The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-03
Brief Account Of Seron1ons
 Preached AtLoca[ Churches
EMPTY POCKETB0Ok,"
 SERMON BY DR. DILLARI

2lIlhNAOAN ID O1h. DlAAA1<AAeD
 "The Blessings of an Empty Pocket book was the theme of sermon of un- usual interest preached by Dr. James E. billiard of the Southside Baptist Church at the service last night. This is one of a series of sermons preached by Dr. Dillard. who took his text from St Luke xiv:14-15. The preachr said in part:
 There are many unlikely and unrec- ognized blessings. I have known more young men ruined by money than by poverty: more who have died from in- digestion than from starvation; more who have rusted out in idleness than have worn out from hard work.
 Jesus tells of a young fellow who had his fling He came into possession of a fortune, that was bad he went out to see the world. that was worse; he got in with the wrong crowd. that was the worst of all. He went at a rapid pace He thought he was having the time of his life. It never got into his silly little head that a day of reckon ing was coming God is not asleep. In the long run sin is suicide, and right living brings it's own reward. "Fortunately his money gave out that's what saved him: he began to be in want, that's a hopeful sign; he tries to borrow. but can't. that's good luck, sure; he looks for a job and gets oe e that pays a mighty little for much hard work; that's good for him, as it will teach him the value of money. His empty purse finally brings him to his senses that's what every fellow needs
 "1he empty pocketbool forced the boy to cut out his sinful pleasures and in- dulgence. It costs money to go in the swift gang. Drinking costs in more ways than one; does gambling. Even the easy women expect pay for their smiles ItS nitN for bOV to nave more dollars than sense.
 "The empty poclietbooll made the boy go to werk Dad wasn't close by with plenty of ready cash, and his friends were strangely hard up just at this time.
 Many people would not do a lick of work unless they had to. Their aim is to get as much pay as possible for as little work as possible. It's all wrong The man who lays down on his job the man who wastes his employers time Is a thief and he is headed toward the hog pen.
 ''The empty pocketbooll helped this yo ung chap to see the difference be- tween true and false friends. As long as he had money a-plenty he had friends galore, but when his purse was empty his would-be friends suddenly disappeared It is ever so. That flat purse brings the young man to his right senses and he returns home He sees that after all his father was his real friend. Would that every boy might learn this lesson without having to go through the experience. This Ley came home and was forgiven, but the mem ory of those days spent in sinful pleas ures remained, and the effects of his sinful indulgences were felt through all the years to come. You may pull a nail out of u board but the hola remains He that is wise will study what this means
 If an empty purse will keep a boy from dleness. from sinful indulgence. from making a fool out of himself; if it will bring a wanderer to his senses, to his home and his God, then thank God for the blessing of an empty pocket book"