The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-09
MATHEWS SERMON
SPOKE AT HOLY c0MFORTEn ON
 sREPENTANCE.v
He Emphasfsed To His Hearers what It Meant Ts Be Chr1stfan---Twe
 Services Beinx Held

TaktuE hts text from the Gospel ac- cording to St John. xxia7. He saith unto him the third time. simon. son of Jonas. lowest thou mel Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time. Lowest thou Me? And he said unto him. Lord. Thou knowesf all things: Thou knowest that love Thee. JAssu saith unto him. Feed my Sheep. Rev. T. R. Matthews preached a strong sermon upon the humanness and hon. esty Of the Bible. In conclusion. he urged those present to really repent as the prodigal son had repented. and to lead teir lives after the savior's example.
 while the Church of the Holy Com forter was not So well filled as upon the previous night. the first of the kis- sion services, there was the same man. ifest Interest in the message delivered by the preacher. Throughout the rath- CT long service the congregation appeared to be carefully following ev- cry thought of the speaker, 70 often reiterated fin many ways.
 We are trying in this mission work this week." said Mir. Matthews, "to show how superior the word of God is to all other books. and following the comparison more closely, how much more honest it is. The Bible is book
  and women as 1t is about the virtues. It is q very human book"
 Illustrating this point. MT. Matthews pointed out the weaknesses of famed Biblical men as Abraham noted for his faith, yet the example he gave of him- self in Egypt, Noses in his wsalness calling his followers rebels and strik- ing the rock in the wilderness in an. ger that he might bring forth water. Elijah noted for his courage, on Mt. Carmel, yet fleeing because woman threatened to kill him.
 We may we'll sympathize with Peter. His strong point was his courage and boldness In confessfng Jesus before the throngs. saying in part that though all desert him. yet he would never do so. Yet why did he deny Jesus at the irn- portant time around the fire after Gethsemane? think there are four reasons.
 First. I think that Peter thought the church was not going to exist and that it would be of no use for him to sacrifice his life at that time. He did not want to give his life for . nonen- tity. Let me tell you that tt is one thing to be a Christian when every one about you is . Christian. but # is entirely different when the contrary Is the case"
 Ms. Matthews well applied this thought of Peters denial to the modern people He advised that people be hon- est in their beliefs: to make an iso- lated stand conscious of the presence of God although all outward appear ance be against you.
 The second point to be brought out was Peter's consciousness of the ab- sence of Christ. The Illustration Of the pFodigal son was aptly advised in this connection.
 .sHow different would the actions of the prodigal have seemed in his fath- er's house. The scenes which the prod- igaI enacted while away spending his incongruous to this home life to which he had been accustomed.
 The advice to the young people in the congregation in taking their summer vacations to be the same afar on where they were atrangers as they were at home was earnestly urged-
 The third point was the fact that Petar had slept while the Christ was praying. This was applied foretbly to modern times by the statement that people were sleeping at the present time and did not wish to be awakened any more than does the man who wants to sleep in the midst of the snow Ae1d. but who on being kept awake always thanks his friend forever a1- terW4fo. For sleep means ue4sn- sleep not to be awakened from until the Judgment Day.
 The fourth point for Peters denial of the Savior was the fact that he was in bad company.
 you cannot afbord to get away from the home of Cod any mora than a Christian can live i'd a dense smoke"
 After the sermon, Mir. Matthews left the pulpit and descended into the aisle of the church. Hers he asked that the congregation bear with him In patience a Iittie longer, while he explained the meaning of the word repentance.
 "Repentance," declared Mir. Matthews, "is a change of mind. It is the literal translation of the Greek to so call the work Repent does not mean to be soT- ry for sin. nor to be grieved over it. or to cry about 1t, 1t means that one must make up their mind to quit their evil habit. and by the grace of God to live the Christian life in the future"
 After explaining the meaning of the word. the preacher lead in a short prayer, and requested those who could do so to pray for a few moments in silence before being dismissed.
 There will be a Bible reading and in- structIon this morning at 9:30 o'clock and there will be evening prayer and sermon by the missioner at e:S0 o'clock. The public is cordially invited to at- tsnd these services.