The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-29
EXCUSES" FURNISH
SERMON THEME
DR.. II. Q. RREEpEh breaches
NEXT TO LAST OF ADDRESS
Es IN MiSSoULA.

The service at the Christian church
last night was one of unusual interest
and profit. A large and thoughtful
audience listened with breathless In
terest to DIR. Breeden's impressive
sermon. drawn from the text, Il Pray
Thee. Have Me Excused" He said:
There are certain decisions which are
cherished with wonderful tenacity by
men. decisions that have been passed
from generation to generation as u,
legacy. Where can you find a man.
be he a selfish miser. an Abandoned
wretch or a respectable sinner, VINO
does not flatter himself that deep
down In his heart he hates sin and
loves righteousness? Indeed he would
choose for himself a life of perfec,
purity and Righteousness, but for him
the prize is impossible. Nature. tenn
permanent. environment, all combine
to put II beyond his reach. Indeed. he
would be godly. but God will not let
him. The blessedness of the kingdom OF
God Is acknowledged and approved
only for him. it is beyond reach. This
was the conception of the man who
said, Blessed is he who shall eat bread
I'm the kingdom of Coda pious plat
itude. well sounding indeed, but with
out meaning or reality, a mere bup-
BILE which the Savior proceeded to
prick, using a parable as his instru-
I ment From the story the Master
shows that men go contrary to ma
ture. reason and sound sense In deal
/ ing with the kingdom of God. This
/ parable indeed Is most unnatural
story. differing as II does from all the
Y other parallels of Jesus In this regard.
Y THE parallels all belong to the re-
gion of the imagination, but the mean
ing is never forced, the incidents new
\ or arbitrary. They are transcripts
from real life. But In this parable
something is described which would
never take place In real life. You
would never have heard of all the
/ people invited to "A feast with one con-
sent making excuse. If they were In
1 yited to witness surgical operation
| they might say. Excuse me- but peo-
/ pl are anxious to attend a feast. This
/ very unnaturalness Is the most marked
/ feature of the truthfulness of this
parable. because 1t brings out this fact
that In religion, people will behave as
/ they never behave in the ordinary ar
fairs OF life. People who in ordinary
things act with sense and sincerity. I'm
! religion often act as If they had part
ell with their sense. In religion men
are blind to their own blessedness.
I They know their eternal interests are
involved. but they win pot look i'm tina,
direction. The reasons which pre-
vented those who were invited from
attending were not vicious. All were
going to do things which We're nor
only lawful. but honorable. and tina,
in the right time and place would hav-
been praiseworthy. Yet these detained
/, them from the feast as effectually as
, If they had been the greatest crimes.
Doubtless men are kept from coming
even within hearing of the gospel. by
the cords of their vices: but the things
which keep most men and women from
coming to Christ are not of this sor,
at all"
At the close of the service six per-
, sons presented themselves for MEM
bership In the church. bringing the
number up to As.
The service tonight will he the clos
I ing one Of the series. II Is hoped To
make 1t the best. To this end ever,
member of the church Is urged to b.
present. 1t is especially desired that
all those who have Joined the church
during the meetings shall be present
DIR. Breeder has a special message for
these. as also for all those who con.
stituted the membership % the church
, before the meetings began. The them,
= of his sermon viii be Not Far from
the Kingdom" The public also is cor,
, daily invited to this service. The
music under the direction of Mr.. Sax.
ton, viii be of unusual interest.