The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-02-17
SAM G|LMAN'S SUNDAY SERMON
SOME THINGS We OVERLOOK


Lord: but they that deal truly are
his delight" was Sam c. Gilman S
theme at the Presbyterian church on
Sunday evening. In the course of
his remarks. he said:
During the past few weeks we
have been studying about the hrst
persons and the first events that had
F 10 do with the beginning of the Chris
/ tian church. We considered the first
sermon preached in the history of
/ the church. when Peter delivered that
remarkable discourse on the day of
Pentacost; then we were introduced
to the first miracle performed by the
Apostles when Peter and John healed
the lame man lying at the gate in the
Temple called Beautiful; then the
first trial. the first persecution when
Peter and John were brought before
the Sanhedrin. and commanded to
speak no more in the name of Christ;
tonight our attention is called TO the
first liar that appeared in the Chris
tian church. as we'll as the Christian
world. You know his name. II was
Ananias
themselves into a community where
all were of one heart and one soul;
where nobody lacked because every
body disposed of their possessions,
and put the money into a common
fund. from which distribution was
made to every man, accordingly as
he had need. When Ananias joined
this early communistic settlement,
and sold his lands and brought the
proceeds to the disciples. he lied as
to the amount he had received; he
kept back little. From that day
tao this. in the church and out of IL.
there have been men who keep back
IA little. There is the man, who,
when he is handed his pay envelope
at the close of the week. or the end
of the month. doesn't tell his wife
Just how much he received-keeps
back a little; there is the merchant,
who. when he is dealing wl.h Gus
toner. doesn't give full weight or
measure-keeps back a little: there
is the minister of the gospel, who,
as he stands in 49, pulpit. delivering
Gods message. doesn't speak the
whole truth-keeps back little. The
minister who employs tact and di-
plomacy lest the cause of the church
be hurt, the minister who doesn't
want to be offensive. who really
breaches everything but the gospel.
in order 10 win men into the
church rather than trying to save
men into life eternal. When the
devil lands a preacher of righteous
ness, and gets him OFF on these lines.
he begins to live as a preacher ought
not to live: too often he falls into
temptation: into sin and disgrace,
and the pity of ii all is that he
brings shame not only upon himself.
but upon the whole church of God,
as we'll. In momentary crisis,
when some great reform movement
is in progress, and the best interests
of the people are at stake; when the
church rises up and aggressively
Identifies itself with the matters at
issue: then the ones opposed begin
TO point at the sins of the clergy,
and an effort is made 10 weaken the
influence of the church. An effort
is made 10 blind the people as TO the
real issue Even now. while this anti
gambling movement is on. the cry is
raised: The preachers are no bet
ter than the gamblers, and all the
crimes in the catalogue are charged
against the clergy. But though ev-
cry preacher turns villain. that
doesn't give any one a license 10 he
a gambler. Two wrongs do not make
a rignt. and let us not lose sight of
the real issue: Shall gambling be
allowed in The state of Nevada? Let
us remember that there is no place
in the whole arrangement for either
the gambler or the faithless preacher.
Indeed, If there is any one to be de-
spised above another IL is the eccles-
iastieal liar. the Rev. Ananias whom
God has entrusted with a message.
TO be delivered TO the people. and
who. instead of doing so,-keeps
back a little.
The meanest thing about Ananias.
the First, was that he wasn't salts
fed with telling a lie himself. but
he had TO get his wife to do a little
fabricating also. That's the way with
good many men. When they drag
themselves down, they must drag
their wives down also. Some men are
willing TO let their wives do all the
good things while they do all the
. Lad things. Some men even have re-
ligion in their wife's name. They let
their wives and children go 10
church, but they never think of en-
tering the church doors themselves
But great many wives never go 70
church because their husbands don't
go. and a great many husbands
when they drag themselves down
drag their wiges down with them
And the pity of il is that woman. be-
cause of her love. and her fidelity
will descend with man wherever he
may go. Some one has said, that
just as a beautiful vine will Irvine
81. old m