The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-23
PASTOR EltCPS
STRONG SERMON

Continued from Fifth Page).
one that gave. the words power to in
fiuence every hand to take the pen and
subscribe to the declaration of independ-
enee. All true eloquence is born OF the
man himself. and profound conviction
can only be brought about by those who
are profoundly convinced and who put
their blood in what they say.
The Power of Truth.
There is such thing as truth being
dependent upon itself for the power OF as
sertion; such is that part of truth which
we called intuitive. The inability to deny
compels us to affirm. In this sense truth
is truth always and everywhere. Notwith-
standing John Stuart Mills says two and
two may make five on the planet of
Jupiter, we know 1t cannot be, for we
feel the power of assertion that makes
us know that the starting places for
thought must be true in all zones. Then
there is the dependence of truth on God
alone. God is the truth though there were
no human to believe or deny the eternal,
Independent of all that is made and self
contained. But there is very vital sense
in which truth is dependent upon the
medium through which it comes Here,
be 1t reyerently spoken. God has been
pleased to limit the power of the truth
of his revelation somewhat to those who
make 1t known. Lot had the truth spoken
by angels. The after effects show that
he had Gods word and Gods truth:
nevertheless they failed of their purpose.
1t is a pitiable spectacle to see a man
possessed of the truth, and yet the truth
fc To gtr
entanglements of life into the pure light
where 1t can shine resplendent | think
1t was near Utica. N. Y. that Mr. Finney
entered a wooden mill, and as he did so
two girls were mending a thread. When
he began to speak they became serious.
and the owner of the mill said 1t was
better for souls to be saved than for the
mill to run. and $50 men and women
pressed into the kingdom of God When
old John Livingston stood in the great
Kirk in Scotland, after having been on
his knees all night Saturday night, so
men and women pressed into the king
dom of heaven. Truth had found its
medium and conviction followed its pro-
claiming
Power in Influence.
when words and truth have failed a
man, there is still left the possible effect
of the influence of both In his own ac-
tons. And I recall no sadder picture than
the one presented In the scripture Hav-
ing failed in earnest beseeching and hav-
ig made known the truth without doing
more than making a mocSery of its SOL
emn sound, Lot turns his exhortation to
his own danger and by fleeing himself
tries to arouse others to the sense Of
danger. When a human is stripped OF
these powers as | have described Them
he is left beggarly thing indeed. There
nave been greater generals than Wash
ington. certainly there have been grealer
statesmen; but probably no one ever ex !.
ertfsed greater influence over his
eountrymen. for the reason that whatever
may have been his faults In private life.
he was always true to every public trust.
II Is said that a young man wishing to
come to America asked to be directed to
some American citizen who would likely
give him recommendation lie was
given a certain street and number in the
city OF Paris. He said that he found him
self shortly In the presence of very
prepossessing man. When he made known
ms mission the man said A recommen
dallon with my name upon 1t would not
be worth the paper upon which II il
written NV name Is Benedict Arnold.
Nhen Mr. Clay was urged by some
friends to adopt certain measures which
IN all likelihood would have brought him
the presidency, he raised himself In all
his splendid height and striking himself
rpor his heart said in that clear soprano
or MS: Gentlemen, | had rather ba
right than be President of these United
States
1T is easy for us to understand that
the perfect oneness of the life of Jesus
gives even to those who do not profess
10 belleVe in him much OF that force he
exercises over men. When Renan saw
there was no unlikeness in what he was
and what he professed to be- he said his
influence must be such that millions I'M
born would follow the royal road Christ
had marked out. 1t is impossible for
envy or ridieule to behold him nndazzled.
lils plrth marks the golden milestone
OF history In all directions and his death
brought to a close an earthly life from
which his teachings shall gather force
with each new day. and they will. so far
as we can tell continue to be accepted
by men In all stages of culture till the
last lnhabitant of perishing world Is
frozen into unconscousness'
The Evening Service.
Last night DR. Stagg spoke of the In
visible power which controls the world.
Ills leAt WAS tuken from PaulS summary
of the life of Moses, In which the APOSTLE
says; He endured as seeing that which
is invisible The preacher drew a COM
parison between the men who have no
power beyond that In themselves and the
men who are Influenced by tlsat sixth
sense-the power Invisible"
He said that no man ever achieved
greatness by himself In the lives OF the
greatest men was something added from
above. and without this they would fall
far short of their possibilities. He said II
was the unseen forces which control and
guide man in life, and not those which
are seen and felt by the physical man.
He spoke of Jacob, who was guided nv
God. and of Esau who was man strong
in himself but who knew nothing besides
that which his five senses told him. II
was the divine conception which gave
Moses his strength, and which made him
one OF the greatest leaders of men. So DR..
Stage said all great leaders received
their strength.
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