The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-09-21


"A friend of mine. holding a meet
ing. asked how many who wer
present had been Christians. bu
were now backsliders Finally fort.
'fessed up.
Then he asked them for the reas
ons for their falling away. Finally
man got up and said he backsli,
through believing that he could b.
a Christian and keep his store opei
on Sundays.
Baeksllders Tell OF Failures
a man that keeps his store Oper
on Sundays is an anarchist
wouldn't buy 81 worth from him
a young lady arose and said that
she backslid because of cards A
friend had given a card party and
she had 10 give one IN reciprocity
She said she had invited a young
man 10 attend, but that he didnt
know what kind OF party II was 70
be. He came. but when he found
out what Il vas he said be was
sorry but he must go. for he could
not stop there
~ admired him for his loyalty
TO his religion he made me feel that
I wasn't worthy 10 have my name as
church member, the young lady
said
Another man stood up and said
i backslid when ! voted FOR The sa.
bu bet he did or he wouldnt
hat voted for the dirty. sinking
rotten thing. Why, he backslid 1s-
fore he voted that ticket or he
wouldn't have voted Il.
a young lady said I thought
could be a member OF the church
and dance Sure she could You car
be a member OF the church and
burglar, 100, but not member OF
the body OF Christ.
she said I attended a dance and
found my desire 20 pray diminishing
| attended another and found my
desire 70 pray had become nebulous.
And then. she said. my desire TO
pray disappeared
Il tell you never saw = drinking
dancing. card-playing Christian sho
amounted 10 anything. The dance
Is q quagmire OF wreckage. The most
Institution on earth. It's
as rotten as hell You wait until /
get at Il.
Il am against a lot Of amusementg
popular among church members. as
you people are going 20 find out De
Tore am through IL Detroit
don't care snap OF the fingers
you ike my preaching or
cot. Understand It's a question OF
you are interested Ia de-
sency.
If you live wrong you can't die
right. Emerson said: What you are
speaks so loudly that I cannot hear
what YOU say
Age Of Unfinished Things
This is an age OF incompleteuess
of unfinished things Life IL full
" half-done things. Education IS
begun and abandoned Obedience 10
the law OF God is begun-and given
up People start in business-and
fail They attempt 10 learn a trade
and don't do II thoroly.
"a hound once started after a stag
and after running for awhile II saw
a fox and turned after IL. A little
farther along il saw a rabbit and
ran after that. and finally wound up
by holing field mouse.
so II is with so many who enter
the Christian life. They started TO
hunt and compromised on a glass OF
booze. They enter a royal race. but
compromise on glass OF beer or
IN some little gain through dishon-
asty.
People say 20 me: Why f. n so
great a sin II man. finding himself
ailing in the Christian life. quits it
He can And himself falling In bust
less or society and quit with honor
why not religion?
Well. religion is not a business
" social enterprise. II Is not for
ime, money. politics. applause OF
society, but for God and eternity. n
: not only for here and now. IL il
rot only FOR time. but Il Ia for eter-
li'y. II Is one OF the great things.
AL other things are incidents.
Not every backslider Is an apos-
ate. but every apostate is back
'lider Peter was a backslider. but
re came back and preached that
sermon az Pentecost. Judas was a
Iacksllder, and what he did so prey.
ID upon his mind that he did not
want a. He went out, but he never
.aue back.
Il have never tabooed but two
owns In my life. and one Of those
vas little town out In Iowa. where
once held z meeting before I really
,ecame an evangelist.
That town had an inhdel club
II $50 members There were only
wo church members In the place,
md there was an Interrogation mark
after them AZ that They could have
started a founding asylum OF their
own In that club.
MY life was not safe lhere--'hey
threw stones az me in the streets
A storekeeper there told me he was
going 10 sell on and leave the town
for purely moral reasons. AZ a loss
Of about 5000. He said that he had
daughters and that there was not
a young man in the place he would
trust with them lie said that II any
young man In that town were 70
call on any Of his daughters he
wouldn't 20 upstairs 10 bed unless
he had hole In the floor and had a
gatling gun he could train on The
visitor at A moments notice.
Leader 81 the Goe-forssken Gang
The leader OF that God forsaken
Ubiquitous gang was a mar named
Dickson, who ran a one-hOrse coun
try grocery business In place about
as big as box car. He had been a