The Delta independent., 1901-07-12
EzLMzGE's SERMON.
HNDRAv0R LAST
SUNDAYS SUBJECT.

SUNDAYS SUBJECT.
"ssAslA the nays Cens. saith the
Lssl. That the Rlownaa Shall Ovsr-
take the Rsapsr'-Aaos, IL. ls-Ths
Ysrss Of the nahls.
Copyright. lsol. Losis Kiopsch. N. ~
Washington. July Although DR..
1almage was hindered from attending
the great annual meeting of the Chris
tian Endsavor society at Cincinnati,
his sermons show him to be in sym
pathy with the great movement;
text. Amos ix.. l3. Behold the days
come. saith the Lord. that the plow-
man shall overtake the reaper"
duties to accept the invitation to take
part in the great convention OF Chris
tian Endeavorers at Cincinnati. began
last week. l preach a sermon Of con-
graduation for all the members Of that
magnificent association. whether now
gathered In vast assemblage or busy
in their places Of usefulness. trans
atlantic and cisatlantic. and as II Ii
noy harvest time in the fields and
sicl0es are flashing in the gatherings
Of . great crop. l find mighty sugges-
tiveness In my text.
II II a picture Of tropical cline.
with . season SO prosperous that the
harvest reaches clear over to the
planting time. and the swarthy hus-
bandman. busy cutting the grain. al
most feels the breath Of the horses
on his shoulders. the horses hitched to
the plow. preparing for a new crop.
Behold the days come. saith the Lord.
that the plowman shall oyertaks the
Waper." When Is that? That IL now.
That is this day. when hardly have
lfgtous result than the plowman II
getting ready for another.
In phraseology charged with all
venow and abuse and caricature
know that infidels and asnostics have
declared that Christianity has col
lapsed: that the Bible Is an obsolete
book; that the Christian church II ON
the retreat. I shall answer that whole
sale charge today.
OroWto OF CopsotsA0tty.
But now let US see whether the book
10 . last years almanac. Let US see
whether the church Of God Is q Bull
Run retreat muskets. canteens and
haversacks strcwins all the way. The
great English historian Sharon Tur-
nerya man Of vast learning and great
accuracy. not . clergyman. but an at
torney NJ wen as 4 historian. cves
this overwhelming statistic In regard
to Christianity and In regard to the
number Of Christians In the different
centuries: In the nrst century. 800 900
Christians; In the second century.
3.oo0.0 900 Christians: In the third cen
tury. S.000. 900 Christians: In the fourth
century 10000 900 Christians: In the
AftA centpry lS.eoo. go Christians; II
the sixth century 3o.ooo. ~ Christiaas:
In the seventh century 34.eoo .Ooo
Christians; In the eighth century. 3d.
! 100000 Christians: In the ninth cen
tury "a. 900 900 Christians: In the tenth
century 80 900 900 Christians: In the
eleventh century 70.oo0. 900 Christians:
In the twelfth century so 900 900 Chris
tians: In the thirteenth century 75.-
o0o. 900 Christians; In the fourteenth
century 90. .000. 900 Christians: in the
nfteenth century 0o.0oo. 900 Chris
tlans: in the sixteenth century. 1885,
000. 900 Christians: In the seventeenth
century iss 900 600 Christians: In the
eighteenth century 200. 0.000. 600 Chris
tians--a decadence. n you observe. In
only one century. and more than made
up In the following centuries. while Il
Ia the usual computation that there
were At the close Of the nine,eensh
century 470. 900 900 Christians. making
us to believe that before this ecntury
v closed the millennium viii have
started Its boom and lifted its hosan-
ma.
Poor Christianity, What \ pity II
has no friends! How lonesome II must
be! Who will take II out Of the poor
house? Poor Christianity Four hun
dred millions in one century. In \
few weeks OF this yenr 500 900 copies
Of the New Testament distributed.
Why. the earth il like an cid castle
with - gates aad park Of artillery
ready tn thunder down every gate.
See how heathendom IL being sur
rounded and honeycombed and at
tackled by this all conQuering gospel.
Al the beginning Of the nineteenth
century lSo missionaries: af the close
of that century $1,000 missionaries and
native helpers and evangelists. Al
the beginning Of the nineteenth CEN
tury there were only $1,000 converts.
Now there are over i.0oo. 900 converts
from heathcfidom.
TAs vsrrs ~ ths Hibas.
Suppose the congreas OF the rniteA
States should pass law that there
should be mo- more Bibles printed In
America and NO Bibles read. II there
are 6o.00o.00O grown people in the
United States. there would be 6o.0o0,-