. c. Herrick,
pa stor of Oak Park Baptist Church, eX-
tended an invitation to the Capital CITY
Wheelmen to attend divine service at
that church some Sunday evening. The
club accepted the invitation, and last
night was the date fixed. A large sec
ton of the club, headed by President
Ennis and Captain Shaw, left the club
rooms at half-past seven and reached
Oak Park at s, just in time to be seat
ed as the service began.
So far as is known it was the first
time in this State, or on the coast, that
a club of wheelmen went to church in a
body, and by special invitation. There
was a large congregation present, but
an entire section of pews in the body of
the handsome church building had been
reserved for the special guests, who
Were surprised on entering to see sus-
pended over the pulpit and across the
auditorium, a beautiful floral design, in
pure white flowers, on an evergreen
background, reading: Welcome c.
C. w" Beneath there was a wealth
Of flowers about the rostrum. and the
whole the work of the deft hands and
good taste of the ladies of the church.
"A double quartet of singers led the
musical exercises, to organ accompani-
ment
The services began by reading por-
tion Of the 10Th Psalm, followed by the
hymn with the refrain, They Shall
Run and Not Be Weary" The first
lesson was from the 10Sth Psalm, For
Thy mercy is great above the Heavens;
and Thy truth reacheth unto the
clouds" The second lesson was the
parable of the Good Samaritan, fol-
lowed by the words of Paul to the Co
rinthians: Know We not that they
which run in a race run all, but one re-
ceiveth the prize? So run that We may
obtain. And every man that striveth
for the mastery is temperate in all
things" The pastor then read a poem
on the value of kind words This was
followed by the hymn, Whoever Call
eth on the Lord and by an invocation
and the song. The Banner of the
Cross Then followed The DoxoIogy.'
Mr.. Herrick then, in few we'll
chosen words, welcomed the visitors
from the city in the name of his con-
gregation, and referring to a beautiful
American flag draped over a standard
back of the rOstrum, told of an incident
on the same date, May 10th, many
years ago, related to him at the time
when he was in Athens by a gentleman
who thirty years ago established there
certain Christian schools. On that oc-
casion, being annoyed at a church ser
vice by a large number of university
students with whom remOnstrance was
of no avail, he sent his servant to bring
in a beautiful American flag that had
that day been received from the Unit
ed States. Spreading it over the pull
pit, he pointed to it and said it was
the flag Of his country, where religious
service was not disturbed. The stu
dents became silent, and gradually left
the building. Such was the influence
of America upon the Greeks at that
day.
lie related the. incident because, it
happened on the 10th OF May. which
was Sunday also. and because it served
TO show that the flag of a civilization
bears its influence abroad precisely as
does the influence of every man make
itself felt upon some other human be
ing. At his invitation the entire con-
gregation arose and sang America -
The offertory and the evening prayer
followed. and then the sermon.
He took his hearers with him tC
Greece. the nation at this moment Sc
much in the thought of the world. and
having so much its sympathy. He had
visited Athens many years ago, anC
the lesson of what he had seen and
studied there had made a deep impress
sion on him. He trusted some lesson:
might be learned by his hearers from
a story of that land, one great nota blt
event in its ancient history. He de
scribed the location of Athens, ant
dwell upon its beauties and the remain!
of its ancient grandeur. ApprOac hine
the city where it lies on the plains o.
Attica, six miles from the sea. one is
struck by the majesty of a rocky hill
rising from the bosom of the city the
'Acropolis where stood a magnificent
temple of white marble, once the scene
of the worship of NEUROLOGICAL deities
Near 10 it rises abruptly a huge stone
the ascent of which is made by sixteer
steps, cut into the solid rock It's
crown is level. and here are the seats
where the Grecian philosophers anC
Judges sat and ministered to the people
on this elevated place the supreme
Tribunal Of the Greeks was held. and Il
is said that the judges sat blindfolded
To this spot the Greeks came for judg-
1nent, and here it was given with rigor
and oft without mercy. Generations
for centuries Went to Mars Hill for
Judgment. and it came to be recognized
largely as the source and seat of al
knowledge. all safety and justice.
once upon a time there came Il
Athens great man, one of powerful in
fellect. great culture. great courage
and remarkable adroitness and bravery
He was then about 60 years of age
His boyhood days had been passed il
Tarsus, and three civilizations hat
trained his splendidly endowed mind
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