The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-27

OF how we should all get above our own
selfish contentious and live only that
Jesus might be glorified: zone day three
nature philosophers went out into the
forest and found a nightingale's nest.
Immediately they began to discuss the
habits of the bird, its size and the num-
Der of eggs it lays. One pulled out of his
pocket treatise of Button, and another
one of Cuvier, and the third one of Au-
dubon. They read and they disputed un-
til at length the quarrel ran so high over
the empty nest that they got red in the
face and the woods rang with their con-
fict, when, 10, out of the green shade of
neighboring thicket the bird itself,
reused and disturbed by these noises. be-
gins to sing. At first it's song is soft and
low; then 1t rises and swells, and waves
of melody float up over the trees and I'LL
the air with tremulous music. Then the
entranced philosophers, subdued and
ashamed of their quarrel, shut their
books and walked home without a word.
So men around the empty sepulcher of
Christ have wrangled about the forms
of religion about creeds and doctrines
and ordinances when Christ himself, dis
turbed by their discords, sings to them
out of heaven Of love and peace and joy
in the Holy Ghost till they are ashamed
of their conflicts and go quietly and
meelxly to their duties" May we well
heed the message of the great poet
preacher of Plymouth pulpit. May we
be enabled to cease our sectarian con-
ficts. May we not strive to lift our Sec
tartan creeds above the cross. May we
cease to be bigoted and selfish Jonahs.
May our one joy be to see men and wo-
men come to the cross May we care
not by what means sinners come as long
as they are saved. Lord God. teach us
to sink self that thy Son. our Saviour,
may be glorified before men,
Why Jonah Fled.
But why was 1t that Jonah fed away
from Nineveh, and why did he sail for
Tarshish? l want to show you why he
shirked his duty. To show the cause or
WHY a sin is committed is often to show
us how we may flee the results OF that
sin. Jonah wanted to be Gods prophet,
but he wanted to be a gospel soldier
without having to meet the dangers and
I believe all this can be substantiated by
studying the geographical position OF the
great capital of Sennacherib, whose pal
aces in nearby Kuyunjik were one of the
wonders of the world.
Jonah was then living in the beautiful
SEAPORT town of Joppa, the present en-
trance to the Holy Land. The town sits
rnon the high cliffs 1t is one of the
most beautiful spots of the world. To
the west are the broad waters OF the
Mediterranean. The waves were dashins
over the rocks and tumbling in spray at
his feet To the east rose the mighty
Mountains There were the gardens and
tho VINEYARDS and the orchards. There
we're the ships coming and going. There
was everything at Joppa to make life
pleasant and happy Lovely people,
Edenic surroundings. all, all were there
for. as the poet wrote, Joppa was
o1das+ of cities linked with sacred truth
And classic fable from thy earliest dawn
Nv name 1.-THE Beautiful.
In other words, Jonah was COD $ SOL
der doing barrack duty. His barracks
were in one of the most delightful sea-
MORT towns Of the world. But after he
ia staved there while and made his
o,ro1e NJ friends and was just beginning
40 eniov himself the word of the Lord
80 m him and said, arise, go to
Nineveh. that great city. and cry against
q for their wickedness Is come up be-
toro me-, In other words, God said unto
It, n-onhet soldier: "Gird on thy armor,
r,ightv prophet. Go forth to battle.
NAV the sword of faith and strike at
nv enemies Go into the citadel of sin
aa,,ad Nineveh. the great capital of the
north
No,y what happened? Jonah began to
roake excuses. I think | hear him say:
OF ord God, why dost thou command me
70 on to Nineveh? Dost thou want to Kill
80 Dost thou want to destroy me?
Nri,,eveh is at least 700 miles to the north
cast of Joppa. In order to travel toward
a. 7 will have to cross the deserts and be
ottacked by the wild beasts and be hunt
al nv the BedouIn robbers, who are more
,,arciless and ferocious than wild beasts
BESIDES, Lord, I must go alone. l VIII
cor+ainlv die II have to co. Then Jonah
=, his own mind began to non1ure up diff
6culties. He piled them up and up until
at last he said: 81 will not go. No
won.t God has no right to ask me tc
make this sacrifice" Then, as he makes
this sinful resolve. he looks out OF his