Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, September 30, 1915, Page 4

i | i S =5 N PRI 55 AT THE B THURSDAY, SEPTEY “Is it Well with Thee?”’ Asks Sunday of His Many Hearers “Biily Sunday preached last night on the tople: “Is It Well With Thee?" He said: Text: Kings IL ividf: “1s it well with thee? s it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy chld™ Fifty-three miles north of Jerusalem, clght miles from Tabor and four miles from Jezreel, there once stood the famous and untortunste eity of Shunam, situated in one of the most beautiful spots on the globe, surrounded by olive orchards and fields of waving grain, with babbling wprings and shaded groves, an ideal place for an keal bome, and In (hat city there was such a home, presided over by one of the famous women of antiquity. Elisha, the prophet, used to pass this home on his way to Mount Carmel and back again to the schools of the prophets at Jericho, of which he was the head, | and there was something in his actions that led this woman to conclude that hie was & man of God, for she said one day to her husband: “1 perceive that a man of God is passing by us continually.” Women are of keener perveption when | it comes to things spiritually and mor- ally than are men. I perceive that probably her husband was too busy running the bank, or the | farm, or “balled up” in polities. I per- celve he had no time to think of bring ing any influence beneath his roof that might be a moral or spiritual uplift to himselt or his wife or his children Lald Dead Boy tpon Bed. There was i that family am only shild, and I ean sce Lim out in the fleld where his father was with the reapers, and the hot sun of the Oriental country beat down on hers hrew his bands to his “My head! My d' My head!" And the father sald t) the servant: “Carry the lad to his mother.” And they bore him to the hou And then, to iy mind, ocours one of the saddest statements found upon the pages of the Old Testament. He sat upofi~his mother's knee untll noon, and then he died. Broken-hearted she carried him up. stafes and laid'Bim upon the bed of the map of God; then ttrning to the young men,” her servants, she sald to them: “Swddle me & beast and drive on.” Down yonder % Mount Carmel was the nan of God who, she belleved, had power © bring to life the dead child. But there on the highway was the mother with her heart breaking: down theré in the home at Shunam was the boy lying on the bed of the man of God, dead-and you have the picture And they went on and Elisha looked doWn the road and saw them coming, and he sald to Gehasi, who was sort of & private secretary: “Yonder comes the Shunamite. I wish you would see what she wants and what brings her hither." Gehazi ran down the road and “her and saluted her in the words of Wy text: “Is 1t well with thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is it well with thy child?" Sho answered after the manner of the Kagtern salutation: “T4s well." Slie drew near to the man of God, dis- motnted from the beast, fell upon her k throw her arms about him and 'gu\ possibly thinking her insane, vame, the shoulders and by d and the boy end and cried: your hearts are breaking you it somebody that keeps in touch with a Then you will send for the sky wald: y boy is dead and I want you to go nd help me and bring him to life Ang Ellsha said to Gehasl: “Gehazl, here, you take my staff and %0 lay that on the dead child that he may live don’t know, but I have always thought that God told him to do that. What we want i a persomal touch; there is too much of this other businese, I #hink one of the curses of the church today seems Lo be & perpetual sign hang- ing trom the pew: Wanted—A recipe whereby our weork can be accomplished by proxy.” And they think It they drop & check In the plate they are realesed from any responsibllity and absolved from any ity for doing anything for God. said: I want you to go with me.” Elisha said to Gehasi: lay the staff on the dead child he may lve. she clung to him weeping and the Lord God lveth and as my teach us importunity in prayer, deter- mination to mccomplish the thing upon which our heart is set no matter what ditficuities may Le in the way, Years ago in Cincinnati a miniater bad prenched as best human wisdom could deplet the life of God to a min-cursed world, and as he was drawing to the close of his sermon the Lord seemed to say: “Make the application of your message personal. Ask If there is not one here that would like to bo a Christian? And he did what he hadn't done in that rich and fashionable church for years. He sald to the people “Let us bow our heads in prayer. If there is some one here that is sick and tired of sin and wants us to pray for you, lift your hand,” And as all wero still, just then the door opened and a young man walked in, dropped in the rear meat, leaped to his feet, ralsed his hand and then cried out “Pray for me, #ir; I am sick and tired of #in.’ And the minister prayed. Then he hur ried down the aisle and took the young man by the hand. He learned from him | ® sad story of prodigality and wandering | He learned that for elght years he had been a wanderer on earth; had heard nothing from home; knew not whether | his parents were living or dead. Dying Father Wonldn't Let God Go. | The minister advised him to write home and tell his parents what he had done Ho 41dn't expect a reply from Brooklyn | tor four days. The fourth day no answer came; the fifth day no answer, and he was worrled The sixth day no answer and he was troubled. The seventh day and no anawer and he was in distress. The elghth day and no snawer and he was In agony. The ninth day and the letter came, but the envelope was bordered with hlack With tear-dimmed eyes and trembling band he broke the seal and read wome- thing like this: y “My Dear Son: The joy which your letter brought to our home and hearts was only exceeded by the sadness which waa there at the same time, for nearly an we can conclude, the same day and the samo hour that you found Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your poor old father was going into the skies. All day long he rolled and tossed upon his bed; his mind wandered up and down the earth, he knew not where, and ever jand anon he would ery out in misery: drunken boy today.' “We would turn his mind from you and divert his attention trom your prodi- #ality and your sin, but ever and anon | bis mind would roam from place to place and he would cry out in sorrow: ‘' ‘Oh, God, save my ypoor wayward, wandering, drunken boy today.’ “And just as he passed into the skies e cried: “‘Oh, God, wave—' “And he finlshed the prayer in the presgnce of Jesus,' Do you know the result Down at the bottom of the letter the mother added this footnote. She sald: “You are u Christian tonight because your old father would not let God go." Oh, for men and women that could pray ke that, or mothers that would forget, or husbands that would forget. Oh, for business mén that would forget their mad, wild rush after money and go back and pay tnelr clerks. Oh, for school on your knees and pray. If you could do better than I, come up and do it. 1 am gotting tired of some of you rattle- brained school teachers growling about my preaching. You quit card playing, dancing, wine and beor drinking and you won't have time to find fault with me. 1 would like to make the applic my measage tonight so personal that not & man, woman or child can go out of here and asy: me, It dldn't apply to me."” Now— “Is 1t well with thee?" Women Hetter Than Men. T will answer that much of It for every unsaved man, woman and child in this bullding tonight. 1 know, men, there are trials. I know Ak-Sar-Ben’s Ball For the twenty-first time we announce our readiness to supply the ladies who will attend the King's Annual Ball with dainty and stylish Slippers. Each year our assortment grows larger and the styles more attractive. This year eclipses all others. Never have we shown such attrac- n bronze, pat- ent, dull kid, beaded and and satins in all col- ors to match your gown. Prices from “ ‘Oh, God, save my poor wandering | “He didn't mean me, it didn't touch | there are temptations. 1 have been privi-| leged of God to lead more men to Christ, not that 1 clally for them—well 1 do, too. that If the womanhood of Ameriea was no better than the have dumped the long ago and shut There Is many a young man & hell tonight, because he was Influenced | by the gang he trains with, and he goes | with the wrong mob, and they will put | any fellow into the penitentiary and hell | it ho stays by them long enough ! There is many a man influenced by the gang he goes with to do things which, after he has done them and when he ls! alone : He condemns himself to think he didn’t! have manhood and enough say And he could not look bis mother, nor | his sister, or his wife, In the face without | blushing to the roots of his halr, and | when alone In the quiet of his room and | he can review what he did, he despises himself to think he didn't have grit and manhood enough to refuse the yaing There are men in heaven ton.ght cause they had manhood enough nen than wo- preach espe. 1 believe mannood God would whole vell up shop. thing into ng to he hates and espices nimself for decency to be- | to | ehoose the right company, and there are men in hell because they were dragged there by the gang they went with Is it well with the man that will sit at the gaming table and run the risk of being a black-legged gambler? Is It well with the man who will take even an occasional drink and run the risk of becoming & sputtering, vomiting, reeling, jabbering drunkard, staggering to the pit of hell? In it well with the man that 1s taking God's name In vain on his lips and pour- Ing out his polluted onths and blasphemy? Is it well with the man that will hang on the walls of his memory vile, lewd plctures and approach in his thoughts the secrets of others? | 18 1t well with the man or woman that | in careless of his or her assoclates, of | the Sabbath day and the laws of God? No! No! Ten thousand times no. God pity you it you go out into eternity : falr and square. Look yourself square in the face and say I'm the duck Put it up square put it the Adam Put it to yourself and say: “I'm the lobster; this s the Be decent. I8 it well wit Is it well with thy husband to yourself. Don't chureh, or to and kv tellow Get Religion 1 Strang There are boys and girls, y: It they the instead of groaning in hell it cause of s« It will be because of what s related to them by tles blood, has done for your children God pity a girl who has call a man like that father like that mother God pity a boy or girl, when all the Christ'anity they lips of strangers, not from their own parents. Is it well with the child? What should you do? 1 would speak to them. ng people streets of he ever walk aven will be be of the influence tranger body, not flesh and boy or w0 and a woman hear s from the 1 tell you you #pend too much time In soclety, too much time in club life, too much time In your lodge, too much time in your auxiliaries, You have too little time with your chil- dren, You spend too little time on your knees praying to God to keep the home right for Jesus Christ. Speak to them. Live right before them. Bet them an example that will inspire them, Is It well with thy husband? A friend of mine was preaching In an eastern city. He had gone out to work among the audience to Induce them to glve their hearts to Christ, and a woman In the front row in the gallery d out “Pray for my husband. He is sitting by my side. I believe he s llstening to his last sermon. God is giving him his last chance.” And she sat down weeping. God Gives You Chanée Now. Some women sald to my friend “Go up on the platform and rebuke her for what we consider was a foolish thing | with the sin on your life that is there, to do." | | ation of are not angels enough In heaven to make { | ot Eden, so I say don't blame soclety; | tonight as you sit and listen to me! Same Devil Here, The same devil that damns in old sin- cursed, whisky-soaked, gambling, bloated, | harlot-ridden, Sabbath-breaking Chicago ! is the aame devil and the same sin that will damn you in Omaha, that will damn | you In your home, and you cannot win without Jesus Christ. You say: “Mr. Sunday, T had a bad start in life, ! I have come from bad stock 1 have bad blood in my veins. J was born with the devil in me and with evil inclinations.” You can be born again with the devil! out of you If you want to be, it you will | give yourselt to Jesus Christ and turn from your sins, Certainly! Don't blame your paren They brought you Into the world, that's, true, but you ylelded to its sin when you came in. Don't blame them. If you lived In a palace with a bad heart In you you would turn the palace into a slum, You can’'t get smallpox or scarlet fever or diphtheria by ocrawling in between | clean sheets. If you turn a polecat loose in & parlor you know which will change tast, the polecat or the parlor. 8in doean't start in a stale beer joint or a brothel. 8in started in the Garden | You are a part of it Society s what it is and you have helped to make it what it is, and it you wanted to be different why didn't you follow Christ and set the example? So don't blame the church. That's the place for you to go to learn to do what you ought to do. Don't say, “We are only human." Don’t blame the devil; all he can do fs to tempt you, and there are mot devil enough In hell to make you a drunkard If you don't want to be one, and there you walk home sober It you don't want to. ! pantesote, He sald: “If you want to take the platform and take the responsibility, do It. How do I know but that God told her to do it? The next afternoon, just before the be- wginning of the evening service, these sams women came to my friend weeping and sald: “Forgive us for cur lack of Interest and sympathy, and won't you pray God to forgive us, as we have prayed? We beard that at 5 o'clock this afternoon that man sent a bullet crashing through his brain.” I'belleve God told that wife to say that that husband was listening to his funeral sermon. That was heaven or hell for him, And 1 belleve this series of meetings i the bell of God tolling out the destiny of human souls, I believe as I breathe, that If men and women are not saved in these days eter- nal damnation will be thelr portion. 1 belleve God has let a lot of you men and women in this town live just to give you this last grand chance to see if you measure up to your pool room, mounte- bank, pliable, plastic, sort of celluloid, jap-a-lac reputation, or whether you had manhood or womanhood enough to step out for Jesus Christ and do His commandments. “Is It well with thy husband?’ “It i& well with thy chfid?" I have often tried to imagine Noah and his wife seated in the ark, contented, and the storm of God's brewing to burst on the world, and one would turn to the other and say: “Where are the boys? ‘Oh, they are out; they will be In late tonight. ve the night lock so they can get In; they didn't take their key with them" I can't imagine a father and mother tucking themaelves in bed and letting their children gad the streets “Is it well with the child?" Hear me a minute. You are interested ety, or your parer or {BER 30, 1915 their education. You hire teachérs, ou tax the community, you bulld public schools and get the best money can buy, concerned with their health You will send for the doctor when they |are ill. You work to give them three meals a day. You will buy them warm for winter and ocool clothes for concerned for thelr what about thelr You are thes summer. You , great God are | 1 tell you, men in this town, Are are leading thelr |boys as straight to hell as that two and two make four Is it well with the there are fathers who chila?" | 1t Iwas not a Christian do you know what 1 would do? 1 would walk down the asle tonight, give my heart to God, and If I had a child I would go home, and it it was asleep I would get it out of bed, | wash its face to waken it, and 1 would say to it You never heard your father pray. 1 want you to hear him pray.” would get him on his knees and 1 would let that child that bears my name !hear my volce In prayer. They have heard you cuss, damn, blas- pheme, mock and rail at the preacher and rdicule what I have been trying to do to keep vou out of hell: I would let them hear me pray, And T tell you, & mother's arms and a mother's hearl are a safe anchorage, and there are not devils enough in hell to drag the children out of tnat harbor if they will only get in there. “Is it well with the child?" Listen! In your home there are boys |ana wirls destined to rule in church and state Publis school teacher, don't simply think of the litle paltry salary you draw from the school board at the end of the nth. You have the grandest, most noble, far- reaching work ever given to human be- ings, the shaping and molding of char- | acter, In your classes next week will be some boy or girl destined to rule in church or in state, Upon which side of their life the in- flucnces are thrown wil determine what | they will be | You Wait Too Lens. It ts Too Late. Hear me! Some Oliver Cromwell that will dissolve parllament; some Davis Brainerd that will change the Indian war-whoop into a Sabbath school; some Bethoven who will touch the world's héart strings and make them sing; some Mss Dix who will soothe the brain of the crazed; some Clara Barton that will | bind up the battle wounds; some Frances | B. Willard who will arouse the people to the ravages of the liquor traffic, Yes, some one, I say, destined to rule in church and in state, Some John Knox, who will make queens turn pale on thelr throne; some Martin Luther who will start a reformation. Yes, but you wait too long. You wait until he curses you to your face before you teach him: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in valn." You wait untll he staggers into your presence before you teach him: “Look not on the wine when it Is red.” You walt until he steals and Is off to the penitentiary before you teach him: “Thou shalt not steal.” You walt untll he has robbea some girl of her virtue before you teach him: ‘“Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ You wait too long. Lived/.n Memory of Boyhood. I want to say to you one of the brightest pictures that hangs upon the walls of my memory I8 the recollection of the daye when as a little boy out in the log cabin on the frontier of Iowa I knelt by mother's side. I went back to the old farm some years ago to bury my brother, The first bury- ing ground in that section of the state was on the old farm. The scenes had changed about place. Faces I had known and loved had long since turned to dust. Fingers that used to turn the pages of the Bible were obliterated and the old trees beneath which we boys used to play and swing had been felled by the woods- | man's axe, , I stood and thought. The man became | coming appearances This is the week to ful and artistio fixtu cause it is the true superiority lighting. and up, according to have a representative Omaha Gas 1509 Howard St. The word is backed by cheerful, wel lighted with modern gas light. Gas Lighting Week With Big Reductions We are conducting special displays and demonstrations at our store to show All Semi-Indirects, Table Lamps, Domes and Fixtures Reduced 207%. Four 15-Cent Mantles 50 Cents. Another big feature will be the open- ing of a special sale of *‘C. E-Z"’ Lights, Manday, October 11th——prices, 80 cents The special 20% reductions cloge Sat- urday, so don’t fail to see the display or if your home is put in the health- res and lights be- of modern gas equipment. call. Company Donglas 605. | | | the | my skill as & marksman. | 1sh glee. A chfI4 AFATR ANA tha tong, wenry mightsiof the brightast plotures that hangs on of #in and of hardship became as though memory's wall they never had been 1 tell 1t to you with shame: I stretched Once more with my gun on my shoulder | the elastic bands of my mother's lov and my favorite dog trailing at my heels, | until 1 thought they would break. 1 wen 1 walked through the pathless wood and | so far into the dark and the sat on the old famidar logs and stumps, | 1 ceased to hear her praying or her plea and as I sat and listened to the wiid, | ings welrd harmonies of nature, & vislon of | 1 the past opened The squirrel from the limb of the tres barked deflantly and I threw myself into an interrogation point, and when the gun cracked the squirrel fell at my feet I grabbed him and ran home to throw him down and receive compliments for wrong until forgot her face, and I went so far that it seemed to me that one more step and the elastic bands of her love would break and I would be lost But, thank God, friends, I never took that step. Little by little T yielded to the tender memories and recollections of my mother; little by little I was drawn away from the yawning abyss, and twen- ty-nine years ago, one dark and stormy night, I groped my way out of darkness into the arms of Jesus Christ, and T fell on my knees and sald “God be merciful to me a sinner.”* Thus I am here preaching to you to help you to Jesus Chriet And T saw the tapestry of the evening fall. T heard the lowing herds and saw them wind slowly o'er the lea and I lis- tened to the tinkling bells that lulled the distant fold. Once more T heard the shouts of child- Once more 1 climbed the hay- stack for the hen's eggs. Once more We | [y 1t well? Is it well? crossed the threshold and sat at our (Copyright, Willlam A. Sunday.) frugal meal. Once more mother drew | — the trundle bed from under the !ar€d|piver Complaint' Makes Yom Un- one, and we boys, kneeling down, shut happy. ou eyes and clasping our little hands We| No joy in lving if your stomach and said: |liver don't work. Stir “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray Dr. King's New Life Pills. thee, Lord, my soul to keep; if I should | —Advertisement dle before I wake, I pray thee, Lord, my | woul to take. And this I ask for Jesus'| Apartments, flats, houses and cottagds sake. Amen." | can be rented quickly and cheaply by a I say I will never forget. That ls one | Bee “For Rent." your liver with All drugsists. To Ak-Sar-Ben Visitors A “Liberty Bell” SOUVENIR Will Be Presented To You At Our Office During Carnival Week. This reproduction of the famous painting of “The Bell's First Note,"” by J. L. G. Ferris, is a prize worth baving for every home in America. 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