Phoenix tribune., 1918-11-02
GODS JUDGMENT ON
PEOPLE FOR SINS

hard"
BE ye sure your sins will find you
out"
Whatsoever man soweth, that
shall he also reap"
The above scriptures are as true to-
day as when they we're spoken; and
they are as applicable to races and
nations as to individuals. Every man
or woman of any vision at all, can
see that our God, who hates sin, is
visiting the people with judgment.
He has permitted the people to go
on in sin and folly in the face Of his
accessible word, which forbids it, in
the face of past experiences, in. the
face of the preached word, and in the
face of every other warning until now
He is moving about among them Him
self.
For over four years we have been
in the awful grip of the most terrible
and death-dealing war the world has
ever known. We have seen our sons
and husbands leave US for the battle
fields of Europe, some of them never
to return again, and some of them
who may chance to return will be
MANNED for life. Thousands upon
thousands of home ties have been and
will still be broken never to be mend
ed; plans thwarted, business upset,
arrangements for future happiness
frustrated, sorrow, disappointment
and gloom are filling almost every
heart, all because of sin-because the
people have wantonly strayed from
and ignored God and righteousness.
Finding that the awful blod-shed
and destruction of war have failed to
bring the nations to their knees and
to a confession of their sins, God
has sent disease, a deathly epidemic
shall say a pestilence-in tho land
which is thinning out the people ir-
respective Of race, color, sex, or So
cial standing. I refer to the Spanish
influenza, the present plague that is
sweeping the county. And with all
of it's alarming results the people
have not even become serious. They
seem not to see the chastening hand
of God yet. But, friends, if we Go not
see Gods hand yet, we will see it, and
see it clearly, before He is through,
for He has commenced now, and He
will finish before he stops.
We may get control Of this plague;
we may win this war land l certainly
believe we will win iD; but God will
send some other and worse calamity
upon us and will continue to send
them until we humble ourselves before
Him and confess our sins and implore
His forgiveness.
Read Lev. 26th chapter; Deut. 2Sth
chapter, and Sam. oath chapter, and
be convinced.
The Christian Church and the
Christian ministry are largely res
ponsible for these calamities that are
now upon us Am I putting it too
strong? The Gospel is the strongest
power in all the world; it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one
that believes it, and believing it de-
pends on hearing it, and hearing it de-
pends on the preacher.
Let Us ask ourselves in all serious
ness: Are we preaching the whole
gospel uncompromisingly and without
fear of men? Are we preaching fear
lessly against every known sin and
evil? Are we using all of the power
with which our Savior has invested
us to stamp out and eradicate these
evils that are sapping the spiritual
life out of the people? And are we
really living the Gospel we preach
Isaiah 52:11. Are we standing up in
our churches and condemning and pro
testing against these modern evils
that they have drifted into?
l do not mean to allege any charge
or accuse any minister of derelict of
duty, but simply want US to ponder
over these questions. There is a
loose screw somewhere Let US
see if it is about us.
AS for the Christian churches, they
have drifted away from the 'old land |
mark" and instead of leading the
world and setting examples for the
world, as is their duty, they are being
led by the world and foolishly follow
ing the sinful examples set by the !
world. They are holding feasts, fairs,
bazaars. dances and are engaged in |
many kinds of specializing devices /
just ike the world. in fact the
churches run their business largely |
by the worlds plans.
This may be a little plain and radi-
cal way Of saying things, but, friends,
this is time to say things plainly. i
We need to see where we have drift |