Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-05-30
SERMONS OF THE DAY
Preachers Draw Helpful Lessons
from the Martinique Horror.
business and Religfon-Rev. G. Cam
bell Morgan on Personal Con-
seriousness of God The
Power of the Cross.

line UNIVERSAL sympathy OF Ine
Rorld 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 I'M
fortunate is called forth, not by the
Unusual as in this sad event, but by
the poor, who are always with us,
It 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-
fly Of the comparatively few, dread
full as it is, is the salvation of the
many, for volcanoes are natures
safety valves.
1--WE shall learn someday 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
vista tons of nature are unknown.
Mans True Greatness.
"The recent horror in Martinique"
rays Rev. L. A. Crandall, D. D., "com-
pels a pause and serious thinking
about mans boasted greatness. With
the coming Of a 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
nificents cities, binds steam, chains
electricity, but when ma ture 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. 1.-The psalm
ist, looking upon the wonders of the
star-sown sky, cried out: 'sWhat is
man that thou art mindful of him p
Mans true greatness lies in the fact
that the Infinite is-mindful of him."
"The volcano is now phenomena"
according to Rev. Johnston Myers.
H.. L l. IL
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
us secure place in this world. He has
declared that ''we have here no con-
tinuing city" cWe 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 ALE 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 relat ton to the
s.
Business Religion.
''Can a business man succeed in
busipess if he conducts his business
on Christian principles?" asks DIR. C.
M. 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 $4,000, 900 who conducts his
business on Christian principles? No
but most. men will get as near to il
as if they conducted their business OF
different principles. 1t is not abso-
1utely 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 I 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
TIE Bible agrees with common expert
ence in the teaching that the chance:
OF success in business are not de
creased. but largely increased. if MAJ
carries his religion into his business
And his accommodations are likely t.
stay in the family longer.
Integrity has a commercial value
"A man who has a reputation of bein.
an honest man and a true Christian
has a better chance of getting on hi
feet again when he falls down. He will
not commit suicide; he will say hi
prayers and With a brave heart try
again. A man in such a condition doe
not suffer so much from his liabilitie
as from his unrelia bilities.
''The man who lives according t.
Bible .rules will be temperate, fruga
prompt, energetic, 'diligent in busi