Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-12-19
SUNDAY EVENIN3 SER
MON DELIVERED BY
THE REV. EFFIE
K. M. JONES.
The Third and Last in the Series of
Sermons to Young Men Delivered
at the Univerfalist Church
Last Evehing.

Nis' ooles LoOk lter text last night
from John, second chapter, 14th, 5th
and 18th verses.
have written unto you, young men. be.
cause ye are strong and the word of God
abideth in you and We have overcome the
wicked one. Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If anv man
love the world, the love Of the Father is not
in him. And the world passeth away and
the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of
God abideth forever
The speaker first related an anerdote.
Two men were discussing the affairs of
third, and one asked the other if the
third had religion. The reply was,
"Well, don't know whether he has or
not, but if he has ii is in his wife s name"
"lt is deplorable fact that in this
country four women are habitual church
goers to every man. That is not true
here, nor is it true in most of the liberal
churches. but it is nevertheless true that,
most men have religion in their wife's
name and leave the performance of
church duties 10 their wives and daugh-
ters. Progressive preachers have some
times sent out cards to young men, ask
ng the reasons why they did not attend
church, with the idea of making
some reform in the church so as to make
it more attractive place. What is
really needed is not reformation in the
church but reformation in the man.
To-day more than ever before does
the church need its young men. First
of all it needs their attendance. All
ages of people as well as all sorts and
conditions are represented in the church
and the young men must not be lack
ing. Again it needs their names on
its rolls. Young men can not make ef-
fective workers in their mo.urcr years
unless they receive their training while
young. The church needs the enthu-
siasm of young men---those who are al
ways enthusiastic and don't know what
failure is, in whose vocabulary the word
impossible is not found.
"But this is not all, that the church
needs you. You have much greater
need of the church than the church has
of you. In the midst of our advanced
civilization. when many of the barriers
70 temptation have been taken away,
young men need the restraint of the
church; they need the reni lder sent
forth from our churches every Sabbath
morning that there is something better
than worldly successes, namely right
eousness. You need the encourage
ment the church can give. Young men
often think they can make great reforms,
but when batteworn, beaten and dis
couraged would give up unless they re-
ceive fresh courage from the church.
"Ycu need then the restraint, en-
couragement and inspiration of the
church, but most OF all its ideal. What
mans ideal is depends altogether up
on his surroundings. You need n puri-
tied ideal, cleansed from the dross of
selishness and from that which is low
aud base. The church holds up to your
contemplation and emulation the like
ness of perfect man-the highest ideal.
Let us now consider some OF the eX-
cuses of young men for not attending
church. Some will say the church
doesn't interest hem-they don't enjoy
I ii. How many people enjoy doing 'heil
daily work? There are very few who
if thew could do exactly as they pleased
would continue the daily routine tt
which they are accustomed. The churcl
was not designed for entertainment; l
stands to set forth the Christian idea
and the necessity of leading perfec
life. Others don't meet with suificen
cordiality. Well, the church is intend
ed for neither entertainment nor n socla
club. :.
Some people say that the preacher i
at fault. They hear an address by som
noted speaker and 90 home saying
.Well. il | could hear something llk
tina, when | went to church | would g
oflener.' That same address was th'
result of weeks and months OF hard
earnest work and you might as well ex
lpect Thanksgiving turkey every day II
the year as to expect to be equal
pleased every time you 60 to churc0
What the church tries to do in som
form ut every service is to present tn
ideal of perfect manhood. 1t has mould
cd civilization. refined mankind and in
creased the efficiency of the laws.
"But the time will come when 20
will need the church. 1t can minlste
only as it is ministered unto and CIV
only as it receives. Can you then OK
pect help, unless you have helped
make the church strong and etfectlV
and so able to give help to you.
..No man has done what he ouyt
unless he has made his lifo we'll rounde
and perfected, and only he is worthy
be called man who with one nan i!
holds to the things of the world and VIII
the other reaches out for higher an
better things.
II pray for you, young men, a oecaus
YOU are strong, because the woro
God abideth in you, because through u
aid of God and His love you are aoIe