Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-07-29
VESPER SERVICE
HELD IN Church
Union Meeting to Have Been Held in
Court House Park Taken to
English Lutheran Church
on Account of Rain.
REV. J. NJ. IIERBST IS SPEAKER

Rain Sunday afternoon switched the
union vesper service from the court
house park to the nearby English
Lutheran church. In spite Of threa-
tening weather, when the hour arrived
for the service the church filled up
so that chairs were brought into use.
The program was in the hands Of
Rev. Arthur Metcalf, Rev. Effie Jones
read the scripture lesson, and Rev.
r. T. Chippertield offered prayer. The
music was led by male quintet COM
posed of Earl and Roscoe Tiff, Leslie
Brown, Bruce Stiverson and Rev. j. W
Stiverson, with Miss Bessie Stiverso,.
at the organ. The large congregation
joined heartily in singing old fashion
ed and popular hymns, and the enti'e
service was marked by happy religi'
Gus spirit 1t was announced that il
would be the rule that in case of rain
during the rest Of the season the
vesper service would be held in tn,
English Lutheran church. On accoun,
of the ncarness of that building to tn
park it is the logical place for the
meeting under bad weather conditions
The sermon last night was preached
by Rev. J. M. Herbst, and the chairma,
of the evening humorously performed
a work of supererogation in introduc-
ing the preacher to his own pulpit.
The address was on the power ana
sufilciency Of the gospel, from the text
II am not ashamed of the gospel, fol
it is the power of God unto Salvation
The historic recent fourth of Jul.
meeting at Mount Vernon and opening
paragraph of President Wilson's
speech there were made the starting
point for a disQuistion on the avail
ability of the simple gospel for the
modern problems of life. The apostle
who spoke these words was well &C
quainted with various current forms
of power, but though its Founder hal
been crucified, and the gospel appear
ed to have little intellectual appeal
and though it's followers were chief!
people of little account, Paul still
gloried in the cross and pinned his
faith to the spiritual power Of the goc
pei of Jesus Christ. The world had
seen Greek philosophy fail,the Roman
power come to naught and the Jewish
system utterly fail when the apostle
Paul valiantly threw into human
affairs this new and commanding
force. The Jewish religion had le(,
the great apostle narrow and bitter
and prejudiced, but the gospel of Jesus
Christ gave him liberty and life
which glorious heritage he passed Oh
to world of men greatly in need o.
the boon.
A strong point in the sermon was &c
the effect that this old gospel was the
power of God in these days OF the
great war to prevent us from getting
into habits of hate. Although the fot
was execrably bad, and his atrocities
were piled high so that the natural
man might be expected to hate ana
hate bitterly, this wonderful gospel
wac nowerfu1 tn keen the American
people from hatred. The preacher
declared that no peace can be reached
that will be durable unless its corner
stone is this religion of Jesus Christ.
and that the Man of Nazareth must
have a place of honor and power al
the council which finally ends the
great war.