The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-10-15


papers and by active association in bust
noes circles will not on the Sabbath sit
and listen TO platitudes Hearers will not
come to sermons which have in them no
important facts, no information. no stir
ring power no adaptation no fire. The
pew will not listen to the pulpit unless at
least on the subject that day under dis
cussion. the pulpit knows more than the
pew. Ministerial lazness has cleared out
may churches Such ministers saunter
around from parlor TO parlor under the
pame OF pastoral visitation and 90 CAD
"lng about through the village or the citv
crrands OF complete nothingness and
wraD their brains around a cigar and
smoke them un and then on Saturday af-
ternoon nut n few crude thoughts together
and on Sunday morning wonder that the
theme of Christ and Him crucihed does
not bring n large audience, and on Mon
religious newspapers about the decadence
of church attendance.
People viii not go 10 church merely az
a matter of duty. There will not next
Sabbath be a thousand people in any city
who will get up in the morning and saw:
THE Bible SAYS | must 90 20 church II
Is my duty to 30 10 church; therefore 7
viii 90 to church" The vast multitude of
people who 0o 20 church 90 20 church be-
cause thew like it. and the multitude of
people who stay away from church stay
away because they do not like it. I am
not speaking about the way the world
ought to be; am speaking about the way
the world Is. Taking things are they are.
we must make the centripeta force of the
church mightier than the centrifugal We
must make oar churches magnets to draw
the, people thoreunto. so that man will
feel uneasy if he does not co TO church.
saying: 81 wish ] had gone this morning.
wonder If can't dress vet and get there
IN time It is II o'clock: now they are
singing. 1t is half.past IL; now they are
preaching. ] wonder when the folks will
N hon 60 afl
been going on
When the impression is confirmed that
our churches. by architecture. bv music.
by sociality and by sermon, shall be made
the most attractive places on earth. then
we will want twice as many churches as
we have now. twice as large and then
they will not half accommodate the peo-
pie.
Therefore, nv brother Christian worker,
If YOU and | find two illustrations for a
religious subject and the ono is a Bible
illustration and the other is outside the
Bible, / will take the latter because
want to be like my Master Looking
across TO a hill, Christ saw the city of
Jerusalem.
Talking to the people about the con-
sDlcuity of Christian example. He said
The world is looking at you; be careful
A city that is set on hill cannot be hid"
While He was speaking OF the divine care
of Gods children a bird flew past He
said, Behold the ravens" Then. look
ing down into the valley, all covered at
that season with flowers, He said, Con
slider the lilies"
Oh, my brother Christian workers,
what is the use of our going away off in
some obscure part of history or on the
other side of the earth to get an illustra-
ton when the earth and the heavens are
full of illustrations?
Oh Christian workers. we have got TO
freshen up. What is the use of our going
hack in the Christian classics to find an
illustration OF the victorious Christian
deathbed when my personal friend. AL
fred Goodman. n few years ago went away
in as imperial grandeur as did Edward
Payson?
Is it any less an illustration to me and
to You because | met him a few weeks be-
fore In front OF Trinity Church Broad
way, and L said: Goodman, You look as
II you were working too hard?" Where
IN all the classics is there such n story as
that of Goodman, when in his last moment
ne cried: Il am sweeping through the
gates washed in the blood of the LAMB"
Oh, fellow Christian workers. what il
the use of our being stale and obsolete
and ancient when all around us are these
evidences OF Gods grace, Gods deliver
ance. Gods mercy and Gods wisdom?
We have got to freshen uD i'm our sermons.
ireshen up IN our songs. freshen mp in our
zeal. treshen up in our consecration and
II we do 1t, my brethren and sisters. we
VIII no more lave to coax people to
come to church than if YOU throw
corn on the ground you have to coax
pigeons to, come and eat it, no more than
you would have to coax q tired horse To
eat the oats You throw in his manQer.
res, we must freshen up in our Sunday
schools and IN our prayer meetings and in
our pupits
1t Is high time that the church of God
stopped writing apologies for the church.
Let the men who are on the outside. who
desplse religion, write the apologies If
any people do not want the church. thew
need not have it, 1t is n free country. III
any man does not want the gospel he
need not have it. 1t is a free country
But you go out. OH people OF God. ami
give the gospel to the millions of America
who do want it,
1t Is high time we stop sl,rmishng and
bring on general engagement ! want
to 1--we to see the Armageddou, all the ar
mics of heaven and hell in battle array
for i know our Conqueror on the white
horse viii gain the day. Let the church of
God be devoted to nothing else but 90
right on to this conquest
When Moses with his army was trying
TO conquer the Philippians prolane history
says 1t was expected that he would 90 I'M
roundabout way and come by the banks
OF the river, as other armies had done
because the straight route was infested
with snakes, aud no army and no man
mad dared 70 60 across this serpent iufest.
ed region. But Moses surprised them
lie sent his men out to gather up ibises
Inc ibis is a bird celebrated for serpent
staying and these ibises were gathered
INTO crates and into baskets and they
were carried at the head of the army of
Moses, and coming up to the serpent in
tested region the crates were opened and
the iblses flew forth. and the way was
cleared, and the army of Moses marched
right on and came so Unexpectedly on the
Ethiopians that they flew i'm wild dismay.
. church of God, YOU are not to march
10 a roundabout way. but TO 20 straight
forward, depending upon winged inHu-
ences 20 clear the way. Hosts of the liv-
ing God march on, march oni Church
attendance, large now. is going to be
larger yet. The sky is Frightening i'm
every direction. am glad for the bow
ana girl five years old / think they may
see the millennium The wheel of Chris
tan progress has never made one revolu-
ton backward. The world moves the
Kingdom advances AN nations will vet
salute the standards of Prince Emmanuel.
To Him be glory In the church throughout
All ages. Ameni
Curious Jscs or sand.
Common quartz sand-the sand OF
The sea shore-ha "a variety OF curious
properties and uses It heats mo.e
quickly in tine sun than a.f. and in
desert regions this causes the air 20