Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-08-03

and twist and talk with their seat
mates until they put themselves out OF
all touch with the service. aud the
preaching 10 them becomes stupid be-
cause they do not listen to IL intclli-
gently. They become like Eutychus
OF Troas. who under the preaching OF
Paul allowed his eyelids to become
heavy aud his head TO nod until he
fell out OF the window. upon the sill
or which he was sitting. and struck
the ground. and ne broke his neck
You have seen this class OF men. They
are To be found in every Sunday school
and every church service.
perseverance, In Church.
This class of irreverent Young peo-
pie was well illustrated for me some
time ago. I was attending the gradu-
ating exercises OF one OF the greatest
educational institutions OF the west.
sat i'm the gallery and could distinctly
see all that took place. The huge build
ing was literally tbronged. Main floor.
nrst gallery and rostrum were packed.
The second gallery was alec filed by
the immense audience. Agreat orator
was delivering the address OF the even
ing. That audience, almost to a peu-
son. hung upen the speakers words
But no sooner did this great orator
commsnce to speak than three OF the
members OF the quartet which sang
that night began to whisper and TO
laugh. They thought they were behind
curtain aud no one could see them.
They talked. and they seemed to say
10y their actions: 'Ob. must we be
bored? Do we have to sit through all
thisf We are singers. We care MOTH
Ing for the fact that an orator. nation
ally famous, is delivering one of his
greatest addresses tonight. When will
the never ending dow of words
ceaseF That was a stupid address TO
those three singers. merely because in
their obnoxious egotism they supposed
they had outgrown it and could not be
benefited by It.
L protest against the lrreyerence Of
these modern Eutychuses In the house
or God | protest against young men
ana also young women. for some young
women are as bad as the irreverent
young men, coming into a church and
not giving the same respectful atten-
ton to Gods ambassadors which they
would give TO an ordinary guest in
their fathers parlor The house OF
God Is not a playground. 1t is not n
confectionery establishment, where
young folks come to MUNICH candy. 1t
is not place for young people to whls-
per and to write notes. 1t is q place
to worship. And, IL our young people
do not come to church to Worship. then
they had better stay away. You must
heed the fact that the sleeping auditor
or my text was young man.
Two Birds with One stone.
But while Eutychus sits upon the
window sill of the room in which Paul
was preaching l see him continually
CHANGING across the street. approach
him today and say: What is the mat
ter, Eutychus? Why are you looking
so much out OF the window? I should
think you would want to keep your
eyes all the time riveted upon Paul.
Why. he Is the greatest preacher OF all
the ages" II have heard that" an
swers Eutychus. THAT Is one of the
reasons l am here. But can't neglect
my business even for Paul. Thus
! am trying TO kill two birds with one
stone. am sitting here upon the
window ledge. so can hear Paul with
my ears, and at the same time with
my eyes can watch my store. just
across the street. Thus you see II too
many customers gather about my
counter. why, l can just slip away and
attend TO them" Do you wonder.
when Eutychus kept one eye upon his
counter at the same time he was lis
tenlng 70 Paul. that the sermon of
Paul became very stupid and as soon
rs the shadows or night fell that Eu.
tychus' eyelids grew heavy and that he
slipped out OF the window and broke
his neckf
But" says some one 10 me, 81 do
not see where you get authority for
the statement that Eutychus was
young business man. The Bible does
not state this. And. furthermore. how
do you know that his bazaar. or shop.
was just across the street. Are yeu
not taking too much liberty with the
textT'
No. do not think I am. IT'S true the
Bible does not state this young man,
Eutycbus, was business man. But
one. fact do know. IL Eutychus was O
young business man and wanted to
keep his eye upon his shop across the
street while he was keeping within
hearing OF Paul, the window sill would
have been just the place where he
would have sat. And. furthermore. 7
do know that. just as Eutychus might
have been watching his bazaar there
NJ a.<l Al.
who when they come 10 church bring
! along their businesses with them. and
while the ministers are preaching they
are planning what they will do at the
store the next day. or how they will
purchase their fan goods, or how they
can underseli their rivals. Further.
more. do know that whenever mer-
| chant or business man tries to carry
his business into the church pew. thai
moment even the most brilliant and
consecrated or sermons will fan upon
ears as dead as did the words OF Paul
when he was pleading with Eutychus
of Troas, who fell out Of the window
and broke his neck on the last night
before Paul sailed away on his famous
missionary tour.
| The Ffreea Minute Sermon.
| D ye merchants and manufacturers
and professional men. Is there no lesson
for you to learn In this Troas tragedy ?
You have often said. "if these ministers
were only brilliant speakers and would
preach interesting sermons we would
come to church and stay awake and
listen to their discourses." Is that true ?
Was not Eutychus listening TO bril-
liant discourse? Was he not listening
to the most brilliant pulpit orator the
world has ever seen? All. no. Euty-
chus did not fall asleep because he was