The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-05-08

chance. Every book owes its exist
ence to some being or beings, and
"ltnm the range and scope of hui
man intelligence there are only three
thlngs-good, bad and God All that
originate in intellect, all which the
intellect can comprehend, must irigi-
nate from one of the three.
This book could not possibly be the
product of good men, for they do not
attribute these beautiful and match
less and well-arranged sentences to
them, as the Holy Ghost and the BIZ
bic are capable of no private interpre-
tauon. This book could not possibly
be the product of evil, vicious, wicked,
corrupt men for it pronounces the
heaviest penalties against transgress-
ion. Like produces like. and if wick
ed, vicious men had written the Bible,
they would pronounce no penalties
against transgression.
This is the book which Is the head
light Of all progress, and proportion
steiy as men and women submit to
its teachings and live up to them, are
iifted out of the quag1nire of filth
and your heart and body purified.
So the only being to whom you or
or any intelligent being could at
tribute to the Bible is God.
Here is book that as far exceeds
the combined efforts of man as the
sun exceeds the brilliancy and life
giving power of these lights, which
are but base imitators of its glory.
Here is the book that tells me of my
origin and my destiny. Here is the
book without which | would not
know of my origin or destiny except
n srHN
outlines of nature or reason, either
or both of which. to me, would be
unsatisfactory in the extreme.
Most People
Believe in God.
Most people believe in God Now
and then you find a few that don't
and they are fools if they don't for
the Bible says, THE fool hath said in
his heart there is no God"
Most people believe in a God that
will reward the right and punish the
wrong. That being true, what atti-
tude ought you to assume toward my
teachings when | announce as my
text verse from the word of God
What shall the end be of them that
obey not the Gospel of God?"
The condition of Israel was des-
perate. Peter told them if they con.
tinued to live as they were, 1t would
justly merit wrath of God. That
seems not to have affected them,
and ] can hear him crying out in the
words of jeremiah What will you
do in the swelling of the Jordan?"
and the words of Solomon, THE
way of the trangressor is hard" Then
| can hear him crying out in the
words of my text, What shall the end
he nc hot
of God?"
\, There were those that did obey;
J , he knew their end; and there were
those that did not, and he tried to
enlighten them.
A man said TO me once, 81 can't
be a Christian"
That makes a hard case against
God. You say can't and God COM
mands every man to repent, and He
told you He would damn you if you
didn't. If God made me and told me
He would damn me if | didn't do
His will, and it was impossible for
me to do His will, then God would
be a wretch and a demon; and when
you say you can't me a Christian,
then you are charging God with ask
ing you to do something that can't be
done.
Suppose ! were on top of a high
building and l saw my children in
the street below and l shouted, Fly
up to me-
They would shout back, 1--WE can't"
Suppose I'd say, you can, and if
you don't, I'll whip you to death"
God Does Not
Ask Unreasonable.
II l did that. / would be just as
hla Cod he -
ask his creatures to do something
that He knew when He asked, they
couldn't do And if you are not de-
cent enough to want to be Christ
ian, just tell God you are not man
enough to be a Christian, that you
don't want to be a Christian.
Some years ago a man was tour
ing the Alps. He came to a great
gorge, three thousand feet deep, and
he stopped and said to the Alpine
guide - it was skirted by a narrow
/, Ledge of rock no wider than your
y two hands-"I never could cross that:
VI would become dizzy and l would
fall TO my death"
And the Alpine guide laughed him
TO scorne. He threw away his Alpine
stock. shut his eyes, and with only
his feet to feel with he threaded
ms way across the yaWnlng abyss to
the other side, and the dog, born and
reared in the mountains, WINGED and
turned back.
What is your life-a hands breadth
yes, hairs breadth-yes, one sin
gle heart beat between every man and
woman here tonight and eternity just
a heartbeat and heaven or hell for
you, according as you have accepted
or you have refused Jesus Christ as
your Savior
Now, have never met man or
a woman in my life that objected to
religion, that could not classify I'M
der one or two headings. First, men
and women who, because Of an utter
disregard of Gods claims upon their
lives have become by and through
that disreoarded, bIase, degenerate,
the poltroons and marplots of Gods
earth, and have thus thrown them
selves away beyond the pale Of Gods
mercy or any hope of salvation.
Or, second, men and women with
splendid, noble and magnificent abil-
tiles, which they have allowed to be-
come absorbed in other matters and
they do not give to the subject of re-
ligion so much as passing attention.
And yet, they have the audacity to