The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-26
AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH

1t is pretty generally conceded that
one may as well be out OF the world as
out Of its fashions. and just now it is
the prevailing fashion in Ocala to at
tend any gathering at any time from
Is to As minutes after the time adver-
tised for commencement, and 1t seems
that even the churches are now falling
into that way of doing things, for
when the clock struck eleven yester-
day morning there was scarcely a cor
poraPs guard at the Baptist church.
and when the services commenced some
Is minutes later it was little better.
but at II 80 there was a fair sized au-
dience present.
As an inducement to get out a big
crowd Ii had ben advertised that the
Rev. F. w. Cramer of cordele, Ga,
would preach and as still further
inducement Ii was announced thra the
press that electric fans had been in
stalled and would add to the comfort
of the occasion. The fans were there
all right but for the want of energy
on the part OF the electric light plant
they were as motionless as the Gle
brated Egyptian sphinx.
The music both choir and congrega-
tion was very fine, and worthy of spe-
lG. A. Nash.
| The Rev F. w Cramer is a man of
/ fine pulpit appearance built along the
same liberal lines as DR.. Bigham, late
pastor of the Methodist church. He
| has a fine and well modulated voice
which without any effort the part
of the speaker could. be heard distinct
/ 1y in every part of the building. He
| took for his text Acts 1-8 and / Cor.
Ills, and his theme was, the power to
| bring US to a larger Christian life In
part he said that people often haG a
wrong conception of the Christian life,
many believing that it was merely a
will to do good with good people, but
real power was not a matter of either
performance or association, nor was it
a matter of creed; that the cu1minat-
ling power of Gods will was the power
of Christ to forgive sin, now was God
power more manifest in the raging
storm or the earthquake than in the
l"still small voice" That the Old Testa-
lment from the very beginning taught
that when Jesus Christ should come
into the world it would be with the
full power to forgive sin and that all
Iancient writer's taught the same les
son, and that 500 years before Christ
twas born. confusius taught the golden
rule, phrasing it however as do not to
others that which you wouldn't have
them do to you
He said that 1000 policemen could
not make a man do or think right, but
the power of God in the human heart
call it by what name you please, con-
version, regeneration or a new heart
Ican do what that 1000 policemen could
never accomplish.
He told of child, whose mother and
father were both confirmed drunkards
and that the doctors declared that the
Ichi1d was born drunk and for the mex
IS years he never drew a sober breath
yet one night in the city of London h.
went into a Salvation Army meeting
and the power of God in the forgive
ness of sin so changed his nature tina
during the remainder of his life-eigh
years-he never touched a drop o
. liquor.
He said that power in man was a new
science, that a man might try of hi
own strength to lift a flying machin
from the ground but the laws of grav
itation were too much for tina
strength, yet a man would take hi
place in that machine and by the al,
! of newly discovered power could 1if
the machine from the earth and soa
heavenwards even as a bird, so it, oftel
was with man, he tried to reform a
, the wrong end, by merely using hi
, own will and power instead of openin!
, his heart to the acceptance of God
Lpower and Gods goodpess-that powe
and that goodness which in the en-
would lead him to the glorious realm
of eternal bliss.
I n 49,.
gentleman at the evening service, an
as the fans got their work in to per
, fection, there was no complaint abou
the temperature. The theme of tn
: discourse was REST" DR.. Dodge an
: his congregation Were present, tn
: worthy doctor taking part in the ser
lvice.