Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-01
cow ERSIONS.

Total to date. 1,203
A sermon closely parallel with
the evangclist's powerful discourse en-
TITLED Nuts for Skeptics to Crack,
was delivered last night at the taber-
nacle by Rev w. A. Sunday on eff
any man will do his WILL he. shall
know of the teaching, whether it be of
I God or whether l speak myself" John
WILT.
The fact that a man becomes what
The does in this world is because he
wanted to gain that goal and no 9th
er, was the point brought out in the
sermon. The evangelist stated that
any man may be a Christian and have
4 his sins forgiven, no matter how low
he has fallen, if he will only make up
his mind and be in a receptive mood.
Following the sermon the evangelist
extended The invitation and sixty-four
men and women responded. The usual
large audience greeted the speaker, all
seats being taken and much of the
standing room. The sermon in part
follows:
The Sermon.
Copyright by Rev. William Ashley
Sunday.)
In the 9TH chapter of John, 18th verse:
"If any man will do his will he
shall know Of the teaching, whether
1t be of God, or whether l speak OF
myself"
I would like to make this message
tonight so plain and simple that not
a man or woman can arise in the day
of Judgment and say to God: Il went
to the tabernacle, attracted by the an
nouncement that the preacher would
preach especially for the help of skep
tics, and left my prejudice in the
store, or ir the Office, and went with
q mind open for conviction, intending
to listen earnestly, and if by what
could learn I could be saved from,
hell, I went with the full determine
ton to acept Jesus Christ and take my
stand publicly for him. And l say tt
YOU if you have come here in thai
honest, receptive mood, there will moi
be any one of you go out in the dark
but if you have come simply to listen
in order that you might find fault,
can't help you; and il Jesus Chris
himself should honor you and me by
his presence tonight to preach this
you set yourself against him.
Made it SO Plain.
God has made it so plain that tht
wayfaring man, though a fool, neet
mot err would like to strip it of it!
Isweddling clothes of mysticism ant
philosophy. and speculation that hu
imam ingenuity has wrapped about it
:snd let it stand forth in all its naket
simplicity, SO that any man or woman
here tonight. no matter how limited
YOUR intelligence, you may lay hold Of
Eternal Life. One has very aptly put i
by saying that God asks and require
of every man and woman three things
10 matter whether they are heathe:
= Christian, no matter whether Dor
IN Africa ol In America, 10 matte
,vhether they live in howell or pa
ace, no matter whether they are ric
or poor, learned or illiterate, white Q
black.
God Requires Three Things.
First A will and mind to kno,
Christ, and determination to forsak
every known sin.
Second: A desire to know the trut
in order that you might obey tn
truth. The condemnation which wi
fall upon multitudes in the day
Judgment, will be the knowledge ths
YOU know what to do. but would NJ
do it; and If any man or woma
heard but one sermon. and that Sc
mon was orthodox, and the preacht
urged you to accept Jesus Christ {
you would go to hell, and If you d
accept Jesus Christ you would go
heaven, and you do not accept Jes,
Christ, the knowledge you TIL,
gained in that sermon will conden
YOU in the judgment, for God w
show you that you heard enough Il
you to do that which would keep ye
out CT hell
Third: An honest, open, public co
fession with your life and your liz
that so far as you know Gods will "
are going to do it. Now, until G.
gives you more light, use what lig
you have. and don't growl about G.
not giving you more light. You knc
you ought TO be a Christian; then u
that knowledge, and as you use it
doing what God wants you to do.
Tive Ways to Learn.
Now listen! There are two ways
learn about everything, religion
anything else. One is theoretical
the other is practically.
might as well try to speak vi