Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-16


Text-"Thy own wickedness shall cor
reot thee. Thy baokslidins shall reprove
thee. Know, therefore, and see that II is
an evil thing and bitter that thou hast
forsaksn the Lord thy God, and that my
fear is not In thee. saith the Lord God Of
Hosts. '--Jeremiah, q IL.
In imagination / have seen a stately
chip sailing from port. its decks crowded
from its slip and leaves the foam-flecked
tide, the people on board wave signals of
farewell and those on the shore shout
bon voyager The waters are calm, the
sky IL blue above, and all believe that
the journey Is to be one of profit or
delight. But Just beyond the harbor the
sky biackens and becomes as adamant,
tho wind rises to a gale and the gale
rises 20 q hurricane, and the waters are
dashed into mighty waves and the ship
wallows like a monster in distress. The
Waterman on the bridge cries: Break
ers aheadl' and the order to change the
course, Hard a-portl" is shouted to the
heimsman. But It is too late. The great
ship strikes upon the reefs and Is lost.
and on the next day only the circling
gulls that fly about the wrsckage tell the
ON board, unweD4 and unsung.
Many start the voyage OF the Chris
tan life under the smiling skies and upon
smooth waters, but as they salt out OF
.he harbor the sky becomes dark ana
tho craft Of their religion crashes upoa
the rocks. At first they are careful to
obey the commands OF God. but after
the revival they neglect their duties an
finally come to wreck.
Reasons for BaclSslidinE.
A friend of mine holding s. meeting,
asked how many who were present had
been Christians, but were now backslid-
ers. Finally forty 'fessed up. Then he
asked them for the reasons for their fall
ing away. Finally a man got up and said
he blackslid through believing that he
could be a Christian and keep his store
open on Sundays. A man that keeps his
store open on Sundays Is an anarchist.
wouldn't buy 81 worth from him. A
young lady arose and said that she back
slid because OF cards. A friend had
given a card party and she had to give
one in reciprocity. She said she had in
vited a young man to attend, but that
he didn't know what kind OF a party II
was to be. He came. but when he found
out what Il wss he said he was sorry,
but he must go, for he could not stay
there IT admired him for his loyalty to
iis religion; no made me feel that I
qsnt worthy to have my name as
church member" the young lady said.
Another man stood up and said: II
beckslid when voted for the saloon"
You bet he did or he wouldn't have
nv "a
backslid before he voted that ticket or
he wouldn't have voted 81,
A young lady said: II thought could
he a member of the church and dance"
Sure she could. You can be n member of
the church and a burglar, too, but not
member of the body of Christ. She said.
II attended dance and found my desire
to pray diminishing. l attended another
and 1 found my desire to pray had be
come nebulous And then" she said, my
desire to pray disappeared" tell you
! never saw drinking, dancing. card
playing Christian who amounted TO any
thing The dance is a quagmire of wreck
age You wait until 1 get at it.
I'm against a lot OF amusements pop
ular among church members, as you
people are going to find out before am
through I'm Omaha. 1 don't give that
Swapping his fingers) whether you like
ny preaching or not Understand? It's
r question of whether you are interested
in decency. If you live wrong you can't
Iie right Emerson said What you are
s-eaks 80 loudly that cannot hear what
you So"
People say to me: why is It so great
a sin IL a man. finding himself falling In
the Christian life, quits it, He can find
himself failing in business or society ana
quit with honor--why not in religion
We'll, religion is not a business or social
enterprise. 1t is not for time. money
politics. applause Of society, but for G9d'
Not every backsiider is an apostate,
brt every apostate IS a backslider. Peter
was a backslider, but he came back and
PREACHED that sermon at Pentecost Judas
was a backslider, and what he did so
preyed upon his mind that he did not
want It, He went out, but he never
came back.
have never tabooed but two towns
in my life, and one of these was little
town in Iowa, where once held meet
ing before really became an evangelist
That town had an infldel club Of 100 MEM
hers There were only two church MEM
beers In the place, ana thero was an IN
terrogation point after them at that
They could have started founding asy-
ium OF their own in that community.
Business aud Religion.
In Business life crises como unfore-
seen. Hard times come. When they do
YOU may be able to set away with an
over1lraft OF the bank II tho cashier
doesn't know ?cu too well. At the hank
OF heaven no checks on Gods mercy
whom signed by Gods loyal followers
havw ever Eoea turned down. II you
come with honest heart God will honor
tho appeal II your hands are red with
blood.
There II no man 10 love and delight
10 honor a. the man who Is true. There
"a no woman I - delight 10 honor as
The young woman who Is true. There Is
no ons I 30 abhOr sa a man or wNnlan
whose words alS untruth and whose
word "a az uHsnduring sand. may diff
for from & man in politics, religion or
business, and IL he Is living up TO his
hiRhast ideals, oyon II I think his ideals
or religion are wrong, / respect him and
-sin DO my best 20 clear up the errors
and lead him 10 The higher light through
sl,o - fNhrfaf