The Detroit times., 1916-09-13
Baptism OF Horsesense
TUESDAY EVENING SERMON

Billy SUNDAY spoke tuesday even
ing on "A defense of reviyals." TAX
lng his text from Habakkuk 80, 20
Lord. revive Thy works in the midst
OF the years. in the midst OF the
years made known: In wrath remem.
Der mercy" He said
We are reminded by this that
there are in the midst Of years many
things that remind US that the sands
In the hour glass Of time are fast
sitting for many Of us; your hair is
growing gray. your eyes arc dim: II
takes YOU longer 10 60 block and
you love TO sit in front of the fire
and doze There Is the retrospective
view OF life, the retrospective and the
prospective II you discover any
thing in The interpretive that has
made you ashamed and disguised
with the retrospective, resolve TO
make the prospective better by con
trast
Away with this twentieth century
tommyrot that the way 20 elevate the
people is To mix up with them. That
will not elevate them. you've got TO
live better than they do.
I'm the words OF my text. oh Lord
revive Thy works. he didn't pray for
more education, he didn't pray for
free trade, he didn't pray for mu.
nicipal ownership. he said Lord. re-
yivc thy works There are people
in your city who will always suppose
because they are fools that the only
way 10 promote religion is for relig-
ion 10 move uniformly in the same
old rut.
Graves and Ruts Differ
The only difference between a
grave>and a rut Is that the grave IL
little deeper than the rut. but they
are both for the same purpose. Some
people are afraid. scared 10 death TO
introduce innovations in religion,
they are scared that God Almighty
might do something out OF the ordi-
nary and arrest the attention OF the
man who is going 10 hell on high
gear. However sound their line OF
reasoning may be, the old methods
are all right. science Is not worth a
snap of your finger. nor pickayune.
unless they deliver the goods, ex.
press charges prepaid.
so what's the nature OF revival
He was praying for revival. As a
nation We are facing the danger OF
the domination OF the material over
the spiritual; We are commercially
drunk. Take bushel Of nickels and
walk down the street OF the average
town and YOU can lead the bunch so
close g. hell that you can smell the
sulphur fumes as they belch from
the Inferno below.
THE biggest coward In America
today. the biggest coward we have
In the profession Of Christian relig-
ion. who is afraid 10 come out and
declare himself in a campaign like
this is the business man. He II
afraid that some saloonkeeper some
brewer, some black.leg gambler.
some madame OF the red light dis
trict and others Of that kind--they're
afraid they'll lose their trade by II,
and by the eternal God they ought
10 be punished before the moon
changes.
Business cowardIce Defined
zone of the worst curses OF the
church today is cowardlce on the
part Of business men whose names
are on the church records. A COW
ard! oh, how hate him! The man
who is banker and miserable,
moral coward. the man who Is afraid
of some old. booze hosting, beetle
proved, hog joweled brewer, that
happens TO deposit his dirty. sinking
money in his bank-for fear he
might withdraw his deposit Let both
20 10 perdltion together The bust
ness man who Is coward He Ia
afraid OF virile religion afraid OF Of
Tending prospective customer. a
client. and keeping away business.
Everything nowadays Is business.
business, money. and the church Is
but second or third to financial sue
cess. That Is what II Ia today.
I'VE have got a wonderful coun-
try. wonderful. the American ad-
vances in industry, but ! am mighty
sorry 90 say that we have not had
n corresponding advance In the NOR
Atty and decency Of the country. We
lead the world in crime. | will give
you some facts about American crime
before get through American
crime and the criminal record Of
America that will make your blood
run cold. and make you blush that
YOU live beneath tho Stars and
Stripes. Murderers, suicides, graft,
bribery, divorce and aduitery-tney
indicate not moral advancement, but
retrogression. Crime Is more com
mon than honesty Honesty is rarer
today than n was so years ago In
America. The pursuit Of money and
business Ia pulling your men away
from the church. We are facing the
constantly growing danger OF dom.
nance OF the material over the epir'