The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-25
WORST OF WORLD
IS EMPHASIZED
Evangelist Blames Tele-
graph, Telephone and
Newspapers

UnltedN brethren CnuTCn tTe iRSL
night the pastor. the Rev. S. f.
Banmann. endeayored to make
everyone feel at home by declaring
that the service would be infor-
NAL, and the members OF the con-
greEation could do Just as they
feltslIke doing. III you feel like
shouting," no said, why shout"
The Rev. D. ". Cunningham
chose for his theme. "An Impor-
tant Moment" The basis for tho
sermon was found in Genesis. 10:
q, Which tells about tho warning
given the people OF sodom and
Gohprrah.
Dwelling at some length upor
the richness and prosperity Of the
valley and OF these two cities. the
Reverend Mr.. Cunningham said
kat they had become SO wicked,
mad wandered so far away from
God that 1t became necessary that
something be done to make them
better.
Applying the same thought to
AP lEsGu GLlet up ahlu llAb lew
people stop TO think OF giving God
thanks for temporal blessings.
.Primarily. everything comes
from God" he said, land 1t Is
good. Men sometimes use the
gifts Of God to the detrimeut OF
themselves and their country.
.InfBomewhat the same way, no
said, the people OF Sodom and
Gomorrah had gone out after the
thingssot the world, and, God de-.
cided that unless they would re-
turn to Him they must be destroy
In all ages OF history" declar-
b the speaker, "men have pre-
uned upon the mercles OF Cod"
&hese people had, he asserted;
and yet God sent two angels to
warn them.
Denouncing people who are self
%eentered, who give no thought to
the welfare Of others, he said that
people who really love God have
interest In all their fellowmen.
illustrate this thought, he told
q a man who lived in a commun-
Ity where there were three chur-
ches, the United Brethren, the
Methodist, and the Baptist. and
all three were holding REVEALS at
he same time. There was bitter
strtfe and enmity between the
three congregations lie said, and
ykhe revivals were not meeting with
the success desired. Ono night
his man was called upon to pray
I'd according TO the speaker. he
prayed something IKE this: "Oh.
)God, We need a great revival. Oh,
lord, send 1t and send It now. to-
night, oh. Lord, II you can't give
q Teyiyal TO the United Brethren
Church, for Gods sake don't give
to the Methodists or the Dap
lists"
Every one who loves God and
man as he ought" said the Rev
erend Mr.. Cunningham. wants
every other man saved"
Speaking OF how Abraham pray
ed for the two citiet about to be
destroyed, he said. IL believe there
are men and women tonight who
are living because somebody pray
ed for them. This night there
will be mothers with broken
hearts, crushed with grief, because
the waywardness Of their chill
ldren, With forcefuI words he
ahingly rebuked the children
Nho refuse to honor and respect
their parents.
The two warning angels came
to the gate Of the city where Lot
spt In the evening. said the speak
er. Lot did not know It, but it
was also the evening time OF the
citys existence. He then declared
that many people nov come to the
evening time OF their lives before
they know 1t. "It every sinner in
lMatnlngton could know definitely
that when the sun came up in the
morning 1t would mark the end Of
tier days" he said, leach one of
them would be down on his knees
PRAYING to God"
Speaking OF Judgment for sins,
the Reverend Nj. Cunningham ad-
vaneed the idea that most OF r1e
great catastrophes and periods of
destruction In history were due to
ppnishnient for wickedness. In
Comparison, he said that in West
Virginia only IS per cent OF the
population attends church and
sunday school; only Is out Of
Zach 100 are worshIpping God. "Is
N wonder" he cried, that we
the great war? the Influenza"
Farther on be mentioned the
Seemingly common belief that the
world Is growing worse. In this,
he eaid, we must consider that
there are more people. and that
sheref are also more people in tho
shtfrchfthan ever before.
tfThe reason why so many
peoSIe think the world ia going to
ia SeTfl;n he cried, rs because
Ehesbad side OF life is always IrNId
befoSe the world. The three In
Efrftntsent mostly to blanc for this
tine telephone. telegraph. and
newspaper," he declared.
<eopiewon' tell the good things
bout people" he told the audi.
nee.
ia illustrate this assertion, he
man might live out In the
E3untry somewhere for forty years
ia iIye q good Christian life, yet
body would say anything about
gBnt lust let him break over
let him steal a sheep or
6uething, and before morning