The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-02-01

IRE CRUCHNON OF PHILIP STRONG.
BY REV. CHARLES M. SHELDON,
Author Of SIN steps, Do
Kirk" Robert Hardys Seven Days. Etc
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Copyright, 1892 oy The AdDaacs Pslnaastng %.

tie month drew near and he realized
that the battle was one that he mus
wage single handed in a town of so,
coo people.
lie was not so destitute Of support a:
he thought. There were many mothers
hearts in Milton that had ached anC
prayed in agony long years that the al
mighty would come with his power
and sweep the curse away. But Philip
had not been long enough in Milton to
NOW the entire sentiment of the PEG,
pie. he had so far touched only the
church through its representative pull.
pits and few of the leading business
men. and the result had been almost TO
convince him that very little help
could be expected from the public gen.
orally. He was appalled, to find out
what a tremendous hold the whisky
Een hal on the business and pontIcs
of the place. 1t was a revelation to
him of their power. The whole thing
seemed 10 him like travesty Of free
government and a terrible common
tary on the boosted Christianity OF the
century.
So when he walked into the pulpit
the first Sunday of the month he felt
his message burning in his heart and
on his lips as never before. 1t seemed
beyond all question that if Christ was
pastor of Calvary church he would
speak out ia plain denunciation of the
whisky power. And SO, after the open
ing part of the service, Philip rose to
speak, facing an immense audience
that overlooked the galleries and in
vaded the choir and even sat upon the
pulpit platform. Such a crowd had
never been seen In Calvary church be-
fore.
Philip had not announced his sub
ject, but there was an expectation on
the part of many that he was going to
denounce the saloon. In the two
months that be had been preaching in
Milton he had attracted great atten-
ton. His audience this morning rep
resented great many different kinds
Of people. Some came out of curiosi-
". bCIduSC lhC CIONu
was going that way. So 1t happened
that Philip faced truly representative
audience of Milton people. AS his eye
swept over the house he saw four of
the six members of his church who
were up for office at the coming cleo
lion in two weeks.
For an hour Philip spoke as he had
never spoken in all his life before.
His subject. the cause 1t represented,
The immense audience. the entire occa-
sion caught him up in a genuine burst
Of eloquent fury. and his sermon swept
driven by high gale. At the close
be spoke of the power Of the church
with the saloon and showed
now easily il could win the victory
against any kind of evil il 1t were only
United and determined.
Men and women of Milton, fathers,
mothers and citizens" he said, "this |
vii is one which cannot be driven out |
lnless the Christian people Of this
)lace unite 10 condemn il and fight ii |
egardless of results. Ii is too firmly
established. II has its clutch on bust |
less, the municipal life. and even the !
hurch itself. 1t is a fact that the
hurches in Milton have been afraid to |
axe the right stand in this matter.
lembers of the churches have become |
involved in the terrible enlargement
f the long established rum power, IN
il today you witness n condition of
.ffairs which ought to stir the right
Gus Indignation of every citizen and
ather. What is ii you are enduring?
IN institution which blasts with its
poisonous breath every soul that en-
ers it, which ruins young manhood,
which kills more citizens in times of
)eace than the most bloody war ever
lew in times of revolution: an institu
ion that is established for the open
md declared purpose OF getting money
rom the people by the sale OF stuff
hat creates criminals; an institution
hat robs the honest workinGman of
his savings and looks with Indifference
IN the tears of the wife, the sobs of
he mother; an institution that never
gives one cent Of its enormous wealth
70 build churches, colleges or homes
Tor the needy; an institution that has
he brand of the murderer. the harlot,
the gambler burned into it with
brand OF the devils own forging in the
furnace of his hottest hell This institu-
ion so rules and governs this town Of
Milton today that honest citizens treln-
bic before II, business men dare not or
members fawn before ii in order To
gain place in politics, and ministers OF
the gospel confront its hideous influ-
ence and say nothing! 1t is high time
we faced this monster of iniquity and
drove 1t out Of the stronghold il has
occupied so long.
81 wish you could have gone with me
this past week and witnessed some of
the sights | have seen. No! | retract
that statement. would not wish that
any father or mother had had the
heartache that 1 have felt as | con
the ruins of young lives
crumbling into the decay Of premature
hooking the manhood that
God gave them in the Intoxicating
curse OF debauchery. What have
seen? o ye fathers! y We mothers.
Do you know what Is going on in this
place of go saloons licensed by your
own act and made legal by your own
willl You. madam. and you. sir. who
have covenanted together In the fell
lowship and discipleship of the purest
Of God on earth, who have
sat here In front Of this pulpit and par
taken OF the embiems which remind
you or your Redeemer, where are your
sons. your brothers. your lovers, your
friends? They are not here this morn
ing. The church does not have any
hold on them. They are growing up TO
disregard the duties of good citizen