The weekly intelligencer., 1900-10-06

=
most awful day in the week. They
had religion driven into them with
a trip hammer. They were surfeited
with prayer meetings They were
stuffed and ehoked with esteehisms-
They were often told that they were
the worst boys the parents ever knew,
because they liked to ride down hill
better than to read Bunyan's "Pil-
grim's Progress" Whenever father
and mother talked Of religion, they
drew down the corners OF their
mouth and rolled up their eyes. IL
any one thing win send a boy or
girl to ruin sooner than another,
that is IT, II had such father and
mother / fear | should have been an
infidel.
Others were tripped up to skepti-
ciSm from being grievously wronged
BY some man who professed to be
Christian. They had a partner in
business who turned out 10 be hrst-
class seoundrel. though . professed
Christian. Many years ago they lost
all faith by what happened in an oil
company which was formed amid the
petroleum excitement. The COM
pany owned no land. or II they did
there was no sign Of oil produced;
but the president Of the company was
a Presbyterian elder. and the treas
urer was an Episcopalian vestryman,
and one director was a Methodist |
class leader and the other directors
porminent members Of Baptist and
Congregational churches. Circulars
were gotten out telling what fabulous
prospects opened before this company.
Innocent men and women who had a
little money to invest. and that little
their all, said: II do not know any
thing about this company, but so
many good men are at the head of 1t
that II must be excellent, and TAX
ing stock in It must be almost as
good as joining the church" So
| they bought the stock and perhaps
received one dividend SO as TO keep
them still, but after awhile they
found that the company had reor-
Ranized, and had different presi-
dent ard different treasurer and dif-
fereut directors. Other engagements
or III health had caused the former
officers Of the company, with many re-
grets. TO resign. And all that the
subscribers of that stock had TO show
for their Investment was beautifully
ornamented certificate. Sometimes
that man, looking over his old papers,
comes across that certificate. and It
is so suggestive that he vows he
wants none OF the religion that the
president and trustees aud directors
Of that oil company professed.
or course, their rejection OF religion
on such grounds was unphilosophical
and unwise. ] am told that many Of
the United States army desert every
year, and there are many court-mar-
tials every year. Is that anything
against the United States government
that swore them in7 And IL a soldier
OF Christ deserts, is that anything
against the Christianity which he
swore to support and defend? How do
you Judge OF the currency Of coun-
, try? BY a counterfeit bill? Now, you
must have patience with those who
have been swindled by religious pre-.
tenders. Live in the presence of Others
, n frank, honest, earnest Christian life
> that they may be attracted to the same
. Saviour upon whom your hopes de.
4 pend.
A Remember, skepticism always has
e some reason, good or bad, for existing
n Goethe's irreligion started when the
# news came 10 Germany Of the earth
s quake at Lisbon. November /, 1775
: That 60 900 people should have pc rishss
n in that earthquake and in the aftei
a rising OF the Tagus river so stirred hii
o sympathies that he threw up his belize
II in the goodness of God.
,s II | addres such men and women to
,e day, / throw out no scoff. impleat
IT them by the memory of the good ole
days when at their mothers knee thel
In said: "Now lay me down TO sleep
n and by those days and nights OF scarle
" fever in which she watched you. Civ
,e ing you the medicine in Just the righ
,e time and turning your pillow when /
ne was hot, and with hands that many
~ years ago turned to dust soothed away
IL your pain and with voice that you will
a. never hear again, unless you join he
IN In the better country, told you to neye
10 mind, for you would feel better by AM
10 by, and by that dying couch where sh
u looked 20 pale and talked SC slowly
20 catching her breath between the words
n. and YOU felt an awful Loneliness com
Oh ing over your soul. By all that bel
ne you to come back and take the sam
se religion. 1t was good enough for hei
OF Il is good enough for you. Nay.
ne have better plan than that. plea
ei BY all the wounds and tears and bloc
n and groans and agonieS and deaf
n 1hroes of the Son Of God who az
al proaches you at this moment with tor
u brow and lacerated hands and whippe
Is back, and saying; Come un.o me, a
er ye who are weary and heavy ladeI
~ and will give you rest"
nd Again, there Ia a field OF usefulne,
TO but little touched, occupied by thos
ne who are sstray in their habits. A
he northern nations, like those OF Mort
al America and England and Scotland
IT. that Is, In the colder climates are de-
ee sstated by alcoholism. They take tn
sir fire TO keep up the warmth. In soutl
nj ern countries, like Arabia and Spail
10 the blood Is so warm they are nc
" tempted to fiery liquids. The grei
all Roman armies never drank anythin
iia stronger than water tinged with vim
W. gar, but under our northern elimat
is' the temptation TO heating stimulanl
* is most mighty, and millions suceum
ne When mans habits go wrong II
l. church drops him. the social circ
drops him, good influences drop hin
Im we all drop him. OF all the men VIII
re get of the track but few ever get G
~ again. Near my summer residen'
he there Is hfe.saving station on Il
le' beach. There are all the ropes on
lld rockets. the boats, the machinery Il
M getting people of shlpwrecks. oi
I'm summer ] saw there is or 20 men WI
LET were breakfafting after having just .
an capped with their lives and nothiF
en- more. Up and down our coasts o.
70 built these useful structures, and Il
al mariners know Il, and they feel th
~ II they are driven TO the breakers the
gs will be apt from shore to come n rescu
ed The churches Of God ought to be
rk many life-saving stations, not
N much 10 help those who are in smoo
q waters. but those who have been shl
rs wrecked, Come. let US run out 4
or lifeboatsl And who will man then
TO We do not preach enough 70 au
et menI we have not enough faith
~. their release. Alas, II when th
le- come 10 hear Us we are laboriopi
on trying to show the difference betWe