The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-19

God can and does strike the bIasphemer down; how it can strike Che profane lips in the twinkling of an eye. The scene took place in a noted infidef club in Scot land. That night 1t was decided by the club members that the man who could make the most awful oath in defiance of God should be elected president of the club. In this competition of oats one man uttered so vile an oath that his comrades were dumbfounded But no sooner was 1t unanimously decided that this blas- phemer should take the presidents chair than his tongue began to swell. It kept on swelling until 1t protruded from the mouth. The blasphemer's tongue kept on swelling until the blasphemer died. He died quickly, because had once said, in the words of my text, .aThou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.s
 Bnt though Kazlitt Arvine gives in- cident after Incident where the condemn ing wrath of God has instantly slain the blasphemer none of them ever made such an impression upon my mind as that which happened some years ago practi- cally under my own eyes We were stop ping then in Elizabethtown, among the Adirondack mountains. One afternoon fearful thunderstorm came up. Before the tempest broke 1t was almost black as night. The air became so still that even the leaves ceased to rustic. Nature was silent. save here and there when we heard a frightened bird twitter as she flew away to her nest and young. Then the winds began to blow. and those great trees began to groan and bend like mon strous Laocoons with their children in the fatal grip of a destroying serpent drag ging them down. Then the heavens be- came at times like great rivers of fire Then lightning struck the earth again and again. The golden grain. like a wounded and dying deer, bent the knee and pillowed the head In the mud. Every where were the awful, terrific exhibitions of q supernatural power Amid this bat tie scene of the elements a party of men were gathered in a barn a short distance from the hotel piazza. Tn t1iat company was an infidel, a blaspheming scoYer. When the conversation turned upon the power of God. he arose and said. Even In this storm I am not afraid to defy Cod He stepped to the open barn door and raised his arms as he cried: Curse Godl Strike if you darer Immediately there was flash. and the blasphemer fell dead The God who had uttered the words of my text had heard God in one stroke of the unsheathed sword of fire
 
 crime. Oh. my profane brother and sis ter as the doom of the blasphemer sooner or later Is bound to come, dare you to- day to curse God? Dare you longer defy his will?
 To Save the Blasphemer.
 I have written this sermon upon the blasphemer's condemnation for two pur- poses. The first is. I want to make the blasphemer realize his awful danger and, by the grace of God to rescue him if possible from the awful destruction to- ward which he is heading. I want to res cue him. by the grace of God. because, my brother, you will never be enamel pated from this sinful habit of profanity unless you seek a divine help. After you have been a profane man for many years your profanity becomes a part of your self You are bound to this evil habit by links stronger than steel. Elon Foster tells us that there was once a godly man who for thirty years had lived a consist ent Christian life who was taken serious ly i'll. During his delirious sickness he swore all the time. He swore because the civil habit which he practiced in his youthful days was still lying dormant in his subconscious memory. So, my pro- fane brother, if you wish to be emanci- pated from this sin of profanity you must pray to God for help. You must plead and pray for divine help to resist this evil habit to the day of your death. You must pray not only for the forgivness or your past profanities, but you must also pray that God will keep your lips pure from ever uttering another blasphemous word
 The second reason why I preach this sermon is to rally all Christian people to the support of a new interdenomInationai society, which has just been formed to war against the sin of profanity. l be- lieve this society has as great mission as the Christian Endeavor society, the Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip or any of the other interdenominational societies which are binding together the Christian people of the land. This society is called the Antiprofanity league Rev. John L. Withrow, D. D., an ex-moderator of the general assembly of the Presbyterian church and the present pastor of the famous Park Street church, Boston, has thrown the weight of his influence into it and accepted the presidency. The ob- ject of this society is to rally all Chris tian people together to oppose this uni versal evil That society will furnish you tracts; it will teach you what to do and what to say in the unrelenting war which hereafter we must all pledge ourselves to wage That society called the Antipro- fanity league will arouse your holy en- thuslasm if you will only let It. Oh, my brother, will you ask God for help and consecrate your life to overcome the worldwide sin of blasphemy as well as all the other kind of sins which are striving to destroy the throne of righteousness and are defying your Master and King? Lord God of the past, help us to make thy Sons name honored and worshiped all round this blaspheming, cursing and Holy Spirit defying worlS-around this world which more often hears the name of Jesus spoken in derision than in ear nest, tender. heart pleading prayerl
 Letter books, letter presses, couvinp bru she's. wringerS.