Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-11-24
SUNDAY AS RECRUITING
OFFICER GETS % NEW
SOLDIERS CHRISTIAN ARMY

bows and an endless stream of gold
poured to the Pacific coast to supply
with their needs, and you we're proud
you were an American and had some
part in alternating human misery and
suffering Times of physical suffer
ing!
1t is a solemn thought when it may
apply to people who come to your
own church. Every church has a
standard There are certain men in
this town, when they go to church
they go because their mother went
there, or because their wife is a mem
Der, or because their children are in
that Sabbath school. Every church
has standard.
a friend of mine told me (and he
was pastor of one of the largest
churches in this country that man
and woman came regularly to his
church, neither of whom was Chris
tian. They gave more to the current
expenses than any member. He per-
sonalIy had never talked with them
about God and he didn't know that
any Of his members had, and so the
Lord troubled him for their salvation.
and he said: God, the next time |
see them | will ask Them and it
proved to be on Sunday morning, as
they sat in their accustomed place,
and when the sermon was over he
hurried down and said: "Mr. and Mrs.
Towne, I have come to ask you to be
Christians" My friend told me that
the tears trickled down their cheeks.
They thanked him and said: THAT is
the first personal invitation we have
ever had. We have had it through
sermons. we have. attended socials
and receptions Of your members, but
not one has ever asked us
to be Christian. We have contribut-
ed TO the current expenses Of your
church" Certainly they had right
to say that no one cared for their
soul Think! 1t may apply to your
own home. l don't know but there
are boys and girls in your home-to
young women and men they have
grown-and you have never spoken to
them about Jesus Christ.
The Estimate Made.
Possibly before | go any farther
this may need a little explanation.
You may think you are unworthy.
People estimate religion by what they
see in the lives of the people who
profess to be Christians. Your life
may be far from what you desire it.
to be, and yet l believe your life is
| lust what you want it to be. |
| think if you are an old cusser 1t IS
| because you would rather cuss than
pray | think if you are an old booze
fighter it is because you would rather
booze-fight than be sober l think ii
you are AL old libertine it is because
you would rather be that than be
pure. You Are what you are, because
you would rather be that than any
thing else II you are not a Christian
| it is because you would rather be that
way than 70 be Christian. You can
be what you want to be, and if You
are not Christian it is because you
don't want to be-, because to be a
Christian YOU would have to change a
whole lot Of things in your life and
you are not man enough to do it. You
may feel mo man ever cared for my
soul"
A sermon dropped in an audience
will do its work, but if this world vii!
ever be won to Jesus Christ it will not
be by an unaided clergy, and when a
preacher Or an evangelist thinks his
sermons are going to save the world
God Almighty will have to call in an
other Martin Luther and have another
Reformation
No Man Cares.
There may be those who will use
the words David did in the past tense
] IL .,,t ,,r
say: mo man cares for my soul.
Let us not betray Jesus Christ with Z
guilty silence. How have you influenc
ed people today, in your home, on the
street, or wherever you have me-
them? Will it be possible for anybody
to say in the day Of judgment, 6.
brought groceries to your home, you
came to the store and | sold you dry
goods; yes, we talked about religion
we talked about politics, we talked
about the meetings; you paid me m!
wages, worked for you in your home
or in your store, Or your office, o
your shop, or on your farm, but yol
never talked to me about Jesus
, Christ. You never asked me to be
Christian" [ wonder if it will be pos
sible on tho day Of Judgment for any
body to say that to you? What is tn
trouble? I'll tell you. You fail to re
alize that without Jesus Christ the
| are lost.
| There is a man by your side: yo'
are his wife; you bear his name; he i
{ good man, he pays his debts am
, you are satisfied as long as he will bu
t you new hat, provide the money TO
t you to get q new dress, pay the hous
, rent or the installment on the house
or the taxes; you are perfectly salts
! fed; but VIXEN you begin to awaken t
:. the fact that that man is lost and
, he would die tonightNou would neve
see him again, you would begin t
, pray and work for his salvation
:, Neither is there salvation in any othe
.. way, but by accepting Jesus Christ.
;, Will be Stone Blind.
u :, In one of our large cities mothe
Il had a little child whose eyes were a
= tiicted Some one said: "Take her
!, the oculist.' The mother had bee
q trying 20 doctor it herself. She finall
u took it down to the oculist. The do