Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-11-28
DEEDS, NOT WORDS"
Evangelist Says That Lives of Chris
tlans should Bear Out Their

SLatSnHcFISt
Thrustinsr home the statement thai
it is the deeds Of the Christians of to
day that are watched closer by non
Christians than the words uttered.
Rev. w. A.. Sunday delivered a power
full sermon yesterday afternoon at
the tabernacle, sharply outlining the
difference which is too commonly
found today, he asserted. between
church members and Christians.
eye shall be witnesses unto me.
both in Jerusalem and in all Judea.
and in Sanaria and unto the uttermost
parts of the earth; but We shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is
come upon you" Acts. 1:S was the
text used IS the basis Of the sermon.
Before the sermon Of the meeting
So1oist Butler favored the audience
with beautiful and appealing rendi-
ton of Ninety and Nine
what the church will be in the fu-
ture depends laTgely upon what the
church is today" the evangelist said.
cts UP to the Christian people of
this period to make the church an ex-
ample to be followed by the future
generations. You all know that hear
say evidence counts for nothing in a
court trial. It's what witness knows
himself personally, that has weight
with the Judge or jurors. And if a
witness Gets up and gives his evil
dence and some other man goes on the
stand and makes that man out liar,
| it not only hurts the witnesses char.
acter, but materially weakens the
cause he is attempting to help. So it is
with Christianity
"If you say YOU are Christian and
It is proven that there are things in
your everyday life and deeds which
prove you are not living as Christian
should. it not only makes YOU out a
liar. but hurts the cause. The Chris
tians of today must be careful and
lead lives that will bear close scrutiny
| for you are all witnesses of God. Lots
of neople never see the inside of a
bible, but gain their idea Of Christi
Ianity from watching the lives of peo-
pie who profess to be Christians.
That's the weak point in most of the
churches today-the life of the aver
age church member who processes to
be Christian doesn't prove it.
Need Real Proofs.
! "Never was there such need OF
convincing proofs and real demonstra.
tions of Christianity as there is today.
Deeds coun. more than words. The
1 people are the living epistles of God.
! The deeds OF men and women today
are read By all as examples of Chris.
tianity There's power, immense pow
er, in the life of the man or woman
who hates sin. | desDise man or
woman who tries to trims their life SO
that they ran hold the respect. of botn
! God and the devil at the same time.
1t can't be done and abhor a com
j promiser and so does God How much
better it is to suffer than to sin ?
Die before you sell out the devil.
That's the spirit that all Christians
should have.
"a decidedly unfavorable testimony
) is borne oy the lives of church mem,
bers which are questionable I'm not
. naming the sins this afternoon; III
just mention the questionable things
in many church members lives.
never saw a dancing, card-playing
J theatre.gong church member that
amounted 10 the snap of my fingers as
! soul winner or strong force for
Christ. Even if there is no great
harm in these things by themselves
(. lit is the influence that church mem
bers countenancins and doing them