Rock Island Argus., 1911-04-07
CARRIES GOSPEL
TO men IN SHOP
Novel Plan Adopted by Evange-
list Bruner in Reaching
Workers of City.
HEARD AT LUNCH HOUR
Getting Down to Business" Theme
of Talk at the Rock Island
Plow Plant.

The thought of a religious service in
a blacksmith shop at the noon hour
strikes many people as an oddity but
it is an everyday matter with the
Young Mems Christian Association
workers. One of the special lines Of
work conducted by the association is
that of carrying the gospel message
into unusual places.
The meeting conducted yesterday
noon at the plow factory by Evangelist
Bruner was typical of those held at in
tervals during the season by the local
association, and particularly so of
those being put on at present by Mr..
Bruner. For the benefit of people who
have never seen such a meeting as
that, a description may be interesting.
Soon after the whistle blew al noon
yesterday Mr.. Bruner, in company with
some of the local association men, en-
tered the factory and started on
round of inspection, reminding the
men, as they went, of the talk to be
given in the blacksmith department
At 1880 a few bugle calls served to
announce the opening of the meeting
in the blacksmith shop. and in a short
time about one hundred men had hur-
ried in to hear the talk.
STORY OF zACCHEUs.
Mr.. Bruner took his place in the
midst of the crowd. with his audience
him on all sides, and
started in with his message. Getting
Down to Business" was the subject
II took Mr.. Bruner very little time TO
get down TO business himself The
story of Zaccheus. the man up a tree,
was the theme of the talk Jericho,
the scene of the incident. was touched
upon, with few words of graphic de-
scription that set the scene out vividly.
Jericho was the accursed city. It's
curse was the curse of sin, which is the
curse of men, cities and nations today.
Zaccheus was a common CRATER, who
was known and despised and hated be
cause of his political job and the dis
honesty he practiCed in it. He was a
little man. short on legs. but long on
brains and he hit upon the eXpedient
Of climbing a tree in order to see the
man Jesus who was coming Jesus
came along and stopped and called
Zaccheus. He knew him by name, and
so does God today know men by name,
and so does He today come to the place
where they are and call them.
RIGHTING THE WRONG.
Jesus cared nothing for the criti-
cisms of bystanders, but he did care
for the soul of Zaccheus. The crowd
knocked but they hurt no one but them
selves. Zaccheus, in the presence of
Jesus, recognized the fact of his own
and gave evidence of the
of his change of heart by
his vow to restore more than he had
stolen. and to make right the wrong he
had done. The need of men today is
to see Jesus as He is, to come down
from their heights of pride, to confess
Christ as Master, and to make restitu-
ton for the wrong they have done.
With such thoughts, advanced in rapid
fire order, with convincing logic and
catchy illustration. Mr.. Bruner held his
men in rapt attention until the brief
period for his talk had passed.
PROGRAM FOR TODAY.
Today at noon Mr.. Bruner spoke at
the sash and door plant to a large COM
pany of men on the theme Quitting
Time" This afternoon his schedule
called for an address to the street car
men at the car barn, where he had an
lounced the appropriate topic, Face
Forward" Tonight he will speak at
he annual Y. M. C. A. gymnasium
mems banquet, and afterward will be
heard at the Central Presbyterian
church.