Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-09-15
Billy Sunday breaches Tuesday
Night on the Subject Of
Christian Work.
RELIGION IS COMMON SENSE

In the book Of Nehemiah. fourth chap
tor, sixth verse, The people had n nina
to work"
Nehemiah was e cupbearer 20 X rg
Attaxerxes and he heard IN ( tho cit
was In n deplorable and ilapitated con-
dition. his beloved Jerusalem. THIS news
was brought 10 him BY q friend, who
had been TO Jerusalem and seen for him
self. When he walked into the presence
OF the king the old monarch noticed that
his countenance was sad and troubled,
and he asked him what was the reason.
and no told him II was bocauso ho had
learned about Jerusalem and he asked
tho permission Of the king To return to
Jerusalem for the purpose OF rebuilding
the walls. The king not only readily con-
scented, acceded 10 hls request, but gave
him an order upon his forest for timber
and upon his quarries for stone
He got 1900 men and returned 20 Joru-
salem ana in q seemlnsly incredible time
Of fifty-two days the walls OF the city
had boen rebuilt and the gates hung upon
hinges. and this was accomplished be-
cause Of the words found In my text:
Tho people had a mind TO work" They
were not loafers on tho Job. THE peop'e
In captivity who knew as much about
Jerusalem az did Nehemiah, but they
wore not concerned about H. Enthusiasm
for God is like the measles or smallpox
N you've gOt II somebody else will get II
n they so near you.
Only n Drone.
n you are lazy. indolent, knocking
grumbllng. bowling. you are only a drone
in Gods hive and other people will catch
that spirit just MS they would catch the
spirit OF your enthusiasm. They will have
feelings analogous to those which pos
sess and dominate you. In other words,
what you are. others will be. II you are
moral and decent. they will be: 81 you are
a contemplate scoundrel. they will be.
II IL one thing 20 know what 70 do.
and another thing TO do Il. The trouble
Ia that the people know what 20 do. but
they do not do II because they are too
lazy 20 DO H. knowledge Is OF no value
unless you use II. II IL useless to know
how to trim a hat or make a dress or a
pair OF shoes or build a house: that
knowledge Is perfectly useless II you will
not or do not use II. II IL useless 10 those
depending upon you for bread and butter
unless you use your knowledge. You may
know about God, yet your knowledge OF
God and Gods cause IL no good unless
you take the knowledge and put II into
practice. Religion is tho most comm n
sense thing In the universe
Mysticism.
/ am getting sick and tired Of this
mysticism. and l want to rip and tear
the cloak aside. want to rip the swsd-
ding clothes Of mysticism from top TO
bottom that 90 many theoogians have
wrapped around tho plain A, n, G of
Gods gospel truth. II would give man
brain fever n he had to pick his way TO
heaven by some old theologians. Who are
! you and what you do Ia of vastly more
Importance; not what you know, II you
simply use the term knowledge I'm the
abstract. Some people pretend 10 believe,
but they never work at Il.
Christianity consists In NEITHER be lew
ing alone nor doing alone. but in both II
you believe. wake up and do something.
Show you believe by what you do. Jamos
( said; Faith without works Is dead" In
other words. Il IL not worth hubs
/ II you believe work out ur saliva
ton with fear and trembling. l have
got salvation through Jesus Christ. now
that have got II, let mo work II out.
Don't sit around and rap The most sue
ioesaftil preachers against Christianity
are not the saloon keepers, but ineonsis-
tent professors Of Christianity.
Cheat in Trade.
The bad sermons you proarh with
your life are moro powerful than the
over-mastering sermon that any man can
preach with his llpe. You pray with your
Hips, and cheat In horse trade. You
lkneoi Mt a communion table and then
you Cypress tho poor and make them
live below the hunger lire. You sing for
the giorification Of God and then you
lput the wrong figures in the day book.
Unless you can serve with enthusiasm
You viii not work at any time. There
must be an induoement. What Is the IN
lducement that makes a student stick to
his booiss Graduation day. What Is the
induoement that makes the farmer pillow.
land plant. and labor, and toll and work
all through tho long. hot summer days.
september and October. when he gathers
tho harvest into the barn. Why do men
delve into tho bowels OF the earth and
work and sweat In dark eaverns2 What
for? What Is the inducement9 To find
the coal and bring It up and sell Il TO
the consumer that he may draw his pay
why 40 men pfacttcf law or nedlctnof
To be paid for the Eklll they have ae-
. quired at law or medicine by years OF
study and practice.
Absolutely DisgusttnE,
= II IL absolutely disgusting and nau-
+ seating 10 see how many people move
around and label they're serving Gcd
: Listen 20 this. Here are some tremen-
dous facts There are 10000 churches in
! the United States; about 250oo.Ooo com
municants In the churcnes equally al
. tvided between the Catholic ana the Pro-
: testant: there is . seating capacity for
E 6a.OodOoo in our churches. In America.
: already one-third of the people are pro-
. Tossing Christians; not quite, but nearly
that. and ali they would need to DO
I would be for each one 70 win one soul
: 20 God In a year and we c0uld win the
{ United States for Christ. Yet we have
e nearly s.ooo,O0o people in this country
. who are not members OF any church. ]
am talking about this country. a Chris
: tian country. ! am not talking about
: Japan. Malaysia. China or Korea.
II is DOWNRIGHT hypocrisy 60 pral
: for a thing and not be willing 20 worl
for a. Your prayers are worth no NOR