The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-23
DR.. WILSON'S SERMON.

.sChristian" Young Men Urged 10
Performance of Duty-"Others'
Asked to Break Away from their
Evil way-A Layman Talks Back
at Preacher.
DIR. j. Lowrie Wilson preached last Sunday
morning to an assembly of handsomely
dressed, pretty women while good looking
men made up q large per cent of the audience.
The beautiful hats and the stylish back views
of the headgear Of the lovely women made
a scene which could only be excelled by the
loneliness and the beauty OF the front view.
Beautiful women wearing the prettiest
and the best Of earth's creations are enough
to please the gods and To make susceptible
bachelors TALL down and worship the divini.
ties who themselves had come to the sacred
temple 10 worship the Lord our God.
While the good and the loyal christian
preacher was addressing his christian hear
ers vile wretches while waiting for their
turn In the prayers and in the sermon had
ample time to admire the noblest and the
prettiest specimens of the human race that
walk the earth.
No matter whether the wretch who may
with longing eyes be looking up to The Cross
while his feet are leading him down to per
ditiop; no matter whether the poor weakling
who may be sinking In The slough of despond,
with never a kindly band 10 help his feet
upon the Rock; no matter II the heavily
laden soul,with his sins all piled up about
him SO high that he NAV not even see the
Cross; no matter If he who would do the
right while be still pursues the wrong. never
receives the kindly glance OF the beaming
eye nor ever hears the encouraging word
from the strong and the self conscious; no
matter If the cast.away has intruded his
presence into the sanctuary where. he Is re-
minded ofhis guilt and unworthiness, and
where the virtues OF the Level headed and
tolled In comparison with his own lowli-
ness: no matter If be receives no benefit
whatever from either the prayer: or the
sermon. yet IL Is that all men, no mat,
paths OF the christian, are benefited by
entering the holy temple where even the
purest and the best Of the sons Of men should
remove their shoes because of the holi.
The very atmosphere OF a church has Its
good effect. To enter the holy precincts
when the Lord Is in his holy temple has a
purifying and q sweetenipg Influence from
a week.
DR.. Wilson in his excellent sermon address,
ed himself more particularly to the christian
people land to christian young men especi
ally. He urged christian young. men TO the
exercise of courage in the diccharge Of the
important duties devolving upon them while
be admonished "others" TO break away
from their sins that they might join the great
army of those who were fighting the good
We thank DR.. Wilson for speaking ''others'
az 1t may lead TO more correctness OF speech
generally on the part of pulpiters. In a chris.
tan land like this, there is no need for speak
ing of christians" and sinners. And there
Is no correctness in the speech. II the Bible
Is to be believed we are an sinners oy nature
the sparks to fly upwards Our Saviour spoke
in condemnation of the assumption OF TOO
much goodness on the part OF such people as
we are. To speak correctly and truthfully,
this is a christian community in which there
are only q few families who are not chris.
tiaps, and. their lives for honesty and fair
dealing, for good citizenship and loyalty
Blush Of shame 10: some who occupy front
seats and hold high positions In the chris.
tian church. 1t Isn't all OF christian duty
10 sing psalms. to pray loud and TO visit
continually on better men than themselves
though they he less pretentious.
Because ofour love tor DR.. Wilson personally,
and because OF our faith In the purity of his
own character and because Of Our belief In
wished that be might pray for
and preach to hat great multitude from
which the membership OF the church can
alone be recruited. If 1t is TO maintain lis
10 the civilization Of men while exercising
its proper influence In the government OF
the world, recruits must come from outside
the pale Of the church.
the souls sincere desire. All men at times
pray, either mentally or orally, and every
heart responds 10 prayer by others In lis
behalf. There Is however, we presume, no
intelligent man in this day and time, who
believes that the Ruler Of the Universe
change his immutable laws at our
yet we believe there is no man who
would deny the beneficial erect or prayer
who never utter a prayer are touched by
prayer for those In his class. But there is q
class whom we believe That no preacher OF
The gospel would contend receives direct
oN.a he sos nnr nrQCpra nQmalv AhGanf
ones.
fitted or influenced by.the,words of.the prayer.
For instance II we pray for friends In for.
he people who listen to 1t and join in the
The response OF the Great Hearer
of prayer is reflected on the hearts OF the
people who maket the petition TO Hin:
Again, many years ago, when this editor
was q boy, 1t was the practice, now long
since abandoned, OF some preachers in their
exordium or preface TO their prayer to be so
and 30 fulsome In their praises of
he Lord that we thought they came a
gerously near p%atronizing him.. And eth
again at times long ago preachers used TO
for q sample of every good thing they
could think Of as being on the Lords bar
rain counter, and then, as a saving clause,
would suggest to the Oliver of every good and
perfect gift. that II they bad forgotten TO ask
for anything In stock that He might wrap II
Craving are no longer common. The plan OF
appearing before the Lord as beggars, Instead
Of servants, no longer prevails. We now ap
near In our churches as servants and not as
w%orsbipers and not as patronizers
Of the Lord. In these latter Gays our people
have come to the conclusion that the Lord
cares not for our fattery. He prefers to hear
from the contrite heart and we all know that
he pure heart Is always an acceptable Offer
Ipg at the throne OF grace.
DR., Wilson thought the young men OF the
church ought to engage more In the social
prayer" 1t was not exactly clear 10 us what
he meant by social prayer" But If he
that the young men ought TO pray In
The prayer.meeting or elsewhere than on
Sunday morning In the church when the
general public were present, then we are In
Iull accord with the sentiment OF the preach
or.
But there is q considerable element OF the
who do not val 70 hear a lay
man pray. The prayer-meettng Is q sort OF
family church gathering around the altar,
and II Is eminently proper TO hear prayers
from such Of their members are as able by
word 10 edify the mind and by exemplary
TO move the heart OF hearers TO
ing aside from It's consoling effect upon the
truly Christian heart, may sometimes act,
to speak, as a sort OF lightning rod, to draw
off the surcharge Of pious ebulition which
may be effervessing in the hearts OF truly
good and pious young men. But when the
general public Is received into the sanctuary
q layman's business Is to keep silent while
the preacher prays.
The prencher on Sunday morning thought
there was q notable absence of young men
from the weekly prayer meetings. and this
admission was made with seeming regret
and q lack OF knowledge for the undesirable
effect. 1t was noticed that the pious and