The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-07-10
fine SERMON ON
WHAT JESUS SAW
Rev. ". p. Fields breaches Impressive
Sermon at The First Christian
Church
Compares People to Children Playing
Describes Some Characteristic
Types
By W. 8. STANTON

BY ". 3. STANTON
Tut whcreunto shall liken this gem
Grafton, II IS like unto children sitting
In the markets. and calling unto their
fellows.
And saying. We have piped unto you.
and ye have not danced: we have
mourncd unto you. and We have not la
mented." (Mathhew, IL chap 1917
versesD
This passage from Gods word was
chosen by Re-. w II. Fields as a scrip
tural founda zion. upon which an up
lifting and inspiring sermon was
preached.
What Jesus Saw In The Market
hts theme Sunday monring At First
Christian church.
Rev. Fields began his sermon by ask
ing his hearers II they had over found
themselves gazing upon group OF Chi
dren. Il always stop. said nc. an"
gaze upon them as they play. IT one
looks closely. they will note that some
OF the youngsters enter wholehearted
Into the games: others play rather list
lesSly: while some do not play ut all
Christ seems To have exhausted HIS
SMILES when He asks, Rut whrreunto
shall ltken this generat'on.' Then
there must have come 10 Him memory
81 His GalIlean ch!lhood. when He said.
II Is like unto children sitting In the
markets
He was evidently painfully I'M
pressed by the thought that the Stiffness
OF men showed that many bad not made
much mental or spiritual progress since
the days Of their childhood. 1t might
help many OF us TO retrospective
glance and see what progress we have
made. ! have noticed in social gather
lngs at this church how some people get
SO much real fun out OF them: while
others do not enter into the spirit OF
the occasion. and some just hang around
the outside and Sulk.
Grown folks arc only grown up babies
after all. We can remember how men
Of business in our city carried on just
like kids in our parades We hal when
we learned that the war had come to
an end
People Not Serious
Jesus saw the spirit of levity that
prevailed among the grown ups OF His
day. and il got on His nerves. The peo-
pie did not seem to take life seriously.
We have mourned and ye have not
lamented.- quoted the pastor. at
around his bed were friends and rela-
tiyes with tears in ;heir eyes. Across
the street cwild be heard the strains Of
a player-piano and the sound OF dancing
feet 1 am not against fun, but when
all time Is given to merriment some
thing Is wrong. II Jesus would visit
Wheeling He would more than likely
compare US TO children. as the spirit OF
frivouty seem 10 he prominent today.
Many pretend TO be serious but their
shallowness woul4 be patent 10 Jesus.
He saw the mimiCry OF the. people. even
as He had seen Il when the children
were playing in the market. Mimicry
never brings It's author any higher than
the thing i: initiates. Too much imita-
ton is prevalent today. We should
take ourselves seriously and be our
selves. A lack OF seriousness prevails,
and am afraid that many people who
hear Gods word read in The church DO
not pay much attention 10 It's reading.
They sing the hymns and do not think
OF the sentiment contained in them. II
would be well for us 10 ask ourselves
whether We arc In earnest about our
religion. or whether We are just going
through the motions and pretending.
Sulky Church Hsmbers
Every church has its quota OF sulKy
members. They refuse TO enter Into the
work OF the Lord because Mr.. So and
So has offended them. Sister Sulky
wants her church letter because sister
Gay has done something that does not
NEE, her approval and has not been
put out OF the church for II. Brother
Sulk rises upon his hind legs and says
that Deacon Duless or Elder Emptyhead
are not fit men to have on the "ttlcia!
board and that NJ will be on his way
sorrowinG II they are rot removed
Both Brother and Sister Sulk f!nd
some fault with the minister such
people are going 10 sulk their way right
into hell! 1t 10 amazing TO ME how
my labor among you seems 10 be so un-
productive OF result Ny life and my
soul Is In my work. The churca l fear
does not pay the attention II shou'C
10 the efforts or It's minister.
The church Is not place where @c"-
ding-feast merr;aIent. .: tUnerll SI2on
should exist. The extreme "pt."r'st.
who sees only an endless round II JOY.
and the Cheerless pessimist. wh" >""S
only sadness in religion. must give away
10 the we'll balanced HE. let US weep
with them that wcep. and tfJo "r WitE
them that do rejoice" quoted Rev.
Fields In conclusion.