The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-10-11
REV. j. p. cuLpEPpER.


Editor Gazette: The above
named gentleman Is now holding
a protraeted meeting at lst Bap-
tist church, Osyka, and win
doubtless give good account Of
the Lord 5 stewardship at that
place, Some people go into the
pulpit TO preach and they do not
even wear y preachers look. Mr..
Culpepper looks like a preacher
from top TO toe. a no little space,
either. He has a preachers solid
look and voice. and ono at once
understands the fact that he is
not there TO give out pulpit jokes,
but to lead the minds Of his hear
ers heayenward. His text was
from Isaiah 52:1, Awake,
awake, put on thy strength, oh
Hion,' etc.
People thought God had for
gotten Zion, and some think %
yet, al the Lords interest in
the world il as great at one time
rs at another. His people may
become dead towards him, but
his love 20 Jhem il ever the same.
God is more merciful 70 us than
we have ever been to ourselves
There are times when Christians
are more revived than they are
at others, and this q mes from
loss Of interest by those who
have ceased to labor for tho
Lord. A sleeping giant is less
powerful than a small active
man. a careless. Indifferent
membership in q church is but q
sleeping giant. Activity pro-
duces great resulta. He said he
knew Of a Sabbath School kept
up and carried through months
Of discomfort by two active, con-
secrated women, and also could
say that he knew when three
members had carried a prayer
meeting, and saved the church
from tho stain or having no
prayer meeting by their own un-
aided efforts. Some members
are so weak they never give their
children any advice along reli-
gious lines. Men not filled with
blessings because they care not
to be. a man may 90 TO an
ocean for water and carry a
small cup. and therefore can get
but his cup full Of water.
1t is nice, he said, to strew
flowers upon casket where a
friend lies, but nicer still to put
the flowers into living hand.
We should confer our gifts upon
those who need. and could enjoy
them, not upon the dead, who
need them not. The blessings
God gives are always new. The
springs gay flowers are as fresh
nowadays and look as beautiful
as they did a thousand years ago,
and the stars will come out to-
night in all their jeweled sphere,
bright as those that shone on the
waters Of deep Galilee, whore the
Star of Bethlehem did when it
guided the Magi TO whore the
Savior lay.
Are your hosts here ready for
an onward movement? Then
gather your arms; jesus willlead
you. He said people in begin
ming a protracted meeting, often
prayed for a great blessing, and
often did not receive it because
the Lord saw nothing there 10
bless. He hoped that the people
here had something to bless, and
if they had, the Lord would bless
it. We must have something 10
bless before the Lord can bless
it.
He stated also, that shore was
much complaint along the line Of
the coldness of sinners TO receive
the gospel; but that he always
had found as little anxiety on the
part OF members Of the church to
get sinners fully enlisted for the
Lord, as he had ever found on
the part of sinners to enlist.
That we all lacked power, be-
cause we had not sought it pray
erfully. memo.