The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-08
MIR. MATTHEWS
 ABLE SERMON It Opened a Mission at
 Holy Comforter. THE INDIVIDUAL SERMON He DweIt Upon the Christians
 True Work. Large conEreEation Heard First of < Sermons Services win Con-
 tinue Throushout

At the Church of the Holy Comfort. CT Rev, John R. Matthews, Missioner of the Diocese of Alabama. began a series of mission services last night al o'clock. The auditorium of tho church was well filled by a congrega. tion of members of the Holy Comforter and of St. Johns and close attention was paid to the message which thu speaker brought. N
 MT. Matthews Is speaker of force and magnetism, and his eloquent ser. mon last evening was well calculated to make shis hearers think of religion more seriously than they had thought His pictures Illustrating the forceful points of his sermon were well chosen and brought out to the fullest the meaning which the preacher was striving with intense earnestness to bring to his congregation.
 The customary services of evening prayer of the Episcopal Church was first gone through with by the congre- gation, after which Mir. Matthews an nounced that he would take his text from Luke xv: 10.
 "Likewise say unto you. there is joy in the presence of the angels oi God over one sinner that repenteth."
 Mir. Matthews spoke of the religion of the times in which Jesus lived, and compared 1t with the religion of mod ern times. He compared the prayer of the pharisee with that of the publican saying that Jesus rebuked the spirit of self-righteousness found in the prayer of the pharisee in that he thanked God that he was better than other men.
 From this 1t was shown that Christ came to save, not the righteous, nor the Cody, but the sinner. It was to the sinner that Christ showed his love. al- ways rebuking those who thought or called themselves, righteous. It is this rebuke, the preacher declared. that caused. the pharisee to hate him. E Another charge against the Savior was discussed. It was charged against Him that He received sinners and ate with them publicly.
 T want you to go home and thank God that this is so," declared the preacher One of the finest things in the character of the Savior is Ills care for the individual, and no man is lost because he is not sought; 1t is because he is not willing to respond to the call when 1t is made to him every day of his life; 1t is because he Is not willing to be found at all.
 "when the Episcopal Church stops looking after the individual sinner in its efforts to bring that particular per son into the meHlpSFbhlp OA thS ShuAS Siis then Christ stops looking after the Episcopal Church"
 { The parable of the prodigal son was touched upon. The elder brother of the prodigal declined to own his brother after his repentance, the father, made no mention of his son's past life, but received him with open arms, will ing to give him another trial. It is the same way with God. the speaker declared. God does not look upon your past after you have repented through the Savior there is no angry God, but a loving Father.
 The better translation of the Greek in the text which Is read 'iri the pres ence of" Is also translated before" '.in the sight of" This meaning was called to the attention of the congre- gation. God Himself is glad when a sinner repents. and His angels sing the rejoicing.
 At the "close of the sermon there were many who remained after the bulk of the congregation had left the church building that they might meet and shake hands with MT. Matthews and congratulate him upon his splen- did address.
 On today the following program has been arranged:
 s:sO a. m.. Bible reading and in- struction.
 s:15 p. m.. Evening prayer and ser mon.