Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-19
DAY-PREAcHEs TO FOUR LARGE
CONGREGATIONS DURING THE DAY-cRowDs THRoNG
THE TENT AT NIGHT, UNABLE TO GAIN ENTRANCE.

verse of Exodus. The sermon stated
the plain and undeniable proposition
that We must be on the one side or the
other and proceeded to show the adj
vantages to be gained by being on the
Lords side and the disadvantages and
the serious consequences of being on
the other side.
No Report Adequate.
The sermon coming at the close of
such strenuous day was a splendid
effort No report or synopsis Of the
sermon can adequately portray the
force and the magnetic drawing power
of the spoken words. The language is
plain and simple and much OF the time
as colloquial and as free from any ap-
parent effort as though the speaker
We're in ordinary conversation. From
the first word spoken to the close Of
the service, it is doubtful if single
person inside the walls of the tent
missed single word spoken by DR..
Wharton. There is in his style MS
shouting or straining after effect to
hold the attention. He speaks in a
tone which seems scarcely strong
enough to carry half way across the
tent, but which is as distinct to those
standing far outside as to those close
within the enclosure The sermon was
in part as follows:
There are only two sides; the Lord S
side and the DEVILS side. We are on
the one side or the other There is no
middle ground. Our influence is not
negative. We cannot pass through life
no matter how worthless we are, with
out unwittingly welding some infu
ence, either for the bad or good. Christ
declares that: He who is not with Me
is against Me-" The bible declares eve
cannot serve two masters"
The Weight of Our Influence.
| If we are not definitely on the Lords
| side we are positively on the devils
side to the full extent Of the strength
of our personality and the weight OF
our influence. Every man who is not
serving God is serving the devil. From
the very nature of our social laws thi.
must necessarily be So Even though
we may it will be so, we can not be
without the influence. If our influence
is not of the positive aggressive kind
it will still be the potent power of the
force of example.
Father and Two Sons.
In place where / was holding meet
| ing not long since one of the promi
nent business men of the town. who
/ was not protesting Christian, came
/ to me at the close of the service anC
asked me to make a special effort tt
win to Christ his two sons, who were
then grown into young manhood The
/ following night in my sermon chal
lenged that man to come forward ant
make the stand which he desired his
sons to take. If he knew and felt tha
it was good thing for them, why was
| it not good thing for him? When
gave the call that man came forward
and confessed Christ. One of the son.
came and took his stand on one side
of the father and a moment later thu
other followed and took his place OF
the other side. 1t was the power of hi
influence that held those boys ava,
! from Christ just as much as it wa
the power of his influence that wol
them to come to his side when he tool
the stand and boldly cofessed Christ
/ Yet all the while that man was hold
ling his boys away from the Christian
life, although it was only by force o
his silent example, he was consideret
one of the best and most moral of men
During all that time was he on tn
Lords side?
A Doctor Takes Exceptions.
During one of my meetings a doc
tor who was not protested Christian
man and one who was always pointed
to by the unbelievers as an example
of the good Christian life which an,
man could live and still not make al
open confession of Christ came to M
and took exception to my statemen
that all such men were on the devil
side. THAT statement is not true,
said he. 81 believe that l am one o
the most moral men in this town. M,
influence is all on the side of the GOO
and moral and give more to charitie
than all your churches combined"
Given AS An Example and Reason.
!. do not the young men point to 70,
as one of the best and most Influential
men of the town and do they not civ
you as an example and as reasol
for not confessing Christ and becom
ing Christian" | asked him. "Ot
" WE'LL IHefe may De QlHeTeuCe VI OplI
ion about that matter" he replied.
Not Because of Him But in Spite Hin
told that man that if anybody cam
to Christ in that town it would not b
because of him and his good deeds an
his boosted influence for good but i
spite of it. There are others Xix
him. There are many like him in thi
town. Every man, woman and chill
. who gives his or her heart to Chris
does so not because of but in spite c
the moral influence and example c
r such men as these.
: A Homey illustration.
:. Let me give you a homely illustrs
g ton. The man of the world when h
e picks out an example to show you a
0 a reason for not becoming a Christia
I and getting on the Lords side is Xix
/ a man who goes to a pile of corn an
4 picks out only the largest and fines
t ears to prove his side of the argumen
e To show you the other side he pick
: out and holds up for your inspectio
4 the smallest and most dried up an
4 withered nubbins. The man of tn
!. world to prove his ground picks OF
and holds UP to your inspection tn
hest and most moral man. like tn