The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-12-30
HEARS
A STRONG SERMON
Surprised Preacher and COngre-
. cation of Little Church.
THE PREACHERS THEME.
Mans Accountability to His Maker,
Subject of Sermon by Rev. DIR.
Herbert Jones.

Gulfport, Miss, Dec. 2S.-Presi-
dent Wilson sat in a quaint little
Presbyterian church here today, an
humble worshiper in
a congregation of less than a hundred
and heard a remarkable sermon on
the personal accountability of the in
dividual to his Maker.
The President and Mrs. Wilson, ac-
companied by DR.. Cary T. Grayson,
came unexpectedly, avoiding a crowd
that had collected at the little church
at Pass Christian eight miles away,
and though the Rev. DR.. Herbert AL
bert Jones was as surprised as any of
his congregation at the arrival Of the
distinguished visitor; he varied his
prepared service only slightly. Yet,
by coincidence he developed a theme
that has long been one of the preach
ments OF the President himself.
The Rev. DR.. Jones preached fer
yently. His trembling hands fire.
quently were upraiseu as he walked
to and fro in the pulpit
81 selected a text" he said, mot
knowing that it would be my distin-
guished honor to preach before the
President of the United States but |
wanted to give all of you something
helpful that would remain with you
in the days to come. 1t was the
twelfth verse in the fourteenth chap
ter of PauIs letter to the Romans:
so then every one of us shall
give account of himself to God
This principle of accountability
affects all of us, for God cares for the
humblest man as he does for the
President of the greatest nation on
earth.
This is the last Sunday of the
year. What has the year done for
us? To some who are in this pres
ence, it has been the most glorious
year in American history. An era has
dawned on the worlds diplomacy that
will see emblazoned around the
coronets of princes and the crowns Of
Emperors, the teaching of new in
depreciation of mans duty to man"
The Rev. DR.. Jones did not know
today was the Presidents birthday,
though his sermon was devoted to re-
Elections on the passing 1 . months.
"Methuselah lived to be 969 years
Old" said the preacher, but was
drowned in the flood He lived all
these years, yet, as he say in common
parlance, he didn't know enough to
come in out of the wet" The Presi-
den smiled.
When the sermon was finished a
choir of seven lifted their voices in
song. Then followed a short prayer,
concluding the service.
The entire congregation stood in
solemn silence until the President and
his party passed out. At the door
step the preacher thanked them for
their visit.
1T was the second great honor of
my life" he said.
And what was the frst?" inquir-
ed the President.
81 preached once before President
Garfield" was the reply.
The presidential party motored
away to Biloxi, II miles further east
along the coast before turning back
to Pass Christian On the way the
President saw four aged Confederate
veterans in uniforms of grey, hob
bling along the road, leaning heavily
on their canes.
Glow do you do?" said Mr.. Wilson
as he ordered his car to slow up.
"Howdy," they answered, but
passed on withou recognizing the
President.
Further along the road the party
saw "BeauvOir," the Old home of JEFF
ferson Davis, with its tiny Office
nearby.
The automobiles were covered with
mud when they got back, for heavy
rain fell during the night and a driZ-
zle continued most of the morning.
At the cottage the President found
many kilograms congratulating him
on his fifty-seventh birthday He
took short nap after luncheon and
started for a walk late in the after
noon. He had not gone far when a
little girl waylaid him with a bouquet
of flowers.
MANY happy returns of the day."
she said.
The President thanked her warm
ly. 1t was a simple tribute-the
single evidence IL seemed, that the
outside world recalled the birthday
of the nations Chief Executive. 1t
was a striking contrast To the cele-
bration of a year ago when Mr.. Will
son stood at his birthplace at Staun-
ton, Va. amid the brilliant glamor OF
celebrating crowds. but he appreciat-
ed 1t just as much, he told his friends
afterwards
Among the many messages of con-
graduation received was the follow
ing from King George of Great
Britain:
81 want to offer you my sincere
congratulations on the anniversary
OF your birth and trust that your
health has not suffered from your
arduous duties of the year"
1t was the only cablegram that was
made public.