The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-25
THE BACKSLIDERS.
Rev. DIR. Wheeler
Talks on This Glass
at Campiheeting.
ROUSING AFTERNOON SERVICE.
Bishop Mallalieu on the
Grace and Love
of God.
ROUSING AFTERNOON SERVICE.

Sterling Campgrounds, Aug. "a
A fine mist and the general murkiness
of the sky tended to make the attend
ance at the campmeeting small today,
though this was to be the proverbial be
day. The crowd was larger than on
any other day, however, and the meet
ings were well attended. A number of
teams from the surrounding towns
brought in loads during the forenoon,
and each train left behind a small ar
my of visitors, who braved the rain to
hear Bishop Mallalieu.
The services began as usual at
o'clock, and were held at 8 o'clock in
Rev. Mr.. Sanderson's tent and in the
Waltham church house, where DR..
James Nudge delivered an interesting
address on the baptism of the Holy
Ghost. Regular services were held at
the Swedish tabernacle. the speakers
being Rev. Endgren of Chicago and
Rev. Whyman of Worcester.
Before the sermon at 10 o'clock "A.
B. F. Kinney, president of the associa-
ton, had a collection taken to help pay
the standing debt of the association,
$4,000. Several hundred dollars were
Rev. DIR. Leonard of Melrose.
He spoke from the text taken from
Mark xviii But go your way, tell his
disciples and Peter that he goeth before
you into Galilee; there shall We see him,
as he said unto you, and said in part
I'VE cannot believe for an instant but
what there are many people in a con-
gregation like this who have not been
living in the best way for a Christian,
and l want to speak on Gods tender
ness to the backsliders. / define the
word to fit most of the cases of this
kind. BY the term 1 must include ev-
cry person who has ever been nearer
God than at this time. l should include
everyone who has had a clearer vision of
God and a greater joy than they have
now. / should like to include those who
are like Constantine or like Judas;
those whom the Bible calls backsliders
of heart. / would include all those who
say, 1 had the clear vision of God
once, but I haven't it today There
may be those who never professe
Christ You, too, are backsliders, for
there was a time in your life when
arms and said, of such is the king
dom of heaven.
THE first characteristic of this form
of life is shown by the spiritual weak
ness of man. God has placed in man
an innate desire to be strong. but haw
many who have sought to use their
strength have found it to have passed
awav. The consciousness Of the lack
of joy is another characteristic.
1.-THE soul that has gone away from
the light of the gospel into darkness
can have no joy. l wish you to ask in
your own. souls if the Christian joy is
as great today as it was when Christ
spoke your soul forgiven. Another
characteristic is a sense of spiritual
poverty. The consciousness of poverty
is one that brings sorrow to us and
we try to cover it >up. Many a life
goes on when the Christian experience
has gone away and has left only the
chips.
If we get into this condition, the
future is very sad. The soul that has
to say yesterday was better than to-
day, that soul is sad, for you are
coming from the sun-lit mountain top
into the mists of the valley. We have
no message for you unless you come
back to Christ. You may lose your
Christian experience unconsciously,
but the loss is the same.
Gods message to this class is not
the anathema of divine wrath. but is
one of infinite tenderness. God so
lONCB YOU b41S1t liz NOJAlCS " ~ " give
you happiness and his blessing. The
parable of the prodigal son teaches
what you may expect from God when
you return to him"
The services of the Woman's Foreign
Missionary Society were held in the
auditorium at / O'Clock, opening with
the missionary hymn, Send the light.
Scriptures were read and prayer Of
fered by Mrs r. w. Wallace of Somer-
Vile, and then Mrs. Mary c. Nine, tthe
little bishop" was introduced who in
turn introduced Miss Effie Young, who
has Just returned from Pekin, China
Miss Young recited the Lords prayer
and sang two hymns in Chinese after
which Mrs. Nine gave a talk on the
need Of missions, telling of life in
China, India and Japan, as she had seen
it, and making an appeal to American
women 10 do their share in the work
The 2 o'clock service was the most
largely attended meeting Of the week.
Over 1000 peopole were seated in the au-
ditorium and on the platform We're all
the ministers present on the grounds
Scriptures were read by Rev. Nels
Eagle Of Worcester and Bishop NAL
lalieu, the speaker for the afternoon
was introduced. Before the bishop be-
gan his sermon he invited Mrs Nine
to the platform and then invited the
auQlence 10 snake hands with her after
the service, and give what they could
for her work.
Bishop Mallalieu. after speaking OF
the spirit Of Sterling camp meeting,
asked adj members of churches t.
stand, and in response nearly every one
of the audience rose. When they were
seated he announced his text from
Corinthians viii, 9: For We know the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though he was rich. yet for your sakes
he became poor, that We through his
poverty might become rich" After
describing briefly Paufs journey tc
Macedonia, he said in part:
He went on with his journey and
came to Athens. where the people
seemed to be glad to hear him speak
He preached out of doors there. It is a
great thing to get out of doors to
preach the gospel; but it's got so nov
that you can't give away missionary
tract on Boston common unless you dc
It on the sly. The people liked to hear
Paul and he gave them an grafton and
made converts. So you needn't despair
for great literary efforts, for great ser
mons; God blesses them as well as
others.
Then Paul went down to Corinth and
stayed there two years, preaching