Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-03
PREACHER WHO PUT IT ACROSS"
BILLY SUNDAY SERMON TOPIC
Evangelist Eulogy of the Character Of
Micaiah In Address Before the NJ. E..
Conference Today.

congregation for what they can get out
of 1t. They're strong on prayer meet
ings and then for the rest of the week
1t is cabarets, Dutch lunches and
booze.
The kind of preaching they want is
preaching that will allow them to
serve the devil all the week and go
to church on Sunday without losing
their self-respect. They don't mind
hearing all about the sins of Europe.
but they want nothing of the sins of
the United States.
From the way some of you people
preach before. You're willing to hear
about the sins of Europe but not about
the sins of Pennsylvania avenue and F
street.
The man who staggers home at night
may be called dipsomaniac, but all
the same he is a sinking old bum.
How many Of you ginks put on a
prayer meeting face when you see a
white necktie and a Prince Albert
coat?
They will agree with a preacher who
proves that there is a devil In the
slums. but they'll hiss the preacher rho
proves there Is a devil on the boule-
wards.
They will agree that the devil is in
the redlight district, but they have no
the devil is in the drawing room.
They will agree with the preacher
who rants against the saloon. but they
knock the man who tells them about
the booze joints they are running in
their own homes.
So Jehosaphat asked Mr.. Ahab II he
had a prophet who would make known
the will of God in the matter Of the
proposed battle with the Syrians.
Yes. Stree" said Ahab, with wink
Of
prophets"
Bunch of 400 False Prophets"
Ahab had bunch of 400 false
prophets. They stood in rows in the
background. looking as solemn and
impressive as they knew how.
Your prophets advise an early ad-
vance on the Syrians?" asked Jehosa-
phat.
They do" said Ahab. jamming his
and looking brave and magnificent as
he knew how. They tell me that my
men will eat 'em up.
You've got to hand II to Ahab for
being a pretty fine figure as he stood
there in the sunlight strinsing his
noble visitor.
II should like to hear them prophesy."
said Jehosaphat. He was a devout man,
as said before. and 1t was his custom
to do nothing by which he might dis
obey the wishes of the Lord.
Ahab waved his hand. His 400 false
prophets advanced in an impressive
line. bowling before their king. They
were a fat. sleeklooking bunch. None
of them looked as II he had ever kept
Lent. None of them wore shiny clerical
garments. You couldn't have found a
celluloid collar or cuff In the whole
outfit. There wasn't a man among
them who wouldn't have made a first
class sign for boarding house ad.
Fat and ht-that's the way to describe
them.
Ahab knew that they would prophesy
that the Lord was on his side. He had
them trained-just as they train some
of them nowadays.
Ahab knew 1t was a foregone con-
God was on his side. And he figured
the vote would be 400 to nothing in
his favor
The leader Of this OUTFIT was zede-
kfah. So Ahab called him to his side
and told him to start his prophesy.
Shoot" said Ahab.
Now Zede was ono of these sensa-
tional preachers. He wanted to have
his sermons all in italics that day. 1t
appeared this eminent d. D. had stop-
ped at blacksmith shop on his way
to work that morning and had had a
pair of iron horns fitted to his head SO
that he might look glowering and ter
rible, like bull.
1t suited him all right. but we won't
talk about that now.
He gave star Performance on the
spot, showing in pantomime how the
armies of Ahab would push the Syrians
off the earth.
Thus. saith the Lord, will perish
SYRIA" he said.
And all the remaining false prophets
sounded a grand amend from the side
lines.
Fearful Of Traitors Plot.
zede advised Ahab to send the Skin
mishers out at once and to put his ar
mics in motion.
But somehow Jehosaphat couldn't get
rid of the idea that the stage was set
that 1t was frame-up-that they were
trying to put something across He
faced about so as to look old Ahab nat
In the eye.
us there not here a prophet of the
Lord that we may inquire Of him 81
asked Jehosaphat.
"oh. yes" said Ahab. There Is q fell
low here whom / had forgotten. He's
an eccentric, peculiar sort Of a preach
err. He robs his family Of bread and
butter every time he opens his mouth
In the pulpit. He is a man wofully
lacking in discrimination and correct
Judgment. A prophet of ability and
good parts-oh, yes-but fanatic"
"He has ability and talent, 1 must ad .
nit. l took some interest in him and
would have advanced him to q good
appointment and good pay. but, to my
utter chagrin. I found that in his
preaching he had no more regard for
trap.
II had either to change my preacher
or stop going to church.
TN order that brotherly love might
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