Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-09-02
Rev. J. w. Stiverson Deliv-
ers the Address at the
Closing Vesper
Service. $
FINE GOSPEL SERMON
Vesper Services during 1918
Season Have Been
Worth While.


sumner season of 1918 came~to a close
last night with beautiful and i'm
pressive service in the court house park.
This series of services was begun the
first Sunday in July and, with one eX-
ception, the meetings have been held in
the park or the English Lutheran
church every Sunday evening since,
with most of the churches and minis
ters Of the city joining in the exercises.
All the participating ministers have
preached in turn. The music through
out the season has been under the di-
rectiOn of Rev. j. w. Stiverson, pastor
of the United Brethren church, who
has led group Of male singers from
the Webster City Glee Club. The SER
vice last night was in charge OF Rev.
Arthur Metcalf, who took occasion to
express the appreciat ton of the cOngre-
cation for the musical service render
ed by Mr.. Stiverson and this group Of
singers, and the sentiment met with I'M
iversal favor. Prayer was offered by
Rev. J. NJ. Herbst of the English Lu.
theran church.
The closing of the vesper series was
preached by Rev. J. w. Stiverson, who
took for his text the well known words,
Never man spake like this man." The
theme of the sermon was the wonderful
vitality of the words Of Jesus Christ,
and the discourse was a strong and
beautiful gospel appeal by a preacher
very much in ca rnest. The sermon was
well delivered, in IL voice that reached
the farthest bounds of the congregation
and the impression was one OF grace
and strength. 1t was typical gospel
sermon and left good impression upon
all who heard.
The preacher said that the incident
of the text was taken from where the
enemies of Jesus sent officers to arrest
him. The officers came back without
having made the arrest, and they eX-
planned their failure with this naive
tribute to the power of the words OF the
Master of men. The guards went pre-
JUDGED against Jesus, they returned
overcome by the power of the gracious
words that" proceeded from Jesus
mouth. They were subdued by the wis
dom, grace and eloquence Of the Lord.
The sermon went on to emphasize the
Of Jesus words, first
as an annunciution of the laws and pre-
cepts of human living. No such teach
ings have been heard among men. The
words OF Jesus have been campaign
document of Christian propaganda
through the years until now, and will so
continue until the end OF time. The
famous sentences and paragraphs OF
+, the Sermon on the Mount We're quoted
as planks from the platform OF Jesus
! as he built his kingdom. These sayings
were the precepts Of the Kingdom OF
heaven, incompatible for wisdom and
insight, and they set Jespsffirst among
the teachers of mankind.
Then again, Jesus Christ was incom-
parable from the standpoint of the
effectiveness of his spoken word. His
word came with power, and so 1t con-
tinues in the world. The tempest, de-
mons, the sea, death itself and life al
so-all heard his word and made due
and proper response. AT his word lie
became more abundant and death fled
away. He never had to take a word
back. His vocabulary included the full
gamut of words from pathos to denun-
citation. The preacher illustrated the
effective words of Jesus by the story of
the tribute to Caeser, and by Jesus re-
tort about the absurdity OF supposlng
that Satan would cast out Satan. Jesus
words were plain, simple and easily I'M
derstOod He had no interest III mere
oratory and lie eschcwed the tricks al
rhetoric. From the heart to the heart
he spoke and so his words have i'll them
everlasting life.
The sermo nclosed on the high note
of the incomparableness of the words
of Jesus Christ as to the adaptiblllty
and permanence Of his marvellous
words He spoke not only for his own
time, age or people. But his words APP
ply to all times, ages, climes. peoples
and tongues. Other teachers havehad
something of the universal note, but
none in anywise comparable with the
man of Galilee. After the lapse Of CEN
turtles his words still apply to all the
fretful fever of our life, and in our day
those are best Off and reach farthest
along the road of life who heed his say
ings.
1t was "A strong gospel sermon and