The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-10


 sermon preached here today to an au-
 dience representing many states of the
 Union, Pastor Talmage sounds a vigor-
 ous call for increased gospel activities in many fields during the new year and especially among those that lie nearest
 at hand. The text is Matt. xx, I, 'Go ye also into the vineyard
 A prospective theme! It is especially ap-
 propriate for the first sermon of new
 year. This is not a time to sound requiem over the dead. It is a time when the gospel colors should be unfurled de- fiantly to the breeze and when an aggres- sive campaign should be planned for in- vading the strongholds of evil surrounded by Satanic intrenchments. Forward, march," should be the command all along the line, not Mark time!' not Halt"
 not Fall backn not detailment for sen tinel duty We should have for the gos-
 pei ranks grand charge and not tat
 too. There should be no willingness to sleep upon our arms in peace.
 A negative policy should never capture
 this old world for Christ. It is well at
 times to preach the command, Thou shalt not" There came into my possess ion the other day a beautiful suggestive booklet written by Bishop John H. Vim cent Its title was Better Not" But the Christians library to be complete needs companion volume called Bet ter Do" The Christian Is called to a life of positive, active service. On the first Sunday of a new year, when plans ha noxf tUalUa months, I would remind you of that call. I would direct your attention to glorious opportunities for Christian usefulness within your reach, and I assure you that in availing yourselves of them you will not only benefit others, but will receive a blessing in your own soul. It Is ever true that they who water others shall themselves be watered."
 Work in the Sunday Schools. There Is work, unlimited work, tre- mendious, overpowering and vital work, to do among the Sunday schools of | America This gospel work is the more ]. important because it must be cone quick | ly are 1t will never be done at all. The | verdant fields of childhood do not stay | verdant long. Our own children seem to 1 spring up under our very eyes. It is but 1 a short time since they were babies. Now 1 they are boys and girls. Soon they will
 be grown men and women. We go back l to visit the scenes of our childhood which l we left only few years ago. and we l find that the companions of our youth are | now grown up and married and have ba- l bies of their own. When Lord Lawrence, l viceroy of India, was about to leave for 1 Calcutta he burst into tears as he bid i goodby to his youngest child. Turning
 aside from his family, he said to his wife;
 q will never see my baby Bertie again. | When meet him once more he will have 1 ceased to be a baby Thus if you would l work for Christ among the children you
 must hasten to your work. Children do not long remain children. The fawn soon
 grows a forest of bristling antlers. The swaddling clothes of the cradle are soon exchanged for the long, flowing toga of | developed man.
 Sunday school work offers an unlimited
 field for gospel effort. Many, many are the children among whom the earnest deciples can labor. President Roosevelt may be right in uttering a vehement pro- test against the tendency of the upper classes to shirk parental responsibilities, but among the middle and lower classes children seem to be everywhere. There are broods of them, swaTms of them, focks of them, great hosts of them.
 
 fill the earth with music when these in-
 fantile throngs every morning start on their daily tramp to the public schools. In order to house them for educational purposes millions upon millions of dollars must be spent annually. No Christian disciple need be afraid of building upon another mans foundation when he goes to work for Christ among the little child ren. There is not a consecrated Sunday school superintendent fin all the world
 who is not at his wits end to find the right kind of teachers who will gather the boys and girls into the students classes for his Sunday school.
 Seek the Young.
 '.But." the church member says, "how am I to get a Sunday school class? How am I to work among the children? Wien I enter an ordinary Sunday school find all the classes provided with teachers.
 Shall I try to steal away the scholars from some other teacher?" Oh, no, my friend. No good is ever accomplished for Christ by theft What you should do is to go out and get your own Sunday school class. There are scores and perhaps hundreds of little children living near you who may never have heard the name of Jesus uttered in prayer. Go after them. Go after them as young Dwight L. Moody while still an iliterate youth went after his Sunday school scholars. Go after them whether they are dressed in rags or silk Go after them even though you must beg shoes for their feet and clothes for their back. Go after them whether
 them may be in palace or in hut. Go after them and beg them to come Go after them even if you have to bribe your way into their affections with candy and dolls and with social calls.
 But" you say again. suppose l should do as you say. Supposing l should