Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-09-21

off Christ should come to Alex
andria tonight would you want him
to come into your homes? No! For
some of the things in your ice. box
would have to 60 out and scme Of
the thiags on your side board would
have 20 come off! Yes, and he'd break
up some of the card games" said
Evangelist Smith last night to the
;arZe audience which filed the big
,abern: Gle and listened while ne
s.oke On "No room for Him."
Previous to beginning his ser
mon the evangelist said; NEARLY
everyone I've met on the street seem
ed to think they could have run these
meetings last night better than !
did. Pm willing to let anyone come
up here and ty it. No, / was not mad
last night, but l was discouraged. l
am only human-just like all of you
people-and I was discouraged. |
have been standing on this platform
night after night speaking for Christ
the best / know how, but if you
Christian people won't help ME, |
can't do this work alone. ask you
to speak to your friends. 1t has been
suggested that We pass card around
through the audience and let them
be signed by the people there instead
of having to come down the aisle to
the front to acknowledge Jesus.
But, listen! We sin publicly and we
don't deserve to be forgiven if we
are not willing to confess publicly" "
In his sermon he spoke substan--
TALLY as here. given: For 1000
years the world had been looking for
the promised Messiah, and yet, when
he came there was no room for Him.
Although he came bless not to.
curse-to build up, not to cast down
to reveal to the world the great
mother, heart of Cod yet there
was no room for Him!
"America was not honored by the
visit of the Prince of Wales some year
ago, and yet while he was in New
York city a Chicago delegation invit-
ed him to that city; arranged to give
him the best hotel in Chicago; ran
excursions into the city from miles
around; and when his train arrived
there every other business wheel in
the big city stood still while the bells
pealed forth welcome to him.
When he returned to England no
body knew why he came here. No
home, no man, no city was blessed by
his visit, and yet when Christ came
to bless the people and give rest to
the weary there was no room for
Him! The only cradle he ever had was
borrowed one. The only beast he
ever rode on was narrowed one
the only grave he ever had was bor-
rowed one! In 5000 years no man who
cam into the world was so un-
popular!
king Herod drew his sword and
never sheathed it until it had pierced
his side! He changed water into
wine, healed the sick and raised the
dead, and yet he was bounded out
side their city walls. No man ever
brought to the world such message
as Christ did--and yet they bounded
him from city to city! 4
In no state in the union has the
gospel been preached more faithfully
than Virginia, but has human ma
ture changed? No, there is no room
in Virginia for a personal Jesus to-
day. You have room for everything
else, but if popular vote should be
taken for Jesus today he would be-
voted down. There is not a state in !,
the whole country that would well
come personal Christ.
If Jesus came to Alexandria every
rotten politician would have to clean
up! Lo you think the saloon keeper
would want him?
"If He should come tonight would |
you make any change in your dates
or your prayer schedule?
"You remember. the story of Lord
Nelson-we ID Englishmen admire,
honor and respect him. You remember
he told the fleet, on the eve Of great
engagement, England expects every
man this day to do his duty The
victory was won, and standing in
Tragfalgar square today is monu-
ment to Lord Nelson, reminding every
man in England to do his duty.
81 want to hold up to you Christ,
a finer statue not in marble, but alive