The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-08-07
The BULLETINS SUNDAY SERMON
BY REV. FRANK BIZ WIFI rALMAeE, .. 0.

result Is that nine-tenths OF our young
theological students, and think am
not overrating the proportion, do prac-
tieahy nothing for Christ while they
are living within seminary walls I'M
less they are paid for their services
What Is the result? With d critical,
eenssrious spirit they 30 from church
to church They pick flaws in this
minister, they find fault with that min
lister, ana all the time they belong
TO the great army of religious tramps,
whom call the "go-rounders." Dur
ing these years OF study their own
life is ebbing away. BY the time the
young man who Fursues this course
graduates from theological seminary
he Is on the verge Of spiritual bank
ruptcy. Why? Mainly because In the
three long years Of mental preparation
for the ministry he has neglected TO
do personal work for Jesus Christ.
1t Is common subject for regret
that the religious life in our colleges
and universities Is ut a low ebb. The
spiritual energy Of the students Is de-
pleted, and there Is less real holiness
and growth in grace among them than
In young men outside The reason for
this deplorable condition believe to be
that SO many OF them are devoting
themselves to study or to athletics and
doing no personal service for the Mas
ter. They are making the same eX-
cuse for themselves that the young
disciple OF my text made TO Christ
whom he said, Lord, suffer me first TO
go and bury my father" That young
man who Ii now the leader of his class
In the law school wad once the Sunday
school superintendent IN the little vii
lage church where his father and
mother now live. The school occu-
pied the first place in his thoughts,
and he would take any trouble to give
pleasure to the children and attach
them to the cause of Christ. Now he
never enters d Sunday school. He is
preparing to be a lawyer. After he
once gets his diploma he intends to go
back to church work. but now he says
Lord, suffer me first to get an educa-
ton and then | will follow thee,
That young girl living in Chicago,
away from home, Is now studying in
n famous musical college TO cultivate
her voice. She was once the leader Of
Der fathers choir. Her father Is minis
ter and is spending the savings CT n life
time in giving his daughter 81 musical
education that she may be the better
are hundreds of struggling little
churches within short distance OF
where she lives which would be bless
ell by her singing, she now never en-
tiers prayer meeting. She rarely en-
ters church, She says, WALT. Lord,
until | have acquired proficiency in
the art, and then | will sing for thee"
Mental Versus Spiritual Development
But these words of my text not only
apply TO the young people who are
sldetracking their gospel duties TO make
way for their preparations for d pro-
fession. They also apply TO the busy
I men and women who, in the prime
Of physical strength and mental power,
are like tired peasants staggering along
the highways under greater burdens
than IL seems possible for them 60 bear
When | speak thus | mean that this
text Is applicable TO nearly all men and
women in midlife. Why! Because
believe that most people are overwork-
cd. They are physically tired. They
are tired in the same way that my
grandmother was tired, who, as a
farmers wife, had to rear thirteen
children. My father used to say: IL
never remember my mother except
with tired look upon her face. AS
little boy | remember her coming 10
the sable and. after all the children had
been served, turning TO father and say
ing. David. | am too tired TO eat ="
How many other women have said the
same thing. Most people are over
worked in the struggle OF life. Yet
this text. o man. o woman. in the
prime OF your physical and mental
strength, applies to you. No right have
you TO sidetrack your duties TO God
No right have you 10 say TO Christ
lord. suffer me 70 do this or that
and tken will follow rhee.' Christ
should be first. not last. Christ's CON-
mand, no matter how or whcl II comes.
should be heeded or obeyed; then all
other duties will fall into line In their
right places.
Chrlsts command. Follow me"
comes to the tired merchant. the worn
out merchant. II comes 10 YOU even In
the whlrl and the hustle Of business
life. "Oh. no." you say. II have no
time for Christ. My business absorbs
every atom of my energy am 10
tired from my week day tasks that !
am too weary To 20 TO church on sun
day. Why. when / 90. ! fell asleep
during the sermon. II makes but little
difference to me then who breaches the
sermon. Come down 30 nv store any
time and you viii see how I am over
driven. There Is steady stream Of
men in my outer Office all the time. ]
must see them II Is work. work,
work until ] am nearly dead" Yes,
my brother. In one sense what you
say is true You are an oyerworked
man. but how much Of that labor that