The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-06-26
SERMONS OF THE DAY
Preachers Draw Helpful Lessons
from the Martinique Horror.
Business and ReligiOn-Rev. G. Cam
bell Morgan on Personal Con-
sciousness of God - The
Power of the Cross.

"The universal sympathy Of the
world is one of the most hopeful signs
of the coming of the kingdom of
Heaven on earth," declares Rev. DR..
Joseph K. Mason, of Chicago. when
this same compassion toward the un-
fortunate is called forth, not by the
unusual, as in this sad event, but by
the poor, who are always with us,
1t will be happy day for humanity.
Such calamities are not the evidence
of Divine wrath, as some are saying,
| but the token rather of an impartial
benevolence and wisdom. The calam-
ity of the comparatively few, dread
full as it is, is the salvation of the
| many, for volcanoes are natures
safety valves.
"We shall learn some day not to defy
the laws of God in nature and in NOR
ais. All things are ours if we are on
Gods side, but if we build our cities on
the sides of volcanoes or our nations
on corrupt and selfish principles which
disregard the rights of the people, or
our personal characters on defiance OF
| conscience, which is the voice of God
within the soul of man, we must ex-
pect calamity and suffering"
In conclusion, the preacher spoke OF
the tender sympathy all men must feel
| for the sufferers in such a calamity
as that of Martinique, and of the de-
pressed sense of responsibility coming
to those who dwell in lands where such
visitations of nature are unknown.
Mans True Greatness.
"The recent horror in Martinique"
| says Rev. L. A. Crandall, d. D., "com-
pels a pause and serious thinking
| about mans boasted greatness. With
the coming of new century we have
been busy recounting mans victories
over the forces of nature; now nature
| wipes out of existence 10000 people in
| 30 seconds of time, as if to compel
| recognition of her supremacy. Man
builds wonderful bridges, rears mag
nificent cities, binds steam, chains
electricity, but when nature puts forth
her useful forces the works of men
| go down in utter ruin. Mans great
ness cannot safely be built upon the
place which he occupies in the uni
| verse. This world, which is his home,
| is but an insignificant speck' among
| the countless worlds which hang in
| space. Man himself is but for little
| hour and then goes down to decay
| and dust. No wonder that the psalm
| ist, looking upon the wonders of the
| star-sown sky, cried out: ''What is
| man that thou art mindful of him?
| Mans true greatness lies in the fact
| that the Infinite is mindful of him."
"The volcano is now phenomena"
according to Rev. Johnston Myers.
| Earthquakes have rocked the world
again and again. The cyclones have
| desolated the dwellings Of men. The
| floods have swept away cities and
towns. The burning sun has made a
| desert of the gardens. The cold has
| frozen the harvests. God has not given
declared that ''we have here no con-
| tinuing city" We act, however, as
| though we were to remain where we
now live. This life is only the frag-
ment of life. We treat it as though it
were all. We build and plan as the
children in the sand upon the sea shore,
only to have the next wave destroy our
toys. In view of death coming to us
suddenly and in some unexpected way
we would keep in close relation to the
Christ who conquered DEATH"
| y
| Business and ReIiuion
| Can business man succeed in
business if he conducts his business
on Christian principles?" asks DR.. C.
NJ. Coburn, Chicago pastor. In reply
to his own question he declared: "He
can succeed in no other way Can
every business man succeed, then, in
| getting $10,O0O,0OO who conducts his
business on Christian principles? No,
but most men will get as near to it
as if they conducted their business on
different principles. It is not abso-
lutely necessary to be honest in order
to keep poor. The deacon who said in
meeting: Brethren, I've been tryin'
for 40 years to serve the Lord and get
rich both to onct, and / tell you, it's
mighty hard sleddin',' would probably
have been on the county if he hadn't
| tried to serve the Lord.
| 81 never knew a man to fail simply
because of his honesty and integrity.
The Bible agrees with common expert
ence in the teaching that the chances
of success in business are not de-
creased, but largely increased, if man
carries his religion into his business.
And his accumulations are likely to
| stay in the family longer.
Integrity has commercial value.
A man who has reputation of being
an honest man and a true Christian
has better chance Of getting on his
feet again when efalls down. He will
not commit suicide; he will say his
prayers and with brave heart try it
/ again. A man in such acondition does
not suffer SO much from his liabilities
as from his unreliabilities.
"The man who lives according to
Bible rules win be temperate, frugal,