i
-
&!&
TROUBLES VANISH
AND JOY BRIGHTENS
CONVERTS, VISION
Here's the Story of a Man
Who Drifted Into the
Tabernacle Seeking Physi
cal Comfort.
By WILLIAM DUOKETT
A "Hilly" Sunday Convert.
A Ufa full of trouble that is what mine
has b6cn, Just trouble and unhnpplness
from beginning to end. I'm happier now
that "Billy" haa shown me a few tilings
than I ever was before, and I guess you
'would have to look twice to Rce how
I could be happy. No home, wife dead,
daughter dead, all crippled up with rhou
trtatlsm, no work nothing.
I'll Just glvo you nn Idea of what It
has been like. I was born In Valley Shan
non, Ireland, My father had a little farm
there and by working from sunrise to
spnset ho was Just able to support the
family. There were my mother and throo
of ih "kids," but we weren't "kids" very
long we had to get out and hustle to
keep things going. Wo were poverty'
etrlcken, that's all there was to It.
You can say all you please about tht
happiness of childhood, but I wouldn't
live mine over again on a bet. It wnij a
regular nightmare. Not that my father
ond mother weren't right. Ho was an
Eplscopalean and she a Trcsbyterlan, and
they were both good, honest. God-fearing
people, but I didn't believe much In that
"truck," as I used to call It. Finally, I
decided I wouldn't stand that life any
longer, so I camo to this country.
That was 32 years ago. I had thought I
was unhappy at home struggling against
povorty, but It wasn't a circumstance to
what I was up against hero. Of course, I
began hitting the booze. I fell In with n
bunch who taught mo that I could
"drown my sorrows" that way, and I
played it to the limit.
I worked hero and there at whatever
I could get. For a while I was with a
concern that made railroad swltchni,
then I wont to the Wilmington Ship
Ynrds, Baldwin's Locomotive Works and
other places like that, but the booze kept
following me, and each time my Job
wasn't quite as good as the one I had be
fore. Finally I was down to gardening
and then cleaning the streets.
Yes, I got married. That straightened
mo out for a while and 1 got along pretty
well, for a good woman can do a lot for
a man. We had three children two boys
and a girl. She died four years ago and
my wife followed her. Of course that
put me down again, and the boozn was
beginning to tell on mo, too, and it wasn't
long before the rheumatism hit me and
laid me flat on my back.
jThlnga have been going from bad to
worse ever since, but talk about God giv
ing people a chance! This morning I had
tq give up my room and I can tell you I
was prety well disheartened this after
Jjoon when I drifted In the tabernacle.
Why did I come? Because it was warm
and I had no other place to go. At least
t$at Is ijvhat I,, thought the reason was,
byt I guess God Just wanted "Billy" to
hare a chance at me to show me that
tftere Is a chance yet.
Converted? You bet I am, and I'm not
aihamed of it, either. I feel as though
rty troubles weren't so bad. after all. and
that If I Just do my best and try to do
vhat'a rlght'God will look out for me. I'm
jever going to put my foot Inside a sa
lpon again as long as I live, and I hope
111 see the time when every one of the
rotten places In this city Is closed up.
that's the way I feel about It.
i
UNDAY HURLS
BROADSIDES
Continued from rage One
n. It Is headed by the Rev, Dr. S. Ed
ird Young, for many years chairman of
e Clerical Conference of the Federation
of Churches of New- York.
tAmong tho other prominent ministers
In the delegation are Bishop Robert L.
I?udoIph, of the Reformed Episcopal
Church: tha Rev. Dr. Charles L,. Goo Jell,
pastor of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal
Qhureh, who Jieads the , committee of
ejght that Is to formally Invito the evan
gelist to conduct a campaign in New
Tfork; the Rev. Dr. Frank M. Townley,
pastor of St. Bartholomew's Protestant
Episcopal Church; the Rev. Dr. J. V,
Ivie. chaplain of the New York Fire De
partment; the Rev. Dr. J. H. Kerr, mod
erator of the Brooklyn Presbytery; the
Hev. Dr. William H. Lloyd, Dutch Re
formed Church, Brooklyn, and the Rev.
Hr. Irwin Dennett, of the Tabernacle Bap
tlst Church, Brooklyn.
"There was rejoicing in the Sunday
home, at 1914 Spring Garden street, this
morning when Mrs. George M. Sunday
dnd George M Jr., the 10 months' old
lfrandson of "Billy," arrived from their
Jlome in Winona Lake, Ind.
Mrs. Sunday carried Joy to tho hun
dreds of patients In the Philadelphia Gen
eral Hospital today by presenting them
with bouquets of rosea, carnations and
qther blooms.
Campaign meetings.
More than a score of meetings in con
nection with" the revival campaign are
being held In churches, factories and
schools today by members of the Sunday
jlarty The first of these waa a rally
for high cchool girls, conducted by Miss
Fetterolf, In the Fourth Reformed Church,
Ojf Jtoxfcorough, at 10 o'clock,
At 11 o'clock Miss Miller and Miss Kln
ftey opened the business women's lunch
rooms In the Chambers-Wylle Presbyte
rian Church and the First Presbyterian
Church, the 6-cent luncheon being fol
lowed at Intervals by addresses,
i Seven factory meetings scheduled for
the day "were begun when Mrs. Stover
Hid" Mrs. Asher addressed employes of
the American Cigar Company, 12th street
s-nd Washington avenue. Other noonday
lueetings follow:
j Tho Rev. Mr, Howells. at the Electric
(Storage Battery Company, 19th street nnd
Allegheny avenue.
J Mr 6tove,r, at the A. M. Collins Com
pany, American street and Columbia ave
Me. Mr. Rodebeaver, at the Pennsylvania
pallroad Shops, West Philadelphia.
The Hev. Mr. Welsh, at the Electro
Iitmal company and FJeer Cbemlng Gum
Company. 33d and Arch streets.
j Jack Cardiff, at the Eighth District Po
lice, station, 10th and Buttonwood streets.
I Mr fought, at the Leeda & Nortbrup
company, Wayne Junction.
Mrs. Asher and Mrs. Stover speak
In the Samaritan Hospital at 4:30 o'clock
jiils afternoon, and at the same hour Misa
I.amont conducts a Bible class In the
Sfrankford Methodist Episcopal Church
End Miss Eaxe a, similar class In the East
liantlst Church.
Evening services by Mrs. Asher at the
et Philadelphia Homeopathic Hospital
a-4 the West Philadelphia Hospital wilt
lake jiaca at f:30 and 7'S0 respectively.
km setnUUs qx tb day will be brought
f a Uos ty Misa Gamlln, who will con
Mat a teacberg' niasmeetln3 In the
I toi.-feui Bsptifk CliurUt, ib itwti and
j.tjj;li tiY4AU, At & o clock this evening.
6
"BILLY"
Today's Sermon
FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND
"There are people who do not believe In
miracles, or In tho mlraclfs of Jesus. I
do. Take the miracles out of the life ot
Christ nnd tho historical fabrlo will fall
to pieces.
"A minister In Denver recently said that
tho miracles of tho Now Testament were
more of a hindrance thnn a help. Then
he proceeds tn spout his Insane blas
phemy. You lmaglna Jesus talking to
nbout 5000 and, llko many speakers, run
ning over Ills time limit. Tho disciples,
seeing the night was coming, said: 'Mas
ter, you have talked Uicbo peoplo out of
their supper! There la nothing to cat In
this desert place. Dismiss them. Let
them go into the cities nnd country
around about and get food.' Imnglno
Jesus saying, 'Wo have some lunch,
haven't wo?' 'Yos, but that is not enough
to feed this crowd.' 'Oh, woll, let us di
vide up what we have,' Then Jesus pro
ceeds to divide His lunch with His vast
multitude. But nn old Jew, on seeing
what He Is doing dividing His lunch-
asks, 'Whnt Is Ho doing?' Somo one sns,
'He's giving the people something to ent.'
'Well, He's the first preacher 1 ve ever
seen that practice! what ho preached!'
Shamed by tho example, he brought out
his lunch basket, and this Inspired an
other Jew, and still another, until the
whole crowd of E000 brought forth some
lunch and they had a basket supper.
"Evory attempt to explain the miracles
by natural law gets tho explainer into
grcntar difficulty thnn tho acceptance of
what the Word of God says! I want to
draw some practical lessons from this
world:
EVERYBODY HUNGERS.
"First Tho world Is hungry. Jesus,
when on earth, stood face to face with tho
problem of physical hunger, for we read
that Ho was an-hungered, nnd He wnlkod
through the cornfield and plucked long
cars of corn, nnd te. As we fnco tho
modern world, wo also face the problem
of hunger, ns haa nnd will overy genera
tionnot only physical hunger, but spir
itual hunger!
"If ono wero to bellovo all the magazine
articles in current and religious litera
ture, you would think that tho modern
world Is disgusted and Indifferent to tho
religion of Jesus. I bclievo exactly the
oppoelto Is true!
"In no century since the morning stars
sang together has there been moro real,
true hunger for genuine religion than
this! Tho world Is not dlsgustod with
religion, but It Is disgusted with tho
worldlnesa and tho rituals nnd tho non
essentials In which we havo lost religion!
"There are some kinds of religion that
tho world is not hungry for:
"A religion of formal observances.
"There were formalities of service In
tho days of tho prophets:
'To what purpose Is tho multitude of
your Kicriflces unto me? salth the Lord:
I am full of the burnt offerings of rams,
and the fnt of fed beusts; and I delight
not In tho blood of bullocks, or of lambs,
or of he-goats.'
" 'When ye come to appear before mo
who hath required this at your hands,
to tread my courts?'
" 'Bring no moro vain oblations; incenso
la an abomination unto mc; the new
moons and sabbaths, the calling of as
semblies, I cannot away with; It Is
iniquity, even tho solemn meeting."
" 'Your new moons and your appointed
feasts my soul hatoth; they are a trouble
unto me.; I am weary to bear them.'
" 'And when ye spread forth your hands
I will hide mine eyes from you: ves. when
ye make many prayers, I will not hear;
your hands are full of blood.'
" 'Wash you, make you clean; put away
the evil of your doings from before mine
eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well;
seek Judgment, relievo the oppressed,
Judgo the fatherless, plead for the
widow.'
' 'Come, now, and let us reason to
gether, salth tho Lord; though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white ns
snow; though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool.'
"The world Is beginning to realize that
religion does not consist In doing a lot
of special things, even If branded as re
llglour. But religion consists In doing all
things In a special way, as God has com
manded. Whenever the church makes Its
cfbscrvanco and forms tho end, instead of
the means to the end, tho world will
turn Its back on the church. Praying is
not an act of devotion. Rending the Blblo
Is not nn net of devotion. Going to church
and partaking of the Communion Is not
an act of devotion. These are simply aids
to devotion. The actual religion lies not
in the prayer, nor the Bible reading, nor
the conventions, nor the communion, nor
the church attendance, nor the baptism,
but in the quality of life which these ob
servances create. Sometimes a so-called
religious observance may become a natu
ral hindrance to dellgion itself.
"Thire are thousands who forget re
ligion ond allow tho forms of religion to
take the place of religion! And the forms
must be destroyed beforo religion will
perfume your life.
"We aro substituting religiousness for
righteousness! Our danger Is not In the
boiling over of the religious cauldron, but
the danger Is the firo will be drawn and
the boiling cease altogether!
"The world Is not hungry for a religious
theory.
"There was a time when people were
interested Intensely in fine-spun theologi
cal theories. You could announce a de
bate on tho forms of baptlam and pack
any house. The popular preacher was
the best theological debater. That day is
past. A debate on baptism would not
draw a corporal's guardl Tho average
man has not lost Interest in the vital
truths connected with these topics, but
ho has Jost Interest in the typo of re
ligion that expends Its energy In argu
ment and word-battles and splitting theo
logical hairs over nonessentials.
"The world Is not hungry for a religion
of social service without Christ!
"I will go with you In all your social
service In your sociology In your doc
trine of eugenics and In any and all
movements for the good and uplift of
humanity, provided you give Jesus Christ
His rightful place in all of theaei But
when you drop Jesus Christ, you and I
part company!
"Second The church Is the only Insti
tution divinely authorized to feed tho
spiritual hunger for Him.
"You will notice that Jesus did not
feed the multitudes. He created the food,
and asked His disciples to distribute It.
Jesus was the Creator not the waiter
at this banquet! Jesus created salvation
In His death on the cross. That Is the
food that will feed the spiritual hunger
of the world! But the task -of distrib
uting It Is In the hands of His human
followers.
TASK OF EVANGELIZING.
"Jesus of Nazareth provided salvation,
and He handed over to us the task of
telling the world!
"There are) many Institutions which en
ter into competition with the church in
preaching certain phases of religion, but
not In preaching religion itself. One-, As
sociated Charities, preaches charity
sometimes with stronger emphasis than
the church. Some organizations talk
about Justice and square dealing with
more v eh emenca than the cliurck. Some
individual thunder against sraft end
EVENING LEDGES-PHILADELPHIA. THURSDAY, JANUARY
SUNDAY'S SERMONS
vice moro than the pulpit. Many Insti
tutions nnd organizations preach ono or
moro phases of religion. But It Is to the
Church that humanity must ever turn
for the Inst word In the problems of
human life nnd the salvation of their
soul nnd their eternal destlnyl
"Peoplo nro dissatisfied with philosophy
nnd science and new thought ns pana
ceas for their heartaches!
"It docs not amount to anything when
you havo a Joi.il child In your houso to
come with theso new-fangled theories. It
does not solaco the troubles and woes of
the world. Tho only comfort you can
find Is In the gospel!
"ChrlBtlnnity Is tho only nympnthetlo
religion that ever camo Into tho world,
Let your scientific consolntlon enter it
room whero the mother has lost her
child. Try your doetilno of tho survival
of the fittest. Toll her that her child
died because It wns not worth ns much
as the other one'
"Go lo that widowed oul. TVI1 her it
ww a geological necessity that her hus
band died, Just ns In the course of evolu
tion It was necessary Hint tho megather
ium had to pass out of existence!
"Go on In your scientific consolation
until you reach tho sublime holght whero
fifty million years liavo como around,
and you will bo scientific specimens on
ft goologlrnl shelf petrified evidences of
nn evtlnut race!
"And when you have got through with
your scientific, philosophical, psychologi
cal, ougonlc, social service, evolution, pro
toplasm nnd fuitultuus concurrence of
atoms, If who is not crazed by It, I will
go to her and after onc-hnlf hour of
prayer and the rending of tho Scripture
promises, tno tears will toe wiped away
and tin; houso from cellar tn unrrnt will
bo filled with calmness llko a California
sunset!
"There Is whore I see tho triumphs of
Christianity!
"They wnnt God! They want Jesus!
But they don't want your nonsense!
"Third: Is the church drawing tho
hungry world to Its tnblcs"
"Thcro Is no blinking nor dodging the
fact that In drawing tho mosses to its
doors tho church is fnclng n crisis. That
thcro Is a breach between tho masses
there is no doubt. You take a walk down
Cth avenue, New York. In the dlstilcta
or wealth and refinement the church
spires are n-plenty. Hut us you walk eaBt-1
win (i low.iru tno rivor tlicy grow less and
less As tho population becomes moro
dense nnd poor, the church buildings grow
less mid tho downtown church w a puss
Ing pioposltlon. Gradually the older mem
beis movo to the subuibs. and with tho
withdrawal of financial support tho sup
port of tho downtown chuich becomes
moro difficult. In board nnd trustee
meetings of such churches you hear talk
llko this: Cut your clothes to lit your
ciuui cut uown expenses to tally with
receipts.
"Great God! Is this a causo and a tlmo
for retrenchment or advancement? Does
a wlo general reduce his force In tho
presence of the enemy?
"The fact Is that In almost every
densely populated section of great Amer
Icnn cities, church buildings have been
sold for onormous prices for commercial
purposes, nnd tho money thus gained Is
taken to tho suburbs and used to build
gorgeous religious clubhouses for tho
privillged few! And t'ney think they havo
discharged their responsibilities to the
masses loft behind when they go down
once a year and squirt u llttlo rose water
over the festering masses of humanity
that they find there!
"Fourth: Need tho church turn to
other tables thnn those of tho cTnurch?
"I answer, 'They noed not go awny;
glvo ye them to eat.' The church has
the power to feed this hungry worldl It
can feed the hungry world by doing what
Jesus did when He fed tho E00O by a
wlso use of what it has on hand, wlfn
tho blessing and tho power of God
upon It!
"What has tho church on hand?
"Tho answer is. It hns two things:
"A set of principles which, If put into
tho practical life of tho Individual, soci
ety nnd business, will solve overy diffi
culty and every problem of Individual,
family, social, city, State or national
life. It has truth! The Bible 1b tho word
of God and God Is God! Jesus is tho
only begotten Son of God, nnd salvation
Is by faith In His atoning blood! And
that is the omanation of all truth! It
has Justlco which can mnlte capital and
labor shake hands until capital will give
labor a square deal, and until labor will
give capital a square deal!
"Every economic question can be set
tled bv tho Golden Rule!
"It has purity, which will purify the
sins of society. Men will no longer bo
false. Nor will wives. Pandering will
cease. And a 'For Rent" sign will hnng
from overy brewery, distillery nnd sa
loon, and every disreputable house!
"Tho church has a person who has tho
power to create and make powerful In
human life every one of those principles!
And that person is Jesus Christ, the Son
of God!
"Many skeptics havo said, 'If Christian
ity will only preach Its principles Instead
of a person, we will find no fault.' But I
say to you that wherever a preacher or n
church haa preached a set of principles
Instead of a person, that minister or that
church becomes sterile, powerless, and
will sink to hell!
"You are not saved by the principle, but
by the person! You say, 'Give me Jus
tice, but not your Christ." Then you wlir
cut the throat of your potter. You snv,
'Give me purity, but not your Christ."
Then you will have a hemisphere of
lazarettos!
" 'Follow me!" has always been a more
Inspiring summons than 'Work on this
program.'
BUILT AROUND A SAVIOUR.
"The reason Christianity stands head
and shoulders above all other religions
that have ever been oftored to the human
rnce fs hero1 Other religions have
preached good principles nnd good things,
but they have no Saviour who can take
those things and Implant them In the
human heart nnd mako them grow! All
other religions have been built around
principles, but the Christian, religion is
built around the Saviour! Every other
religion on earth la a religion you must
keep. The Christian religion keeps you
and presents you faultless before the
throne!
"Oh, Christian! Have you any ecars to
Bhow In this conflict? When a war la
over, heroes have scare to show, and they
are proud of them. One rolls back his
sleeve to show a gunBhot. Another pulls
down hlfl collar to show a bullet wound
In the neck. Another says, 'I've never
had the use of my limb since Gettysburgl'
When this conflict Is over, will we have
wounds to show for Jesus? Some have
wounds to show for Bin, They fought on
tne wrong Bide. Christ has scars to
show scars on His brow, and scars on
Hia hands, and scars on Ills feetl He
will pull aside His robe of royalty and
show the scar on His side!
"When the Scottish chieftains wonted
to raise an army, they would take a
wooden cross and set It on Are, and carry
It, with other crosses, through tho moun
tains and over the highlands among their
people, and they would wave this cross of
flame, and when the people saw Jt they
would gather Beneath the standard and
fight for Scotland!
"Today I go out with the cross of the
Son of GodI It Is a flaming cross flam
ing with suffering flaming with triumph
flaming with tears flaming with victory
flaming with glory! I carry it out
among the people! Who will gather be
ncath this standard" and sing with me:
" 'In the cross of Christ I glory.
Towering o'er the wreck of Time;
4U the light of .crd. story
Owners round 1U bead aublimel' "
Last Night's Sermon
"LET YOUR, LICJHT SHINE"
"Psalms cxlll, 4 'No man cared for my
soul,'
"Llfo and nature seem to be made up
largely of contrast. Midnight, mldnooni
summer, winter; heat, cold; hills, val
leys; famines, plenty; rain, drouth; sick
ness, health; vice and virtue walk tho
streets; Joy and sorrow look from tho
same window; tho funeral procession fol
lows quickly after the bridal march. All
lives aro moro or less of a contrast. But
no llfo, in history, eacrcd or profane, to
mo presents a lnrgcr number than that
of David, the author of my Psalm nnd
text.
"I am first Introduced to him ns a
shepherd lad, when ho herded his father's
Hocks, when Samuel was sent to God to
anoint him king of lsrncl. The next
Vision I catch of David Is that he hud
thrown tho shcphoid crook on the
ground, picked up tho crown, (.limbed up
and snt down on tho throne and swnyod
a scepter Instead of a shepherd's crook.
The next vision I have of David Is that
ho has become a sinner. Ho forgot God
to whom ho was 'Indebted nnd trailed
and dragged His name In filth; then, by
crying unto God, who granted him
pardon, ho became a man of ublllty, Ho
wns a musician, too, nnd charmed King
Haul In his melancholy moods. Ho wns
a warrior and led tho hosts of God to
victory. Saul sought to kill him and
chased him from tho mountain like a
partridge and David went from pillar to
post, and at last took refuge In tho cavo
of 1'Jngodl. Then It was that tho words
of my text were wrung from his heart.
'I looked on my right hand, nnd bohold.
but there was no man that would know
me; rcfugo failed men; no man cared
for my soul.'
"It seems strango to mo that any man,
nt any period of tho world's history,
should bo compelled to uso words llko
these, and that such words should bo
the honest expression of tho lack of
Interest manifest toward him by those
whom ho knew and with whom ho camo
In contact; but It Is more than passing
strnngo to mo that any man In your
dny nnd mine, with such opportunities
to know God. with all tho Inducements
that ho hns, his knowledge of Chris
tianity, that any man In Philadelphia
should uso words llko these and that
thoy would bo tho honest expression of
tho lack of Interest manifest toward him
by thoso who profess to lovo and know
tho Lord. And yet. It is true, 'No man
cared for my soul.'
CONCERN IN DISTRESS.
"Did you over stop to think of tho
great concern which is manifest for peo
ple in times of physical distress? Let
tho cry of a child bo heard and wo will
drop our money, we will turn from the
counter, wo will stop discussing politics
or talking religion, Wo will forget our
differences of creed nnd color and will
rush to the aid ot the helpless whose
cry has called us,
"And when tho message came telling
us that San Francisco wns lying In ruins
and the hungry flames wero licking up
hovel and palace, we ran our hands Into
our pockets to our elbows and an end
less stream of gold poured to the Pacific
coast to supply their needs, and you wero
proud you wero an American and had
somo part In alleviating human misery
and suffering.
"Who was first to respond when Italy
was shaken by an earthquake disaster?
The United States. Again we wero
proud of our country.
NOT CONCERNED ABOUT SOULS. i
"But wo will let peoplo in our own
church go to hell without saying a word
to them.
"I will never forget one time In Paris,
111., I was leaving tho tent where wo
were holding tho meetings, and among
thoso who went out last was a young
man to whom I was nttraoted by his
keen, bright appearance. I walked down
tho street with him and ongnged in con
versation, and presently I put to him the
Inevitable question, 'Are you a Christian?"
He said, 'No, I am not.' 'Father and
mother alive?" 'Yes, sir.' 'Father n
Christian?' 'I don't know; he Is a steward
in the Methodist church.' 'Is your mother
a Christian?' 'I don't know." 'Have you
a brother or sister?' 'I havo a sister.'
'Is she a Christian?' 'I don't know; she
teaches In the primary department In
tho Sunday school.' 'Do you have family
prayer In your homo?' 'No, sir." 'Has
your father or your mother, or you sister
over asked you to be a Christian?' The
tears trickled down his cheeks and he
said: 'Mr. Sunday, do you believe my
father and mother think I'm lost? They
havo never asked me to be a Christian.'
Certainly that young man has a right to
say of his own flesh and blood that they
did not care for his soul.
ESTIMATE OF RELIGION.
"Possibly before I go any further this
may need a little explanation, You may
think you are unworthy. Then get worthy
or get out. Teople estimate religion by
what they see In the lives of the people
who profess to be Christians.. Your life
Unitarian
Christianity
The Truth About
Jesus
This Is tho Subject of the
Sermon by
REV. EDMUND H. REEMAN
At 8 o'Clock Thia Evening in tho
GERMANTOWN
UNITARIAN CHURCH
Cheltcn Ave. and Greene St.
ORGAN RECITAL, 7:15-8.
SOLOISTS; CLARA YOCUM JOYCE,
BENJ. KLEVAN.
When spme theologian of long ago
forms a certain conception of the man
Jesus, and then other theologians
form their conception into a creed and
we reject the creed, Is It Just to say
that we reject Jesus or fall to appre
ciate His work and worth? Modern
Christianity Is based on the message
ot the man Jesus. Unltarianlam ac
cepts "the religion of Jesus." It Is a
religion In which, conscience and In
tellect And free and full expression,
and which distinguishes between the
Christ of the creeds and the Jesua qf
history. Modern scholarship does not
detract from but makes even more
clear the wonder of Jesus' personality.
Evangelical orthodoxy tells one side
of the story, If you would hear the
other side, come to this meeting.
REV, ULYSSES G. B, PIERCE
of Washington, will apeak,
Friday 8ubjectl
WHO CAN BE RELIGIOUS?
For Literature Visit
THE) UNITARIAN
BOOK ROOM
1815 North Logan Square
may be far from whnt you desire It to be,
and yet I believe your life Is Just what
you wnnt It to be. You can bo what
ou want to be, and If you are not a Chris
tian it Is because you don't want to be,
because to bo a Christian you would havo
to chnnge a lot of things in your life, nnd
you nre not man enough to do It. You
may feel 'No man ever oared for my
soul,' A sermon dropped In an audience
will do Its work, but if this world will
over be won to Josus Christ It will not
bo by an unaided clergy, and when a
preacher or an evnngcllst thinks his ser
mons are going to save tho world, God
Almighty will havo to call In nnother
Luther and have another Reformation.
"God eays you had hotter be mnlmed
and halt and blind than go to hell.
You fall to realise that you are lost
"Sometimes you might think peoplo
don't care to talk nbout religion. Now
you listen! Whero you will find one
man or one woman that would treat you
disrespectfully, you will find ono hun
dred that will listen to you nnd thank
you because you camo. Then lot tho
one go lo holl nnd try to get the one
hundred. If a mnn Is so low down nnd
good-for-nothing and God-forsaken that
ho would treat you disrespectfully If you
would go and talk to him about Jesus
Christ, I have no patlonco with him. You
must novo your eyes In tho back of
your head If you can't seo that God's
spirit Is sweeping over Philadelphia as
you never saw It boforo. You have novor
seen the time when It wns easier to
talk religion thnn It Is today. Why, that's
all you can hear. Go Into any store, Into
any office. Tho conversation will open
nnd immediately switch nnd they will go
to talking religion.
"Every town has a few leaning posts,
moral nnd immoral. Every town has a
few men nnd whatever they do the town
will do. If they go to hell tho town will
go. That's a terrible responsibility for
these leaning posts."
Sunday gnvo another story Illustrating
how peoplo did not try enough to reach
peoplo, and continued:
WHEN FAILURE COMES.
"In time of trouble, go to a fellow who
has lost his property; he has tried hard
to make things go, but ho hns gono to
tho wall and Is up ngalnst It. When ho
wna prosperous nnd successful men would
cross tho street to shake his hand and
say, 'How do you do.' Now ho goes to
tho postofilce, gets a bundlo of letters.
and, llko Shylock of old, thoy demand
100 cents on the dollar. He goes home,
reads the letters, throws himself pros
trate and cries, 'No man cares for my
soul, only 100 cents on tho dollar.'
"Thcro Is nothing on earth that can
help you like tho gospel of Jesus Christ.
In tlmo of trouble, sir. tho old ship of
Zlon will go down the stroot. Look yon
der, business men! Thero aro your wlfo
and childron standing on tho deck and
begging for you to come and got on
bonfd. Get on board; It Is going by!
In times of a great awakening llko this
ring tho door bells and Bay: 'Como on;
glvo your heart to God." Now is tho
tlmo to talk to them about God.
"I want to say to you, listen I Hear
mol The world doesn't care for your
soul. It will glvo you money, it will
give you fame, but it doesn't caro for
your soUl, How molancholy havo been
tho laat days of somo whom tho world
has called great! Caesar was stabbed
to death. Alexander the Great sat down
and wept, as ho wrapped the drapery
of his couch about him. Godfrey lan
guished In Jail. Charles V. got a mel
ancholy streak and locked himself up.
Napoleon spent his last days upon St.
Helena's barren rock. How sad have
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f
28. 1916.
been the latter daya of many who have
climbed to the very plnnnclo mid looked
dcwnl . .
"The world doesn't care. There Is many
a man, whon ho takes his dinner bucket
and goes lo work In tho store, In the
mill, or on the farm, his mind Is per
plexed; ho knows ft few brief years will
wind up his earthly career, and he won
ders how muoh of the Hiblo Is true.
Ho wonders If it is figurative; how- much
Is literally truo. Thcro are mon looking
In my face tonight who would pull out
their chock books nnd wrlto a check for
$10,000 If thoy could havo It proved that
tho Blblo Ib tho Word of God, Jesus the
Son of God, heaven for tho saved, hell
for the lost, salvation only through Jesus
Christ. But It wont cosi you a cum.
PEOPLE DO NOT CARE.
"Tho world doesn't care. Tho morchatit
doesn't care for your soul; ho only wants
your trade. Tho politician doesn't caro
for your soul; ho only wants your voto.
Vote for htm today nnd you can go to
hell tomorrow for nil of him. Tho sa
loonkeeper doesn't care for your soul! nil
ho wants Is your nickel, and you can
hnvo his booze. Tho world doesn't enro
and tho devil doesn't care. Ho will flatter
you, will llo to you, cheat you, lead you
oi. by his subtlety and lntriguo nnd get
you to Indulge. Tho devil doonn't enre.
Ho leads you on to Indulge, and when
nt last you awaken to tho peril, you will
cry out: 'O wrotched man that I nm;
who will dcllvor mo?' God pity you! Tho
devil doesn't care. But 1 wnnt to toll
vou that instead of this apparent In-
difference, heavon, earth nnd hell aro all
Intorosted In this tabernacle. Earth wants
to cheat you, hell damn you, and heaven
save you. Abovo your heads nro tnq
angels of light, snow-whlto from tho
throne of God, nnd around you nro tho
devils of darkness, black-plnloned from
hell, and they rip and tear with beak nnd
tnlon, and you have It to say who will
win, henven or holl, All earth and hell
nro Interested In thoso meetings, But I
tell you, you aro llko a Bhlp at sen.
Yonder sho goes, careening her way, nnd
they discover n fire In her hold, They
rush to tho captain nnd say: 'Captain,
tho shlp'n nfire. Lot's flro tho gun; lot's
wave a signal,' and tho cnptnln sayB,
'No, no. I'm captain of this ship. Closo
tho port holes, put out tho lights. I'll
put this nhlp In tho harbor at Liverpool
or down at tho bottom of the sea.'
"If you woutd lift your hand, walk
down tho aisle, toll your wife, toll the
people you want to bo a Christian, nil
heaven would hurry to your aid. If you
would Just fly tho Blgnal of distress;
Just give God tho slightest Indication that
you want to bo a Christian nnd want to
do right. Tho devil doosn't caro, you
think I would stand up hero nnd work
ns hard as I do, wearing my llfo out
lr I didn't caro7 Kvory board In this
tabernacle, overy nail, overy electric light,
Is an evidence that peoplo caro nnd want
to seo you saved. Thoro are mon that
have always been In tho soul-saving busi
ness. BRINGING MEN TO JESUS.
"Thero nro thousands that are preach
ing, nnd praying, and swcntlng, and dy
ing to bring men to Jesus Christ. Yes,
thoy caro. God cares or He would never
havo given you tho plan of redemption.
Every thorn In His brow, every nail in
tho cross, and overy drop of blood that
Ho shed, puts It square up to you and
tells you that God wants you nnd to
get to heaven Instead of to hell. Ho Is
anxious; Ho cares. That's tho reason
Jesus came. It was only six miles from
whero Jesus was born to w hero He died
on tho cross, six miles. On Ho came, de
nounced, vllllfled; they hurled and belched
out their maledictions, but on Ho came.
Thoy stoned Him, drovo Him out of their
cities. He had to Ho down with nothing
but the ground for a bed nnd tho canopy
of God for a covering, hair wot with the
dow and drenched with rain. No man
gave Him to eat, but Ho kept on and on.
THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
Independence Square, Philadelphia, Pa.
What fort for you and for me. To t,..
una plan of redemption to keen v, 5?
of hell. And yet men will ps?t tl JR
Indifference, I wonder that aod has
given ua the task and let some n.ot
hell. Go out and work. Tho tr?ubl t ,0
lot of you tnko It too ensy. You i?J
bows with peoplo nnd never n ornvf- '
from your lips. You never had ! Joes
of sweat to go down your face ri- .D
keep peoplo out of perdition W i!?.to
you sit thero with a curl on your it""
Borne ono Is trying to preaeh ?hen
Christ enrcs, my friends. ' J
"I heard a friend of mine in . i
and the man whom ho eaM .5J,M?rTi
mot ono day In Chicago, i "La m'5 '
Mr. Brown. I heard a friend 'JIUl"
tell n story that you told. Now t I?1"9
you to tell It to me.' Ho s?A nl
up to tho Young Men's Christ . I. ?m
elation, and I will This Is th. ,,M0'
"Ho was preaching n o ' ',!
Wis, nnd tho last night , nowoc.
tho last night, thero was a young fi, to
oaahler In ono of tho bankl v0W'
thoy had tried to get to give hl,T1ionx
God. Ho wouldn't listen "'?
Ho was a loader among tho vnii.M"
My friend closed tho mXthS ? fA
after that ho received a ltV. Snor"J'
boy's father saying'1 that ho ht? ,hi
homo. Tho father laid? 'We V ett
tcr from him saying ho 1.2 '"
back snmn Hm. u... ""Would C0m
bother. That we T wouldn't know" wv
he was, but that whon he mT h
mind to come home ho wou m com. t
havo written to you lo ask T yon T l
seo or hear anything of him, t, i 22
we lovo him. Mother is Jus" dying.'
RETURN OF A PRODIGAL.
"My friend told mo that t
Inter ho went back to that town and th
first man that ho mot when he got oft
the train waa James Stewart, the fatni.
of this boy. It was a cold day ami .
friend said. -Why, Mr. Stowartf'whal .
you doing hore today? Tho father ,.m
My boy. Hasn't ho come ye??' 8.n'
slr; ,M.y fj!fnd tra"sactcd his busing
and left. Elovon years after, h. S
tack to that town. On tho train he saw
a great, stalwart young fellow. He would
walk nervously up nnd down the alX
would pick out the landmarks as thi
camo along nnd then sit down and tnii
to himself When the train ."topped "h,
followed tho crowd out of tho front door
and my friend went out tho rear and
ho stopped from tho platform, the tint
person ho saw waa old James Stewart!
His hair and beard wero long and whltt
The old man's eyes wore dim, his brow
wrinkled and his form bent. My friend
said, 'Hello, Mr. Stownrt. What are you
doing down hero today?' The old man
failed to rocognlzo him, nnd said, "Who
are you?' My friend told him. 'Oh, yea
I remember you.' My friend said, 'What
aro you doing hero?' Tho old man said
'My boy.' 'Do you mean to toll me that
ho hasn't como back yot?" The old
father said, 'No, sir; ho ain't corns back
yot, and wo haven't hoard anything from
him, only that letter. I didn't know but
that ho might come."
"Tho old man hobbled alone nnt lonvt
In tho car window and caught sight of &
fnco he thought ho knew. Presently th
stalwart young fellow got to the front
of the car. Tho old man started, dropped
his crutch and cane in the snow, and
ran as faBt as tho tottering limbs of
docroptltudo could enrry him. His hat
flew off nnd his hair blew In tho wind.
Ho would have fallen, but strong armi
went around him nnd held him up. He
brow his arms around the young ff.
low's neck and kissed him again and
agnln. Ho said, 'My boy, I knew you'd
come. I know you'd come.' For 11
long years James Stewart had been at
evcrj" trnin. No night was too dark or
no storm too fierce to keep him home.
"God has been waiting for some o
you men for M, 30, 10, 50, 60, 70, 75 years,
and you haven't come, you haven't come.
He cares. Listen! God cares and Jesua
cares."
$1.50 tho Year, by Mall
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