The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-08

Rev. +. ID. Meyer Addresses an Inn
mense Audience in TOmlinson Hall.

Rev. r. ID. Meyer Addresses an Inn
mense Audience in Tomlinson Hall.
The audience that greeted the Rev. f.
B. Meyer last night was one of the largest
that has ever assembled III Tomlinson Hall.
Every seat on the main floor and in the gal
leries occupied long before o'clock,
and the big stage was crowded to the
edge. BY the time Mr.. Meyer arose to an
nounce the text the aisles were filled with
people who were forced to stand through
out the entire service. The sermon was
based on the following text: Let us there
fore cast off the works Of darkness, and
let put on the armor of light Romans
Kill T.
Mr.. Meyer said in part: my message
to the whole of you is that you put off the
works of darkness and put on the armor Of
light. The works of secret sin have no fit
place in the hearts of those who profess
Christianity. There are many here tonight
wno have never committed an overt act Of
darkness-this for the sake of policy and
many other reasons. But are there not
many of you who secretly cherish the
thought Of and the desire for the forbidden
things? The young man with his social and
business obligations does not commit the
overt act, but at night when he is alone
and none can see he opens the gates 10
his castle and allows the ilthiness of the
flesh and the spirit TO flood his soul with
unrestrained longing.
But to you who listen | say the sin is
in the thought as we'll as in the act. The
man who INDUCES in alcoholism becomes
gradually but surely a physical wreck
Day by day he becomes more emaciated I'M
til he finally dies lost to all that was best
in him and in life. The. Thought conceived
and allowed to join hands with desire
steals subtly over the brain and as subtly
and with absolute certainty wrecks it. If
L were not a Christian, but simply a NOR
alist l would say brothers and sisters
young men and young women, fathers and
mothers, put off these things that sap your
strength and enervate your whole system.
WORKS OF DARKNESS.
Again l say to you put off these works
of darkness, because they are secretly MAX
ing your destiny. The thought of Butler
as amplifed by Thackerey is thought, acts,
habit, character, destiny We pass from
one stage to the other. AS we sow so must
we reap. 1 am reminded of a story that
once told a pupil of mine. 1 wanted to i'm
press this very thought upon lis brain so
that he would never forget it, In the
presence Of the class wound few strands
OF thread around his body and told him to
break it, He did so with ease. Then L
Ncullu more Oh the AROUND MIN ana
this time he released himself with diff
hculty. Then / wound more thread around
him and to the end of the thread L tied
a piece of Irvine and to the Irvine a rope
and to the rope chain and when all was
around him / locked ii with a paddock and
then L told him to break it, He stood mute
and helpless Even so with our thoughts
which are gradually grown into acts; acts
into habits and habits into character and
then destiny. Destiny. destiny destinyi
WHAT, my hearers, is your destiny to be?
/ Nn hnfnrQ hl cd
before your character is cast TO heed the
words of the text and begin for the end
before it is too late.
God made our lives that we might i'm
bibe the good that is in the world, and He
wants to rid ourselves of these things Of
darkness. He is training us for heaven, and
preparation we cannot enter there. God
couldn't let a bad man into heaven. If He
did the man would not want TO stay five
minutes for it would not be heaven to him.
] ask you to put off these things of dark
ness because your time is getting short.
Salvation is nearer than what we believe.
Day by day we nearer approach the end.
TIME TO QUIT.
Now, if the reasons that / have given
are conclusive TO your mind. then it is
time you quit your drinking; then it is time
you quit your gambling. your morphine
eating your destroying and enervating
deeds of darkness. Whilst l speak you may
resolve that you will never utter another
oath; you may make up your mind that you
will never do another bad or Infamous
thing. Here and now is the time and place
to throw off your deeds of darkness. L am
speaking here tonight TO thousands of men
and women. and If they must have their
things of darkness. they must, but God
can't save them. If He could the death of
Christ was a needless thing. God can't
save you unless you try to save yourself.
But don't be satisfied with the negative
side of the question and content yourselves
with tearing off the old dead works. Re-
promise and means for you TO put the
armor of light. You say that God permits
temptation 10 assail He does, but only
TO show us where our armor is weak. Put
on the mantle of Christ, and 1t becomes an
armor to mortify the devil
Another thing-dont expect to be over
come; don't expect to sin. Never expect to
cased in the armor of right thinking and
right doing. Take Christ with you when
you go. Encompass yourself in Him and
the devil will never cross the portal of your
soul. Believe that God can keep you Dare
to trust Him; dare to give yourself entirely
to the loving Savior, and from this mo-
ment put on His glorious armor. Put we on
the works of Jesus and don't expect 20
fall
Mr. Meyer left the city shortly after mid
night last night for Chicago where he will
deliver two addresses this afternoon and
evening. He will then go TO Omaha, Neb.
leaving Chicago Tuesday morning. His
next appointment will be in Allegheny Pa
after which he will proceed to New York
where he will take a steamer for England,
sailing on the 18th of the month.