Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-01-19

anger any different from the mean,
desplcable and repugnant Jealousies
of many Of our modern Christian work
ers?
Here, for instance, are an old minister
and an old church which for years
have occupied the most influential posi-
ton In the religious life of small city.
Most of the wealthy and prominent
men of that town 60 to that church.
One day there comes into that town a
voung minister who takes a broken
down church upon a side street. 1t is
almost q mission. Suddenly the power
OF the Holy Spirit comes down upon
that little congregation. 1t grows ana
grows. 1t widens its influence. II be- /
gins to gather in the young people Dy |
! scores and hundreds. The little church
IA now packed to the doors. The grow
ing congregation has to move into
larger building. Its influence grows
wider and wider until 1t spreads out
over the state and the nation. Do thar
old minister and that old established
church clasp hands and rejoice at the
multitudes which are being saved IN
the church Just around the corner !
Perhaps so. But, as rule, such OLD
established churches act very mucn as
Jonah did when Nineveh was being
saved. They act Just as did most OF
the old conservative churches OF Lon
don when Charles II. Spurgeon started
his work there, and when Joseph Par
ker started his work, and when Row
land Hill started his work, and when
John Wesley started his work. These
old conservative churches wanted SIN
pers to be saved In their own way OF
tbey did not wish them saved at all.
selnshness In Churches.
Oh that we could one and all so SINK
our selfish personalities in gospel work
that we did not care by what means
the sinners should be led to the cross,
, "a long as the wayward and the lost
. were able thereby to find Christ! Hen
rv Ward Beecher once gave this beau
a tiful parable Of how we should all get
q above our own selfish contentious ana
q live only that Jesus might be glorineo
a zone day three nature philosophers
r went ont into the forest and found q
II nightingale's nest Immediately they
q began to discuss the habits OF the pird
4 ,ts size and the number Of eggs 1t lays
O One pulled out Of his pocket a treatise
Il of Button. and another one OF Cuvier
d and the third one Of Audubon. IneJ
o read and they disputed till at lengu
b the quarrel ran so high over the empty
r nest that they got red in the face anC
2. the woods rang with their CONNER
)r when. 10. out Of the green shade o.
N n neIghboring thicket the bird itself
t. reused and disturbed by these noises
Is begins TO sing. At first its song Is sof
N and low: then 1t rises and swells, an'
ly waves OF melody float up over the tree
i? end fill the air with tremulous music
ID Then the entranced philosophers, SUI
~ dued and ashamed of their quarre
a shut their books and walk home Will
,u out O word So men around the empt
senulcher of Christ have wrangle
about the forms Of religion, abou
be creeds and doctrines and ordinance
Is when Christ himself, disturbed by tne
20 dIscords, sings to them out OF heave
ay Of love and peace and Joy In the -!oi
en- Ghost till they are ashamed OF the
,ht conflicts and go quietly and meeKly
ter their duties" May we well heed II
he message of the great poet-preacher
rs. Plymouth pulpit May we be enaplS
IN n cease our sectarian conflicts. Ma
Pc. wa not strive to lift our sectaria
nd creeds above the cross. May we cea'
Ike n he biQoted and selfish Jonahs. Mf
at. our one Joy be to see men and wom'
m come TO the cross. May we care n
hv what means sinners come as loI
,on as they are saved Lord God, teach
be- 10 sink self that thy Son, our Sayior
ed, may be glorl1ed before men.
,us why Jonah Fled.
of Rut why was it that Jonah fed awi
,ol. from N:neveh, and why did be sail
ac- Tarshish? want to show you WI
Ith he shirked his duty. To show the eau
or WHY q sin Is committed Is often
his show us how we may fee the resu
the OF that sin. Jonah wanted to be Go'
see prophet. but he wanted to be gosl
ms soldier without having to meet |
not dangers and trials and sacrlnces Oh
ro oosnel warrior. | believe all this
an be substantiated by studying the 9
nv graphical position Of the great capi
lie. Of Sennacherlb, whose palaces IN ne
or bv Kuyuniik were one Of the wond
,em of the world
Jonah was then living at the bea'
ful seaport town Of Joppa, the pres
entrance to the Holy Land. The 10
"" sits upon the high cliffs. 1t Is one
GOV the most beautiful spots OF the VOL
We To the west are the broad waters
~ the Mediterranean. The waves W
ina da,hIng over the rocks and tumbl
"a A., In spray at bis feet. To the east
Tue the mighty mountains. There were
anu gardens and the vineyards ana the
Keep chards. There were the ships com
ho' and going. There was everything
'han Joppa to make life pleasant ana mar
ause yopp o,.- oonIo Edenic surroundll
4 - Lovely peOple, A4N~Hi~ =,
ne all, all were there, for, as tue
''h' wrote, Joppa was
Oldest Of cities, linked with sacred y
,r And classic fable from thy earliest os
> By name THE Beautiful"
The r In other words, Jonah was coos
Ane dior doing barrack duty. His barre
10 I were In one Of the most delgntrui
imbs port .o"ns y. rhiIa and made
g, M circle Of friends and was just De
DRIED nlns " en'.' IT., ond said "Arise
".Oa toa 10 Nineveh, that great city, ana
.on tau against It, for their wickedness Is c
'n'e up before me-" In other words,
cry, said unto his prophet soldier: CIR.
all be thy armor, mighty prophet. 20