The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-25

An Interesting Sermon Preached by
the Rev. Virgil w. Teyis.

At F1etcher-place Church yesterday
morning the Rev. Virgil w. Tevis. the
pastor. preached from John Nv, IL: Thou
hast nothing TO draw with, and the we'll
is deep" DR.. Tevis said in part: 1.-THE
Savior sat beside an ancient well. The
glory of tradition covered it. as the moss
of ages covered its stones. 1t teemed with
sacred memories. Its waters had been
flowing since Jacob dug it generations be-
fore. Untold thousands had slaked their
thirst there. To the people no other wa
ters were quite so sweet. There was water
in abundance, but an apparent inability to
obtain it. for the we'll was deep. Jesus
uses ii as a figure of the well whose wa
ters give eternal life; and as such a figure
we use II this morning.
The well is deep. Depth, is a figure
appropriately used for %profundity, or
plenty. The scheme of salvation is the
most profound study that ever agitated
the minds Of men. Religion finds a pecuI-
lar conditions of affairs among men when
1T steps into the arena to struggle with
evil and conquer 1T. The race is like q
garden full of thistles and poisoning weeds
Like a painting almost obliterated. but
still giving traces OF a master hand; like
the ruins of a former magnificent edifce.
The garden must by cultivation bloom with
flowers again. The painting must be re-
stored. and the ruins rebuilt. Unlike these
liz uAlAd uCallS are the most SpnCl-
tive things in the universe to work upon
The canvas will respond to the painters
touch and glow with life, but a human
heart is not always responsive. The bigb-
est nature of man must be woke up. The
sleepers in the upper chamber must he
aroused. Holy desires must come TO life
Men have lived along low levels for so
long, that they must be introduced again
TO the better angels of their natures. This
requires the touch of a divine hand: the
breathing of a divine breath. When men
- $500 -
the other extreme. Their zeal almost con-
sumeS them. Like brothers long absent
from each other. who. when they meet.
have eyes for nothing but each other: so.
brother there is such an affection gener-
ated in the union that material things be-
come of secondary Importance.
"But the race is made up of all classes.
The laughing child has her needs. Just as
real to her as the ponderous demands of a
philosopher. Religion must fit each. The
gospel recognizes the man as distinguished
from the costume he wears. The tinsel is
stripped from the favored son of fortune
and the rags and smut of labor drop from
the poorest toiler and each is weighed as
a man. on the manly religion works. We
desire 20 become like the divin~ man. We
take him for our pattern. Religion meets
the impotency OF men. This as a race
of sinners is a discouraged race. Men have
so often tried and failed. To such hone
comes and whispers a new glow upon their
checks and hangs a star in their midnight
the star OF BetnleneM-
The greatest problem religion has 10
solve is not infdelity; this question solves
itself in the heart OF every honest doubter.
But the question of Indifference. of lack of
thought upon the subject, this is the prob
lem. Men get satisfied with sin like a
drunken man who is satisfied with the mire
into which he falls and sleeps. Sinners
are filled with self-complacency. The
Spirit of God does not leave these men
alone. The voice speaks TO them in the
night watches. God wings lessons on
events. like men tie messages on carrier
pigeons. Events in His lie become re-
minders 10 Him. Self-complacency Is
shaken. Sin becomes dissatisfying. The
veneer wears on. The leaves fan from its
poisonous blossoms. and leave the thorns.
The flesh drops from its bones, and leaves
the hooking skeleton. Gods plan IS deep
enough TO reach every man.
Take the depth OF the well as emblemat-
zeal OF plenty; s~uffiCiency. Religion meets
all demands. This code OF ethics produces
healthy bodies. The race is getting longer
lived because OF obeying Gods laws in
nature. Religion feeds the higher aspira-
tons. Such is the vivifying effect OF the
gospel that the most ardent desires OF the
soul are satisfied. Men are purified from
vicious inclinations and the clean heart