The times., 1899-11-06

A large congregation assembled at 81.
Paul's NJ E. Church. corner of Fifteenth
and r Streets northwest, last night to hear
the second Of the series of sermons on
Jonah" by Rev Stowell s. Bryant The
minister took his text from Jonah i:1l:
And the Lord prepared a great fish to
swallow up Jonah"
The material for the story Of Jonah,
Mr Bryant said, was probably supplied
by tradition that there was such a man as
Jonah. He was called TO preach to the
Ninevites. He at first refused to 90 and
tried to escape from the presence Of Je-
hovah. He was punished for his disobe-
dienee. as men always are punished, and
as result of his punishment he went to
Ninevah and preached as he was originally
bidden.
Some such story as this came down
through TWO or three centuries, or from lip
to lip. until it became almost a legend
My point last Sunday night was this: That
the book was not written with any thought
Of giving an accurate history of Jonah, or
with any intention OF perpetuaing the
memory of the prophet. Jonah lived
about 7SO B. c. The story was written be
tween 53S and 200 in the same era. The
story was seized upon as the channel
through which a lesson might be brought IN
q forceful manner 10 Israel. The form OF
the lesson is that Of parable or aliegoTy
The book of Jonah was written as a polit-
iCal or religious pamphlet. The truth oil
1 the writing does not depend upon the prob
oh of h0 ayppvipngp with the whale.
Let me emphasize the remark already
made-that the purpose of the writer is TO
teach a lesson. not TO write history. The
value Of the book is not diminished one
particle. then. whether the incident Of
Jonah being swallowed by the whale be re-
gsTded as a real occurrence or as the in
veHtion of the popular imagination.
The real hero is Israel or a nation
and nations prosperity must be grounded
en- Gods holy word In a measure we have
learned obedience to it, but we have yet
much 10 learn. The question that is press
ing most earnestly on the heart of the
American people tonight is what will be
the outcome Of the elections this week in
Maryland. Kentucky. and Ohio Not lhe
question CT the Philippines. not the qres-
tiOn as TO who viii be the candidates and
what viii be the issue Of the coming Presi-
Dental campaign. but the one ali i'm
portanI all embracing question, and the
Cne cur answer to which will be found in
the determination Of what our country s
future for the next century viii be, is this:
Are We gCing 10 learn and live and apply
the teaching CT the gospel Of the cross as
thoroughly as we seize and use every new
discovery and invention. We are using
4 the discoveries of the truth of God s mes
sage far more rapidly than we are using
and spreading and living by the power
Of the truth Of Gods gospel and God 5
love. ! repeat that the question important
for US today is whether in this age of
transition. Of the casting off of the old
and the taking on of the new, we are will
ing to live by the cid truth Of the gospel
Of the word OF God.
There can be no better citizen of the
world to assist in the solution OF the Great
problems that confront us than the man
who has a vivid sense Of the probabilities
( Of the world to come, and that his abiding.
true citizenship is the heaven. We are
dwelling tonight upon the lesson Of the
second chapter Of Jonah the significance
of the great fish. The significance in a
word is just this, that obedience 10 the
word of God revealed TO US in the face
Of Jesus Christ brings life-that disobedi-
I ence brings death. The measure OF a man
today is not-not being and not doing but
in doing and being. The measure Of a
man is his obedience or his disObedience
/ TO his ideal man The ideal OF today is
I Jesus Christ, The light has grown brighter
/ and the shadows have grown blacleT. The
! principle through obedience and the pun
ishment Of disobedience is the same.
4 The disobendience of Jonah was TO
! the spoken word OF God. and our dis
! obedience is 10 the loving words of the
/ loving Christ. The seat of authority today
+ is not in the laws Of men, but the cross
4 Of the crucifed redeemer of men.
The tendency is 10 back 10 the begin
( ming as the heather would do. The ques-
tiOns We ask are What would Jesus do2'
What did Jesus do| We are taught that
/ we are the sons Of God. but it is only the
/ privilege that we may become the sons OF
/ God through receiving Jesus Obedience 10
/ him is life To love him, says the eyange-
/ list is to love life, not to love him is
/ not to love life"
During the morning service Mr.. Bryant
/ received a number of new members into
the Church according to the ritualisric ser
/ vice OF the Methodist Episcopal conference
The church is now in d very nourishing
/ condition. The building which is compare
lively new, is said to be one Of the finest
] edihCes OF this denomination in The city
and the congregation includes some of
/ WashiugtOn's most prominent business
men. The sermon last night is the second
of a series which is being delivered by Mr.
( Bryant on the message of Jonah as ap-
piled 70 the men Of today.
The Rev Mr.. Bryant takes the stand that
the book Of Jonah is a piece of literature
and should be treated as such
The third sermon Of the series viii be