The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-12
CHURCH DEBT IS
RAISED IN FULL
When Bishop Gambler breaches
at 21st Avenue Church
BUILDING rs DEDICATED
Large Congregation Hears the Georgia
Methodist Divine-Two Thousand
Dollars, Is Quickly Raised
for Church Debt
BUILDING rs DEDICATED

A proof of the power of Bish op
Warren A. Gamblers eloquence was
given yesterday morning when In less
than 10 minutes time fund of $4,000
was raised by subscription to pay off
the remaining debt on the Twenty first
Avenue Methodist church at North Bir-
mingham. The occasion was the ded-
ication of the new church, which was
but recently completed and the con-
sregation in attendance packed the
coy edifice.
The distinguished Georgia bishop
held his audience In rapt attention for
almost two hours, speaking with his
usual eloquence and earnestness. At
ter the sermon the prescribed dedica-
tory exercises were gone through, the
officers of the church and Bishop Cand-
Ter officiating.
The $4,000 needed to pay off the
church debt was raised with little diff
fculty. Those who led the subscrip-
ton list were as follows J. B. Phil
lips $3.50, George B. Tarrant $3.50, Sam
H. Blake 5000. Culpepper Exum $125,
Fred NJ. Jackson 500, Bolton Gilreath
500, Mrs. Bolton Gilreath 800, i. F.
Written $50, w. G. Durrett $50. Clint
ciety $50. The remainer of the fund
was raised In IS, $40 and s25 contri-
buttons.
DR.. F. P. Culver, presiding elder of
the Birmingham district, was present
and assisted at the service, conduct
Ing the scripture reading. A number
of other pastors were present, includ-
Ing the Rev ]. S. Glasgow. pastor of
the Mount Vernon Methodist church
at North Birmingham and the Rev. G.
L. Jenkins presiding elder of the Tai
ladega district
Bishop Gambler spoke again last
night at the Twenty first Avenue
church and another large congregation
was present.
| Bishop Gamblers Sermon
/ Bishop Gamblers sermon at the ded-
ication service was broad and compre
hensive in scope 1t was a general sur
vey of modern civilization and an an
alysis of Its needs and shortcomings,
together with a comparison of the civ
ilization of Biblical times in the Holy
Land and modern western civilization.
The text was from Mathew xxiii:37-
So: 20 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often
would I have gathered thy children
| together even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings and we would
not Behold, your house is left unto
| you desola te.''
1.-THE emotions of men differ almost
as much as the hearts of men," said
Bishop Gambler. Some people are said
to be especially emotional; some are
not easily moved. But how great must
have been the emotion Of Jesus Christ
when he addressed his apostrophe to
Jerusalem. Think of any great man
| ,{x4,r o,,d4
Arlington Heights and lamenting for
the city of Washington and the coun-
try Of which 1t is the capital. That
emotion of Christ it would be impos-
sible for mortals to express. The di-
vine emotion was not easily stirred /;
we have record of but two occasions
on which Christ Is known to have
wept.
Cause of Lament
what then, stirred his grief? 1t
must have been national trouble, for
in those days nations were known by
their capitals and Jerusalem was but
a symbol for the nation, as Rome for
Italy Athens and Sparta for Greece.
Was it perhaps a political trouble? We
are in the custom. indeed, of crediting
most of our troubles to the political
condition of the country. We think
the political prescription will cure ev-
ery evil, social and otherwise, and be-
lieye the only step to civic salvation
is change of administration. 1t might
well have been a political trouble
which stirred the emotion of Jesus, for
those people were living under the
worst form of government, remotest
from the seat of government at Rome;
and distant capitals as rule make
bad problems. Then. too, they were
living under heather government
with the family Of Herod, the very
worst since Adam, in the White
House, as 1t were.
Gould 1t have been the poverty OF
the people? No doubt they were wretch
edly poor, for wealth was then yet
} Young. But poverty never ruined a
country or family 1 am sorry for
the son of rich man. He has small
chance in life, for the sons of rich
} men often run to poverty in the first
generation and crime in the second,
1.-THE nation of Jews was, too, a sick
nation, leprous physically and other
} wise, knowing nothing of our modern
science and methods of preventing dis
ease.
History Repeats Itself
But no. 1t was for none of these
reasons that Christ lamented. What
, was the matter then is what Is now
/ the matter with our civilization. Pol
itics is not our trouble; our govern
ment is not at fault. If we were a
people in whom God dwelt any form
of government would answer. 1 USED
TO think that If my candidate were moi
elected the millennium would come
, but the country didn't go to destruc-
? ton after all when he was defeated. !
Neither is it sickness How thu
church would prosper If we were t.
have a few funerals If some of oui
rich men were to pass away per-
Ihaps their children who have no sense
would scatter their wealth 1t Is no
poverty. Statistics show that we have
sworn to our tax receivers we hat
one hundred and sixteen billions o.
, dollars in property and general wealth
and if he swore It to them we undoubt
edly have.
mo. The lesson of that ancient civ
ilization for which Christ lamented II
Let God be with you and you arr
. invincible; let Him be away from yol
and you are helpless.
s I'VE read in scripture of the Jew
who were driven from the temple TO
: money changing. What of our present
day system of refined robbery? II yo'
thrust your revolver to mans heat
and demand his money 1t is called rob
berry, and you may be punished. Blu
il you take advantage or a mans ne
cessity to wiring from him his hard
earned money that Is legitimate. Sc