The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-16
AS CACKLING GEESE
PRoTEsTANTs ARE WONT TO EN-
TER HOUSE OF GOD.
DRIFTING INTO IRREVERENCE.
THE OBSERVATION MADE AND EX-
PRESSED BY REV. IL. c. CHRISTIAN.

Pastor of Wesley Monumental
Church Attended Roman Catholic
Church in California and Was Inn
pressed by the Reverence of the
WOrshiperS-''A Midnight Doom"
the Subject of His SermOn-The
Debauch of Nation and the FAN
of BabyIOn-The banning InfIu-
ences of Wine rs Discerned by
Mr.. Chrfstian-GOd Cannot be
Drowned by Drink.
Il wish to God we Methodists were
Catholics in some respects We
Professionals go into church cackling
like a flock Of geese-absolutely forget
ting that we are in the House of
God"
wine drinking OF some stages
arouses a very tender sentiment. One
more drink wakes the bottom demon
of your soul, and you will damn your
sons and debauch your daughters. 1
am surprised that a city like Savan-
nah will allow this devil to enter her
homes and drag her boys and girls
down to hell"
To a large congregation at Wesley
Monumental Church last night these
sentiments were expressed by Rev. H.
c. Christian, during his sermon on
"A Midnight Doom" He took his text
from Daniel v:27: "Tekel, thou art
weighed in the balances and art found
wanting" Mr.. Christian described
Babylon, with all it's wealth and power,
and drew a picture of the palace of
Belshazzar, and the banquet hall upon
the eventful night, when the King, with
his thousand lords, and wives, and
concubines, assembled and drank wine
from golden and silver vessels which
had been taken out of the temple in
Jerusalem.
The blazing lights and jeweled
beauty was described, and the white
and glorious within and the dark and
portenious without were contrasted.
The nations midnight debauch and
it's tragic ending was held up as an
illustration of the consequence of in
difference.
Mr.. Christian said that the result
is invariably the same. With nation.
state, county, municipality and indi-
Vidual, and indifference to the COM
mands of God can bring but one result
The minister paused on the drinking
of wine by Belshazzar and his thou
sand lords long enough to make sew
eral interesting observations.
He spoke of the different stages of
wine intoxication and made use of the
expression credited to him in the open
ing.
At some stages, Mr.. Christian said
the names OF mothers, and wives, and
children, were tenderly spoken of, but
one more drink and the demon made
his appearance, and the same precious
souls were damned and debauched vi
olent likes, he said, must end violent
~, ana extreme pleasure is certain to
close with climax. He pictured the
CONSERVATION and fear of Belshazzar
and his many guests, when the hand
writing appeared upon the wall. The
| failure of the wise men to interpret.
and the babylike cries of the King for
his mother were used to point a moral.
Mr.. Christian said that when a young
man is hemmed in on every side he
lifts his voice and calls for his moth
er, and that she is the one who never
answers in the negative. He declared
that there can be one end for those
who disregard the warnings of God.
and that is the end that came to Bel
shazzar.
Il don't know what Mr. Roosevelt
wants to be President of these United
states again. 1t is an awful respon-
sIbility He is responsible for the lives
and souls of all of those he rules. He
must meet his God and account for
the way he has filled that position.
Mr.. Christian spoke of the lack OF
respect for things sacred. He said
that he had Travelled from San Fran
cisco to Savannah, and had been all
over the country.
1T is my deliberate Judgment, and
l am not Dessimist, that we are
dl fitting further and further towards
irreNerence," said Mr.. Christian with
emphasis.
The minister then told of his visit
to a Catholic church in California. II
| was the only time he ever entered a
| church of that denomination, but what
| he witnessed made a lasting impress
sion. I4e described the reverence CT
all who entered, and told of the bend
ing of the knee and bowling of The head
as those who went to worship entered
| their pews. 1t was at this point that
| he compared Protestants entering
| church to a flock of geese. Mr. Chris
| tian said that so long as there is
something that man holds sacred
| there is hope for him. and that he is
not entirely lost. He then told OF
inc ehorlS THAT are maze DIV men 10
put God out of their lives. They get
drunk and stagger through the streets.
Mr.. Christian said that he had done
| this himself. But you can't drown
or banquet God out" said the him
lister.
Revival services will be held after
noon and evening during this week
| ReI. +. J. Christian of Cartsrsyille
| will take part in the services until
| Thursday when he will return home.
| The afternoon services will start at
4 elooE. and those at night ct s
O'clock