The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-13
SOME MEN RESEMBLE
HALF COOKED CAKES
When You Start to Do Anything, Do
II Well Or Not At
All.
DON'T SPOIL THE ugh
Humble and Poor, As Well As the
Mighty and Rich.


| Mighty and Rich.
| Half Cooked Cakes" was the topic
of Rev Carter Ashton Jenkens SER
mon at Calvary Baptist Church last
night. He took his text from Hosea
1:S, Ephraim IN a cake not turned"
! The preacher sought TO show that
the man who did a thing halfway was
no man at all. No matter what one
starts out to do, 1t should be done full
and well. was the theme. and with
the grace of God over it ALL
Ephriam began well. He was son
of Joseph, Joseph was the noblest of
all Jacobs sons-the practical ruler
of Egypt. He was the Gladstone of
that age-a man Of incorruptable
morals. a sagacious statesman. So
Ephraim was blessed with a good
father.
Then when Jacob was dying, con-
trary 10 the custom of that day. he
blessed Ephraim, who was younger
than Manasseh. his brother. as the
greater. He received the honor due
the first born.
| After he separation of the ten
tribes. seat of the kingdom of
| Israel. was always in Ephraim. The
But after years of prosperity and re-
ligious opportunity 1t deteriorated. be-
came proud. impotent, asserting SUI
periority over the other tribes
Ephraim had introduced heather
customs and sought to mingIe true
religion and false religion. And this
double life gives rise to the text:
"Ephraim is a cake not turned
An explanation In regard to the
cooking in the East will throw light
upon the text. 1t is the custom to put
Goals upon the hearth until It Is heat
ed. The Goals are then swept Off and
the dough put down. 1t is covered
with ashes and embers. In a little
time the cake is turned. II is cover
ed again and the process is continued
until the cake is sufficiently done.
Ephraim. as loaf. had been put
under the ashes, but had not been
carefully turned. One side became a
burnt crust, and the other remained
raw dough: hence both sides were
worthless
How well Ephraim deserved this
character is shown by two illustrations
in this history.
l. When the Ammonites threatened
Israel and came up in fierce phalanxes
to destroy the cities, Jephthah invited
the Ephraimites to join him in resist
ling the terrible array of Ammon, but
they refused. After Jephthah had
gained the glorious victory, the
Ephraimites were angry and com
planned that they had not been asked
to take part in the war. When peace
has been won. they want the honors of
victory.
Here is the half-cooked cake. Are
all the Ephraimites dead yet? Are
!, y mr. xx,ho AUht
not battles, yet want to be honored by
the Church.
Ephraim was sensitive. They could
not brook the exaltation of others. Are
these modern sensitive Ephraimites all
dead? Are they dead who forsake tie
sanctuary because Mrs. Blizzard did
not speak to them. though they did
not speak to Mrs. Blizzard? Where
are they?
Are they all dead who abandon the
house of God because they are not
put into some office? Are there no
Ephraimites who feel offended becxuse
the minister does not sufficiently eu-
logize their ungodly dead? Are there
some who absent themselves from the
house OF God because some wear a
little better raiment than hey? Then
complain of pride. But pride is main
ly with the sensitive Ephraimites.
These are half-cooked cakes. The,
are unfit for service.
The other instance is when Ephraim
refused TO go against Ammon. but took
the feid against Jejhthah. their
brother
Are all the people dead who hgnt
at the wrong time and in the wrong
place? Are there not many church
people who are Invisible in war and
invincible in peace?
How many refused to fight against
the saloon, and now have become the
many wink at public wrongs. uphold
bad men in office, criticise the
church. They are half-cooked cakes.
Richmond is full OF them, especially
political Richmond.
Other examples of half-cooked cakes
are these VINO live for pleasure only,
or business, or culture. Add to Gull
ture religion and you have the we'll
done cake. Welt adjusted character
is the need of the day.
Gods Judgment of Ephratnl.
What must become OF such bread
1t must be thrown away. Not At for
use. Says God: "Ephraim is Joined
to his idols. let aim alone" You can't
make anything of half-cooked cakes,
Can't reknead 1t. Let 1t alone. God
rejected Ephraim as worthless. Let
him alone. Send him no message.
Speak no mercy. Whisper no hope.
'Offer no Me. Speak of no Heaven.
Let him alone,
II you are approaching this sad
doom. abandon your one-sided life.
and the life stretching up towards God.
cultivate. Cultivate the heavenly and
spiritual side OF life. Be cooked all