The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-09-19
Sermon on Temperance
Preached in the Methodist Protes-
tant Church Sunday, September
s, 1907, by the Pastor, Rev. A.
G. Dixon.

u. Dixon.
| The following sermon was preached
! by Rev A. g. Dixon, in the Metho-
| dist Protestant church in Henderson,
Oh Sunday morning, September 9Th,
1907, and is published by request:
| TRxT-Isaiah 500. "Woe unto them
| that call evil good, and good evil; that
put darknessfor light, and light for dark
ness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet
| for bitter
There are some truths that are
pleasant to discuss and pleasant to
| hear. There are other truths that
are unpleasant to discuss and I'M
pleasant to hear, because OF the aw-
fulness of the truth.
One Of the greatest temptations a
preacher has is to dwell upon those
| truths that are pleasant to the ears
of his hearers, and to avoid that
which is unpleasant; for, after all, the
preacher is human, and he desires
popularity just as men in other voca-
tions do. 1t is always unpleasant
| for him to take stand that will an
| tagonize a great many OF seemingly
the very best people in the commun-
ity. A preacher, like other human
beings, hesitates to take a stand and
| to preach sermons that will make
those who used to meet him with a
happy Good morning." or cheer
full How do you do, sir" meet him
afterwards with a sullen nod, or make
them dodge across the street or into
Il store door to keep from meeting
him at all.
But sometimes God calls upon the
faithful preacher to cry aloud and
spare not. In such cases we are com
PEELED to follow duty and leave the
results with God. Furthermore, |
realize that people do not wish to
hear on Sunday morning what is the
topic Of discussion all the week, con-
sequently hesitated to come before
you with the text selected for this
morning. | battled against it until
Friday morning, but could not get
away from it, so looked up into the
face of the Father, and asked Him to
give me the wisdom, the grace, and
the courage to meet the situation
squarely, fairly and honestly.
| 1t has come to my ears also that
an elderly citizen of this town said
that the preachers of the town were
afraid to speak out on the temper
| ance questiOnfOr fear they would not
get their salaries That is severe
charge against the preachers, and a
hundred fold more severe against the
town. | think there is not a preacher
in town who has ever dreamed that
the town was so nearly sold out to
the devil that it would not pay its
just debts, simply because IL man
spoke his honest convictions. That
would be repudiatiOn-pure and sim
pie. The preachers are the servants
of the people, and when they fail to
serve faithfully it is the business of
the people to pay them what they
justly owe them, and discharge them
as they would any other servant.
1t is not for that reason, however,
that present the truth of the text
this morning; for with the conditions
that surround US, | stand in no fear
OF a cut in wages, nor Of a discharge,
because 1express my God given views
on the temperance situation. II that
brings cut in wages, let the wages
go, or if it brings discharge, let me
go; for Il preacher who will not stand
for principle isn't worth his salt in
any community, nor is he worth the
sole leather that he wears out on
your pavements.
assure Won thnnnh thot - I did
not feel that this congregation is
clearcut and overwhelmingly in favor
OF temperance, or that | could not
be used OF God to lead them into
paths OF temperance, | would be get
ting my little belongings in readiness
to move in November, and would
pray the Father to send you Il man
who could lead you into paths OF
righteousness; for if Christ's profess
ed followers will not fight the great
est evil on earth, in Gods name what
evil will they fight? | say that re-
CARELESS Of what is being said ofsome
OF US on the streets
In leading up to the text Isaiah
says, "WOe unto them that rise up
early i'll the morning, that they may
follow strong drink; that contiue
until night, until wine infiame them!
And the harp, and viol, and tahret,
and pipe, and wine are in their feasts;
but they regard not the work of the
Lord, neither consider the operation
OF His hand. Therefore my people
are gone into captivity, because they
have no knowledge: and their honor
able men are famished and their null.
titue dried up into thirst. Therefore
hell hath enlarged herself, and open.
ed her mouth without measure; and
their glory, and their multitude, and
their pomp, and he that rejoiceth
shall descend into it. And the mean
man shall be brought down, and the
mighty man shall be humbled, anG
the eyes OF the lofty shall be humbled
Woe unto them that draw
iniquity with cords of vanity, land sir
as it were with a cart rope. Voc
unto them that call evil good. anC
good evil; that put light for dark
ness, and narkness for light; that
put sweet for bitter, and bitter fol
| sweet"
Were there those in the days OF tn,
prophet who knew one thing Will
reference to the sinfulness of intemp
GRANGE and argued another, or wal
he with phophetic eve looking int
the future, yes, into the very 2Otl
century, and seeing that men, con
trary to reason, contrary to soun(
Judgment and contrary to the Chris
tan religion would still call evilgoo
and good evil?iAt any rate his word
| are very annlica bile To onr dar ON.