The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-10-05

on the Cod given mission. telling the peo-
ME what thew need and when and how
thew can get il.
Comparatively little effort s We, has
been made ~ save that large class Of nor.
sons in our midst called steptics. and ~
who goes to work here will not he hpild.
ing Upon another man fNpndatiN~ There
is large nur,her of them. They are
| afraid of us and our churches for tho rca-
son we a. not know how - treat them
Ore of this class met Christ and heard
with what tenderness ard nathos and
heslty aud s''rccSs Ch~ist dealt with hir'
Thou shalt love the lord thv God with
all thy heart ani with al thv soul, and
with oil thv mird.. and with oil thv
strength This IL the first and great
| commandment and tho second is like unto
/ it-ramelv. I oou shalt love thy ncighhor
as thyself There is none otner cow.
ms a~amer' greater than 'hese AnA the
| scribe said 10 Him. well M,ster. Thop
hast said the truth. for there is one God.
ard ~ love Him with all the heart. and
all the understanding. and all the soul
and oil the strength. is moro than whole
burnt offerings AMI sacrihccs' And wher
Jesus saw that h. answered discreetlv He
said unto Him. Thou avt not far from
the kingdom Of God " So skeptic was
saved in one interview. But few Chris.
tian people treat the skcplc in that WAY
Instead Of taking hold of him with the
gentle hand Of love we are ant to take
hi-, with the pinrhers of ccrleslas'icism.
You would not I've so rough on that m,r
! IL YOU knew how he lost his faith in Chris.
t,antv. | have known mon sleptical from
the fact that they g~w ~ IN houses whore
religion "a ovcrdonc. Sunday was tho
most awful dav IN the week They had
religion driven into them with trip ham
mer: they were surfelted with PRAYER
| A. a. i
| with catechlsms: they were often told
thst they were the worst bows the parents
ever knew because they liked TO ride down
hill better than to read Bunyan's PHI
grim's Progress"
Whenever father and mother talked Of
religion they drew down the corners of
their mouth and rolled up their eyes. II
anv one thing will send boy or gr 90
ruin ,,oncr than another that is It. II
had such a father and mother | fear !
should have been an lnidel
Others were trippcd up to slcptcsm
from being grievously wrongcd hy some
man who profcsscd to hc Christian.
| They had a partner an business who turned
out To TO n hrst-cass scoundrol though a
nrofcsscd Christian Many years ago they
lost all faith hv what happened IN an oil
company which was formed amid the pc.
trolcum excitement The company owned
l
oil produced, but the President of the
company was PRESBYTERIAN elder and the
/ Treasurer was an Episcophlan VcstrNmau,
and one director was n Methodist class
leader. aud the other directors prominent
members of Baptlst and Congregational
churches Circulars were got out telling
what fabulous prospects opened before
this company. Innocent men and women
who had a little money 10 invest. and that
little their all. said II do not know any.
thing about this company, hut 80 many
good men are at the head of II that II
must hc excellent, and taking stock IN It
must ho almost aS good ~ joining tho
church So thoy bought the stock and
perhaps received one dividend, 40 as 10
keep them still, but after awhile they
found that tho company had reorganlzcd.
and had n different president ard a diff.
fcrent treasurer and different directors
| Other engagements or III health had
caused the former officers Of the comnanv
with manv regrets 10 resign. And all
that tie subscribers of that stock had to
show for their investment was beautl
fully ornamented certificate. Sometimes
| that man looking over his old papcrs
comes across that certificate. and II ~ so
suggestive that he vows he wants none of
the religion that the president and trus
tees and directors of that oil company
! professcd.
oh, skepticism ia dark land There
are men who would give a thousand
worlds. II they possessed them, TO get
back TO the placid faith of their fathers
and mothers, and II ~ our place TO help
| them, and we may help them, never
through their heads, but always through
| their hearts.
These skeptics. when brought 10 Jesus
will be nightly effective. Ear more 80 than
! those who never examined the evidences
! Of Christianity Thomas Chalmers was
once slScptic. Robert Hall n skeptc,
/ Robert Newton a skcptic. Christian Evans
| a skeptic. But when once with strong
hand they took hold of the chariot Of the
| gospel they rolled II on with what mo.
| mcntum
Nj address such men and women to-day
! ! throw out no scof ! impcad them by
| the memory OF the good old days when AT
| their mothers knee they said. low ]
! lay me down 60 sleep and by those days
and nights Of scarlet fever IN which she
/ watched you. giving you the medicine ~
! lust the right time and turning your pill
| low when It was hot, and with hands that
| many years ago turned 30 dust soOthcd
| away your paIn and with voice that you
VIII never hear again, unless you join her
! IN !ar better country, told you 10 never
mind. for you would feel better by and
! by, and by that dying couch where she
! looked 20 pale and talked 10 slowly. catch.
! ING her breath between the words, aud you
! felt on awful loneliness coming over your
soul-by all that ! beg you 10 come back
and take the same religion.
II was good enough for her; It is good
/ enough for you Nav. ! have n better plan
than that I plead by all he wounds and
| tears and blood and Rroans and agonies
| and death thrOcs 0f the Son Of God, who
| approaches you this moment with torn
| brow and laccratcd hands and whipped
| back and saying. Come unto Me all We
who are weary and heavy laden, and ] will
| give you rest
| Again. flcrc il a field of usefulness but
! little touched. occupied by those who are
astray IN their habits Al northern ma.
! tiOns like those of North American and
/ England and Scotland - that H. m the
| colder climatcg-arc devastated boy alco-
! holism They take the fire 10 keep up
! the warmth IN southern countries, like
! Arabia and Spain. the blood ~ 30 warm
| they arc not tempted 30 fiery liquids. The
| great Roman armies never drank any
! thing stronger than water tingcd With
| vinegar. but under our northern climate
/ the temptation 90 heating stimulants ~
most mighty and millions succumb When
| a mans habits go wrong. the church drops
! him the social circle drops him, good in
| Auences drop him-wc al drop him. or
| all the men who get ON the track but few
even get on again.
| Destitute children Of the street offer n
! field Of work comparatively unOccupicd.
/ The uncarcd for children are IN the ma
| j1rity IN most oi our cities. When they
| grow up. II unrcformcd they viii outyOtc
/ your children, and they will govern your
! childrc