The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-19
MISSION SERVICE
 DRAWING CROWDS Rev. Father Devery Speaks. Subject Tonight Is Total
 Abstinence"

a. m, and evening services beginnin g at 7:30 o'clock. Interest in the mis-
 sion grows steadily and crowds att tend.
 | A surprisingly large congregation
 was present at the early morning sorv- | ices yesterday to hear Father Skin ner's discourse on the dispositions oi
 souls that the sinner must have be- | fore he may hope to obtain pardon for
 his sin and regret that he ever com
 The first requisite is that one detest his sin and regret thta he ever com
 nitted it because it is offensive tt Almighty God. The second is the reso- lution to give mp the sin and to keep away from the persons, places or things that were the proXimat te occa- sion of sin.
 Father Devery Breaches | Last night Father Devery spoke on | the death and judgment of the unre- | pented sinner, taking for his text: Be not deceived; God is not mock cd for. whatsoever a man soweth, that shah l he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap cor ruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life ever | lasting"
 The preacher spoke in part as follows: "The call of Christ to the interior kingdom of God is call to duty--to the highest duty that we have in this world to discharge-the duty, namely, l of living up to our higher nature, | speaking in obedience to Gods voice | In Ills church and in the interior com | mands of conscience For the Chris l tian there can be no doubt about this, no two ways of thinking, no heslta- | tion, no compromise, The one duty which Christ the Savior demands of his followers is the duty of being just and pure and noble in their interior | hearts and souls, This is the duty | of the Christian, sacred beyond de- scription and final beyond all appeal "Now there are some who knowing | the call of Christ to be call to the | highest ideals of purity, truth and charity, and then beholding the prev alence of evil 'in the world about them | ask why does God suffer this mock : cry? Instead of the meekness recom- mended by Christ they behold cont en tions and hatred among those who call themselves his followers: Instead of the beautiful virtues of honesty. love and chastity they see i'll the lives of many the opposite vices, and are led to question the divine justice of God and to ask will righteousness ever be justly rewarded and sin and crime duly punished?
 ITO this question the words of the Apostle St. Paul gives an adequate answer: Be not deceived, God is not mocked for whatsoever man sow eth, that shall be also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh roap corruption; but he that soweth of the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.
 Heaven Will Avenge
 70 yes, God is silent but He Is not defeated. The clamor of wicked sin ners may for the moment drown His voice in their own consciences. He is waiting. He is mercifully delaying, but be not deceived. He will not be mocked forever. Heaven will in due time vindl- cate the rights of God Almighty. Never is innocence outraged, but heaven will avenge it. Never Is truth cast down but the Lord will retrieve it. Never is jus tice crushed to earth but He will aise it up. Every unrepented sin clamors to Him and He will punish it. Every de- liant sinner shall If he does not repent or cast down in everlasting shame and de- struction.
 70 sinner Jesus Christ In all His .na- jesty and beauty has arisen to judge, and what will you answer when He examines? First, you will be obliged to answer for all the gifts of nature. How have you used the time God has given you? Have
 
 rather not spent 1t in idleness, if not in sin? You knew that God prolonged your years on earth for the sole purpose of giving you an opportunity to grow in His love and knowledge, and in order that you might lay up treasure in Heaven-and have you done so? If not what will your answer be? Every moment of your life should be filled with good, and how many moments have you not filled with evil?
 His law is His standard. The God of the commandments stands over you, and how will you stand the test? Thou shalt love thy God above all things, and thy neighbor as thyself.' Many of you have turned from your God and despised his commandments, I ask you to answer.
 How hast thou loved thy neighbor? Not only those who have turned from their God shall He judge, but those who have turned from his children. Jesus Christ speaks. You saw mo in my az covered children, in my sick and inflrm, and how did you feed me, how did you visit me" Answer Tie that is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment and he that hateth his neighbor is a murderer in his heart. If you have committed this nur- der of the heart. and as the Lord of brotherly love stands over you in judg ment l ask you to an9wer.
 "IIis second commandment Is: Thou shalt not take my name in vain Have you dishonored that Gacred name through which alone you may be saved-tosscd 1t about as though it were a dogs name which you could command and beat? You took the name of God in ribaldry to spice your conversation or in revenge on the witness stand with the right hand lifted in perjury. If you have so used the sa- cred name as the bearer of that name stands over you answer. e
 Thou shalt keep holy the Lords iay.' My day is day of rest and of prayer, the only day in seven that you should have given me, but how have you used it? Have you turned it from a day of rest into day of labor for selfish gain? Have you changed it from day of pray CT to day of sin? Have you spent your Sunday mornings. not before the altar of worshipping your God. but in preparation for an evening of debauch in the service of the devil? If this has been your Sun day, as the Lords stands above you +, judgment, I ask you 10 answer.
 Thou shalt not kill. Jesus Christ speaks to you: T am the 'oLrd of life and death I am master of life. corporal and spiritual. temporal and eternal It Is mine alone to give life. 10 let it remain, or to take il back to mvself.' You are wife, you have interfered with Gods plans. Have you sinned against innocs,t 9blood? If this is your sin. then as the Lord of life and death stands over you, answer.
 Tonight Father Skinner will deliver a lecture on Why I am Total Ab- staincr."
 His presentation of the subject has the reputation of being free from undue cx- ap gerat Ions and such as appeals to all