The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-05-27
large AUDIENCE,
SPLENDID SERMON
Memorial Sunday Sermon Held at the
Baptist Church-veterans March
to Church in Body,
SERMON eY rev. e. P. WILLIAMS
Many Express Opinion That Sermon
Was the Best Delivered In Den.
ison in Many Years.

soSu III Vauy sSoSos
Memorial day services were held at
the Baptist church in this city Sun
day morning In honor OF the veterans
who had fought to preserve the union.
and as the services were of a union
nature there was "a large attendance.
The members of the G. A. r., s. OF
v. and w. X. c. marched to the church
in body and took seats in the center
OF the building. Special music was
rendered by the Baptist church choir
and Rev. j. H. Senseney read the
scripture and prayer was offered by
Rev Tourtellot.
Rev. Williams, pastor of the Bap-
tist church, delivered the memorial
sermon. Through his kindness the
Review prints the sermon in full.
Memorial Sermon.
My text today is a complete para
dox. and is composed OF two verses OF
Scripture. The first is found In Joel
8: 10 and has the sanction OF Jesus,
for the present time. He said, Let
him that hath no sword, buy one" The
first part OF my text is Beat your
pillow shares into swords and your
pruning hooks into spears, and let the
weak say am strong"
The other side of the paradox is not
only sanctioned by Jesus when He
said Put up thy swords" and 1T is
enough" but Is the God given ideal
to which we all look forward most
hopefully. 1t Is the theme OF the
prophets, 1t is the song OF the herald
angels. 1T is the promise of God in
Christ Jesus; THE days of heaven
on earth" 1t Is found in Micah 4: 3,
And they shall beat their swords in.
to plow shares and their spears In.
TO pruning hooks. Nation shall not
lift up the sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any
more"
Three Great Truths.
have taken these two verses as
my text in order to bring to your
notice three great facts or truths Two
OF which have already materlalized;
in part. at least: they are the estab'
lshment Of our Republic and the free.
ing of the black man. The third is
yet largely realized. only In prophecy
and promise.
And the God OF the universe. the
God who moulds the destinies of men
and nations Ia crowding up to this
consumation; when not only war will
be thing OF the past, but nothing
shall hurt or destroy DER all the
world; when the immortal Christ
shall reign supreme and righteousness
shall cover the earth. as the waters
cover the deep.
The Sword the. Court of Last Resort.
!. / am not q pessimist, but conditions
speak. The world is in a turmoil. The
rank and file are demanding things
as never before in the history OF the
world. There are wars and rumors
OF war" on every side; and never in
the history Of the. world was there
more talk of peace than at the pres.
ent time. Yet while they are saying
peace peace aud safety" there Is
not a country In Europe land but. few
countries in the whole world) but
what Is in danger Of great eruption.
for thers are VOLCANOES of human pas
slons ready, to burst forth in fury, over
the prevalent moral, religious and
social problems (which press for a
speedy solution.
80" ReformI Needed.
Sweeping reforms are necessary.
Glaring wrongs need rlghting. There
must be new era Of reconstruction
We are apt to look at the significance
Of reforms and ignore the cause Of
the .eruptions. The cause is Obvious
and will 40 longer brook being ig-
nored. for laborAno longer tolerates
living in poverty while 1t supplies lux
ury to capital. Nor does honesty long.
er submit to graft and pollution In
the public service. Nor will sobriety
allow the ruin OF brains, Drawn and
virtue. OF the rising generation. Not
long will the great heart OF our
nation be kept from Its purpose OF low.
ingly caring for Its children and lend
ing a helpful hand to weaker neigh
Dor. For at heart our nation Is aim
ing at that ideal government to which
prophecy still points US.
Three Historical Periods.
In order to present to you what
have In mind It will be necessary to
divide my subject into three histor-
lCuI p0oS SNPS''S'A>>s'
cnt conditions and future possibih-
ties: which will, l hope. lead us to
higher conception OF government and
law, namely the rule Of Infinite Grace
and Love.
Freedom and Equality.
Christ died TO make all men free.
And when men or nations have long
wilfully disregarded this Divine pol
lev God has interfered. and interfered
with the sword; for up to the present.
freedom has been guarded by the
sword. The prophet Jeremiah crys
out, "Oh, thou sword of the Lord.
how long will 1t be ere thou be still?
How can 1t be still seeing the Lord
hath given 1t q CHARGE"
From the day Of deliverance. from
Egyptian bondage to- the time when
the great emancipation. Jesus Christ.
came and. gave to the world the senti-
ments Of God that all men are equal;
and Christ sealed this truth with His
H.