_ your Pa WL eX TEPREREER, @ WHAT SPOILED sb ¥ THE SERMON 4 aw FLOYD K. ROYCE as” Trust in the Lord, and do-good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.—Psalm 37:3. The above was the verse from which the sermon for the next Sunday night had been prepared, and as the last ‘sentence was written, the young pas- tor turned toward his wife with a well satisfied sigh of relief. _ “There, Susan,” he said closing the Topical Bible, “my Sunday sermons are both prepared. We can attend your sister’s wedding and spend three or four days at the old place without having an unfinished task haunt- ing me.” Phat. 1S" “miee; .= re- plied his wife, a sweet- faced, although deter- mined little woman. “Are you quite sure you have slighted nei- ther sermon?—for Dr. Wallow is larger congregations every Sunday x “Oh, you are a world- ly little witch,” smiled the husband, indulgent- ly. “Always determined husband shall preach as good sermons as can be heard.in the town, eh?” And _ he whirled about in his big “ arm-chair with the fin- drawing ished sermon in _ his hand. “T like to have you preach popular _ ser- mons, dear ” she be- gan. “A man who preaches religion pure and unde- filed is seldom popular,” replied the pastor, with that look which the ‘ wife confessed to her- self she did not like to see on his face, al- though it always was there when he stood in the pulpit. She imagined it a look that would have been more be- coming to one of the framers of the old Blue laws than to her large-heart- ed, but over-zealous preacher husband. “Genuine religion should be the most popular thing in the world,” he con- tinued; “but in these days it is far from it.” : “Perhaps, dear, in our interpretation of religion we keep too far away from the real heart-interests of the people.” (Mrs.. Ludson always said ‘“‘we” when even mildly suggesting a criticism of her husband’s ideals.) ‘We must talk to the hearts of our people; get right into their very lives; their little every- day trials and troubles; not talk genu- ine religion too much and practice true Christianity not at all.” The eyes of Pastor Ludson were opening wider and wider during this almost passionate outburst. “That is just where I differ from you, my dear. So many pulpits in these days have been transformed into popular lecture platforms that the people are being educated into mem- bership in so-called high moral socie- EDITORIAL OFFICE., ROCK ISLAND, ILL. ties but away from the church and true religion until we have left for our members only women and children and a few old men. Why, look at our own church here in Brookville. Then look at the secret societies in this city. In the local lodges of the Woodmen, Maccabees, Ancient Order of United Woodmen, Royal Neighbors, and a dozen other societies of their ilk, there are actually over twelve hundred mem- bers, as I have learned from careful inquiry. Each society professes to teach higher morals. What is the re- sult? In my church membership there are just seven men who are under forty-five years of age. I say these so-called high-moral fraternal bene- ficiary secret societies are proving the JANUARY, 1904. shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.’ ”- “And what have you written for your sermon?” “T have dwelt upon the sin of not trusting in the Lord and believing that He will provide. As the Psalmist wrote so taught the Blessed Master. In Matthew 6:25 He commands us to ‘Take no thought for what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink.’ In the next verse He directs us to ‘Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into the barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them’——” “But, husband, dear, forgive me if I must differ from you. I love you too much to believe you would knowingly “PUSS HAD UPSET THE BOTTLE.” ruin of the church, therefore are an evil so great that it must have vigor- ous attention. I have directed my Sunday night sermon toward this evil, and I handle the question in no uncer- tain manner. I quote from the Holy Word to prove that secret societies are an evil and life-insurance a direct vio-, lation of Divine command.” “Why, husband,” replied the wife, “vou surely do not intend to again take up your fight against these socie- ties?” “That is just- what I shall do next Sunday night just as sure as I can see to read this sermon,” tapping the pa- per with his hand. “I know it made me unpopular in Irvington. Luther and Wesley were also unpopular in their day, but this did not deter them from doing their duty.” “But think of the money these socie- ties have sent into this town; of the poor they have fed and clothed and kept from the poor-house. What can you say against husbands and fathers providing protection for loved ones?” “T can say what the Psalmist said, and have used his words for my text: ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good, so preach a false idea from a_ blessed truth. While Jesus uttered the words you quote, and showed how God cared for even so small a thing as a bird, in no place does He say that the bird is fed if it does not do its best to procure the food. The kernel of wheat with which God feeds the sparrow is not carried to it under the eaves of the barn; the sparrow must do its part; go search for the grain or starve. So with man. He must not let such con- stant thought of what he shall eat and drink and wear so fill his mind that he forgets God, but I think a husband and father only obeys the command of the Scripture when, if necessary for the protection of loved ones, he takes out insurance on his life, and I had hoped, since little Willie came, that you might secure such protection for him, for should you die, we would be penniless.” “Why, Susan, such sentiments com- ing from you astound me. The Bible contains no hint such as you have mentioned.” “Please read what Paul said to Tim- othy, dear. I think you will find it in the eighth verse of the fifth chapter.” PUBLICATION OFFICE, LINCOLN, NEB. NUMBER 1. The Bible is opened and he reads: But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. For a moment there was _ silence. Pastor Ludson, however, was strong willed (were he not a preacher we might be tempted to say “pig-headed”), and disliked to admit a point, so con- tinued: “But rather with the Psalmist we should say: “The Lord is my Shepherd, T shall not want,’ than to join in find- ing excuses for the misguided mem- bers of these pernicious secret socie- ties. If their works are good and not evil, why not, as the Scriptures direct, let their light shine before all men; not hide it under the bushel of secrecy? I my sermon.” Evidently he thought this a clincher, for he closed the Bible and stood before her smil- ing complacently as if to intimate that the question had been set- tled. Mrs. Ludson, however, was not only a woman, but she felt deeply upon the subject under dis- cussion and was not to be silenced. Matthew 6:3,I think you will find that Jesus liked secret societies, for He says, ‘When thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret and thy Father which Himself shall reward thee openly.’ Then along further in the same chapter He says something about ‘enter- ing into thy closet, and when thou hath shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in se- eret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.’ ” Pastor Ludson remained standing, his back toward her, his hands clasped behind him under his long coat-tails, his face toward the stove. “Tf would not offend you, dear by’ criticising your sermons or your methods, did I not love you _ so and feel so deeply on this ques- tion. I am convinced from what I have seen that these fraternal beneficiary societies are doing a grand, good work. They are not working against the church, but with the church. The mission of a pastor of a church is to attend to the spiritual teachings of his members; of the fra- ternal beneficiary society, as I see it, to care for their physical needs; work- ing hand in hand harmoniously great good can be accomplished. Husband, dear, be directed by His Word. Ecelesiastes 7:16 says: ‘Be not right- eous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?’ If you preach against these societies, so dear to the hearts of your people, you do not draw them nearer to the church; you drive them away; touch upon this fully in “Tf you will turn to seeth in secret Se ; 2 ete 13 Sn AR Ss ze Pee oe eae ‘ ere cS f+ A Aceeg “4 oo ¥ =a “ Ee. 5s = (ae 24) i Ad ai ato tad Sais ec Ga BCA aii ita te talk Bhatt cad Sis ed eR Soi bers! wie Bad, ABT a Ute ty Shy ee Adil ae an RS