The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-08
BIG CROWD HEARS
WALTERS PREACH
LARGEST ATTENDANCE OF ANY
TUESDAY EVENING PRESENT
AT UNION EvANGELISTlc sERV-
ICES LAST EvENINc-ANoTHER
RoUSING MEETING TONIGHT.

Those who attended the union evan
gelistic services last evening with an
excuse for remaining outside the king
dom found Rev. ]. NJ. Walters waiting
with a rhetorical bompardment that,
figuratively speaking, knocked every
prop from under them. Not only was
the eloquent preacher in good form,
but he had the inspiration of the
largest Tuesday evening crowd OF the
series, remarkable testimonial Of the
interest that is being taken in the
meetings.
Mr.. Walters found his text in the
parable Of the feast prepared by the
rich man whose guests failed to ar
rive, having divers and sundry ex-
cuses. Each one would have attended
but for something that interviewed, and
that little word but" said the speaker,
was responsible for more crimes, ia
taltties and failures than any other
word in the English language. The ex-
cuses that are given for not becoming
christians was the parallel he drew
from his text. and few who heard the
sermon could fail to find it's pointed
application.
The world applauds a hero, the man
who falls down and gets up again.
Why should the world decry the man
or woman who starts out bravely to
lead christian life and, falling down,
has the courage to rise and try again b?
Why talk about backsliders in the
church when all avenues of human
life are full of backsliders? The
world looks on approvingly at the
widow, left with a large family, who
In the face of great odds brings them
through, educates them, makes men
and women out Of them. Why not ap
plaud the woman who makes heroic
effort to lead better life, though she
fall and has to try again?
The question in America today is
not one of bread and butter. of reci-
procity or tariffs, but the one question.
shall we quit making excuses for our
own acts and accept the personal re-
sponsibility that is placed on each of
us to lead the life that God would
have us lead? The question is one
that we cannot escape with the ex-
cuse that someone else is no better
than we. Though there are hypocrites
in the church, there are greater ones
outside.
The power of God is sufficient to
save to the uttermost. There is no
one no matter how vile, who cannot
be saved if convicted of sin and filled
with desire to do better things and
live a better life.
MT Walters used a number of strik.
ing Illustrations. He gave some
thrusts Of sarcasm that were biting,
he used pathetic incidents that melted
the hearts Of his hearers, and in clos
ing, urged each individual present 10
accept the responsibility that could
not be placed on another. The step
that must be taken now If eternal life
with God is to be the portion.
Probably because of the fact tina.
so large a crowd was not expected the
lecture room was not heated last eve
ming. After placing a number of chairs
in the aisles it was found that the
continual arrival of people made it
necessary to open the lecture room, II
was very cold and materially affected
the meeting. In order that it NAV
not occur again the lecture room, rs
well as the body of the church will be
heated every day, so there will be no
repetition Of last nights chill.
Tonight Rev. A. E. Peterson of the
First Baptist church will he the
speaker He will preach a strong and
winning sermon on The New Song, a
subject which is especially adapted to
evangelistic work. Those who have
heard Mr.. Peterson have been greatly
attracted by his eloquence and his
forceful personality. He will be at his
best tonight.
Good singing is the rule at the meet
ings. Tonight there will be a special
musical programme with a large
chorus as usual to lead.