Evening star., 1909-02-24
RELATES A PARABLE
Philadelphia Rector Speaks in
Local Church.
PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN
Rev. DR.. Tompkins Gives Sermon In.
troductory to Mission.
ST. THOMAS LENTEN SERVICES
Holy Communion This Morning.
Evening Prayer in Afternoon
and Sermon Tonight.
ST. THOMAS LENTEN SERVICES

The parable of the Pharisee and the
publican who went to the temple to pray
is being carried out in modern everyday
life, Rev. Dr. Floyd w. Tompkins, rector
of Holy Trinity Church, Philadelphia
Pa, declared during a sermon last night
in st. Thomas Church, Introductory to the
ten days mission which Rev. DIR. c.
Ernest Smith began today. DR.. Tompkins
recited how the Pharisee went into the
temple and calling upon the Lord, told
Him of the work he had done for the
church, of the good he had done in other
places, and Of the money he had given to
the general conduct of the church's work.
The publican came" DR.. Tompkins
said, "and as he smote himself he called
upon the Creator to come down in His
might and have mercy upon sinner"
This method, according to DR.. Tomp-
kins, is the right way to approach the
throne of grace. Persons should not come
into the church. to tell the Lord what they
have done, but to call upon Him in
meek and humble way, and declare their
| hope that He will accord to them saliva
ton.
Goes Down With Blessing.
I'VE see these two men going up into
the temple" said DR.. Tompkins, 1.-The
Pharisee is telling what he has given to
the work of the Lord, and the publican Is
crying God be merciful unto me sim
ner.' One goes down with the blessing
of his Creator
Dr. Tompkins declared that the
churches should be open every day in the
week. would that great many of
| the churches" he said, were other than
simply Sunday gathering places. and more
on the order of houses of prayer. 1 want
to say upon this occasion that ninety
nine out of every 100 churches In this
| land are closed from one Sunday till the
following one. 1t would seem that our
American idea Of liberty would keep
many of us from coming If they were
open. though.
should be until we love the house of God.
| In this parable we see a fine thing. Two
men prayed after their fashion. Our
| modern-day worship sometimes reminds
difference in it than that OF the Hindu.
who comes into his temple and II his
spit ball sticks to the image of his God
| as he throws 1t against 1t, then his sins
are forgiven, but If it does not stick then
he is not forgiven.
Points Out Differences.
Il must take you back again to the
Pharisee and the publican. The first
was essentially the churchman. He knew
everything. He was a religious man.
| The publican was the direct opposite. He
was a renegade Jew, taxing his own peo
pie and waxing fat upon the proceeds.
The publicans were unjust. They took
a great deal more in the way of taxation
than they ever turned over to the Roman
| authorities. But the publican went down
from the temple justified.
THE man who steals Is not the only
thief. The man who lets the bad stories
be told is just as bad sinner as the
one who tells them.
THE Pharisee gave 10 per cent of his
who earn $1,000 per year are giving 800
of 1t yearly to the church. The Publican
was an adulterer. but when he became a
supplicant in the Lords house the Creator
The Publican said, God be merciful to
me sinner Today there are prayers
of conceit and prayers of supplication.
/ THE Publican was an extortiOner-a
man who lived upon the sweat and blood
i Of others. Those in our modern day
II who live upon the weaknesses of others
are as much extortioners as the Publican
| of Old
To Err Is Human.
Dr. Tompkins said that one of the sad
things of this life is the fact that
high Judge has to admit that at all times
justice cannot be meted out. But ito
err is human" He also called attention
to the laxity of the divorce laws. and
that many go to see modern plays and
read modern books that they should not
look upon If they would live in the realm
designated by their Creator.
In concluding. Dr. Tompkins said: I'VE
are Christians-nominally so. Let US look
into our hearts and see II We are what
we should be. We should not 60 into
the presence Of God and tell Him Of the
gooi things we have done. Rather. like
the Publican, we should kneel down and
say humbIy, God. be merciful to me a
sinner We all need God. Only as we
cling to the cross Of Christ are we saved"
DR.. Tompkins returned to Philadelphia
late last night.
The mission which will continue for
ten days was formally opened in st.
Thomas Church this morning. Holy
communion was celebrated at o'clock,
morning prayer at 10 o'clock and peni-
tential office. litany and holy communion
and sermon to workers at II o'clock.
There will be evening prayer and in
structions at 4:3O o'clock. and first mission
| service and sermon at o'clock this