Funding for the digitization of this title was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: National Digital Newspaper Program. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Newspaper Page Text
2
IDLEY could not take the place of “the
king” of course —it is a remarkable
commentary on Dr. L. G. Broughton’s
wonderful grip on his congregation and
his city that no other man has ever
been able to pack the Tabernacle just
as Broughton does week after week
when he is on his throne; but it is like
wise a rare tribute to one of the young-
R
est, and certainly one of the highest men who has
ever supplied the Tabernacle pulpit that Caleb A.
Ridley, of Beaumont, Texas, always preaches to rec
ord crowds for the summer months when he comes
to the Tabernacle.
The general public says: “August is mighty hot to
go to church.” But if the outside world could have
seen the eager throngs that have crowded through
August to hear Ridley at the Tabernacle they would
count church-going in August both popular and com
fortable.
Indeed, this magnetic son of the Tar Heel State
who has become so Texan ized during his phenomenal
pastorate of three years in Beaumont, does not have
to come to the famous Atlanta Tabernacle to see and
talk to great crowds.
His church is to Beaumont what the Tabernacle
is to Atlanta —the great church-going center of the
city. Next to George Truett in his new Dallas Tem
ple that seats three thousand people, Ridley speaks
every Sunday to the greatest crowds in Texas. And
leading his militant forces that have increased over
six hundred since he went to Beaumont, the evil
doers of Beaumont know that Ridley and his clans
are “on the map”—and no more is the famous Oil
City a wide open town.
Our readers who always eagerly devour anything
from Caleb A. Ridley’s pen or tongue will be glad to
have his message on “The Swan Song of Moses”,
one of the most beautiful of all the splendid sermons
with which he has delighted the great Tabernacle
congregation.
We give it this week in lieu of the sermon of Dr.
Broughton, who is on the high seas en route to Eng
land.
“Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord,”
We are told in storied legend of how the white
swan lives her whole life up to the last hour without
any attempt at song, but that when the shadows of
life’s last evening are gathering about her snowy
plumage and the twilight glory goldens the dark
ness, the pent-up music cf a lifetime bursts forth in
one grand paean of rythmic melody.
The words just quoted from the last book of the
Pentateuch form the first bar of such a song. The
shadows of a great life-are being tnrown back by the
reflection of evening glory. For forty years this
wonderful an has been interpreting God’s law, mar
shalling God’s forces on the earth and leading God’s
hosts to signal victory. Now the wilderness wander
ings are over, the favored hosts stand on Jordan’s
brink willing to cross over, but God’s time is not yet.
Moses must die and enter Canaan byway of heaven,
and when God reveals to him the approaching end
ne calls the people together for a last message to
them. Like Washington his address naturally falls
into three divisions: his country’s past, the needs of
the present and anxiety for the future.
“These Words Shall Be in Thine Heart.”
After telling the people what God had said for
them to do he admonishes them to ever keep the
message in their hearts. The heart is the seat of af
fections and out of it flow the issues of life and
death. It is of vast importance that our hearts be
filled with truth. Only as the words of God dwell
richly in us will we have a lamp for our feet and a
light to shine upon our way.
When a surgeon was cutting into the bosom of one
of Napoleon’s soldiers trying to find a bullet that had
buried itself in the flesh around the heart, the dying
soldier said: “Cut a little deeper doctor and you will
find the Emperor enshrined in my heart whether
you find the deadly ball or not.” Oh, that God’s peo
ple would make of Jesus the fairest among ten thou
sand and the one altogether lovely!
THE SWAN SONG OT NOSES
Ry Reb. C. A. Ridley. Supplying for Dr. Rrcughton.
The Golden Age for September 1, 1910.
“Thou Shalt Talk of These Words.”
The scripture tells us that "out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaketh”—so you see how this
admonition naturally follows the other one. If we
are to talk the words of God they must first be plant
ed in our hearts. Men are failures who talk of things
they know nothing about. Let the heart be filled with
the Lord’s message and then the lips may speak with
certainty. When laughter bubbles over and praise
fills the air with Hs fragrance it is evidence that joy
reigns within. When tears bead and blister our
cheeks and piteous wails escape our lips we know
that sorrow breaks the heart. Confession follows
Conception. Christ in the heart will find expression
through life and lips.
During the Spanish-American •war, the battleship
Texas was lying alongside the Christobal Colan, the
last surviving Spanish vessel, when Captain Phillip
caned every man around him and said: “Gentlemen,
I want every one of you to take off his hat and con
fess with me your belief in Almighty God. He has
led us, and kept us, and preserved us and I thank
Him for it.” Every man gladly joined their captain
in confession and thanksgiving. It shows the power
of example. The text quoted above says: “Talk of
these words.”
“Teach Them To Thy Children.”
The parent who fails at this point will regret it if
he lives long. I know of no anchor so sure and stead-
REV. CALEB A. RIDLEY,
The Broughton of Beaumont.
fast as a faith firmly fixed in God. And the time to
begin is when the child is under your tutelage.
One of the most striking illustrations of this truth
I have ever had called to my attention is this: The
Buckner Orphans’ Home of Dalias, Texas, during the
twenty years of its life has turned out hundreds and
up into the thousands of young men and women
trained by its founder and teacher, and of all this
vast number not one has become a criminal or a
drunkard. But these children are trained to rever
ence and obey God, and taught His Word which bal
lasts their lives and strengthens their faith in His
keeping grace.
“Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord.”
Moses knew our proneness to forget. God sent
manna and quail into the camp of Israel for them to
feed upon, but they forgot it. He turned the bitter
waters of Marah into a delicious beverage but they
forgot it. From the rock of flint into a parched wil
derness he caused a fountain to flow but they forgot
it. When life was threatened and was being destroy
ed by fiery serpents He set up a remedy in sight of
every door but they forgot it.
Now Moses warns them that whatever else they do
or do not, they must not forget God. When Charles
the First was ready to die on the scaffold, he said
to his murderers: “Remember.” When the rich man
in hell cried to Abraham in heaven, the response
was —“Son, remember.”
God of our fathers, known of old —
Lord of our far-flung battle line—
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of hosts be with us yet,
Lest we forget; lest we forget.
The tumult and the shouting dies—
The captains and the kings depart,
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
I
An humble and a contrite heart,
Lord God of hosts be with us yet,
Lest we forget; lest we forget.
The Death Scene.
The scene is laid in the last book of the Penta
teuch, the last chapter of that book and marks the
last hour of a great earthly career. It was about 1491
years before Christ, and the scene is ushered in with
these words: “Moses went up from the plain of Moab
to the top of Pisgah.” Moses was a highlander. He
lived a mountain-top life. His nature would not har
monize with swamp life and miasma.
It costs to climb but it is worth the money to have
a vision point. Moses climbed by doing well the duty
at his door; by surrendering himself to the perfect
will of God and by patiently enduring whatever of
sorrow and suffering came into his life.
“Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our hves sublime,
And departing leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.”
Just before he fell on sleep it is said: “The Lord
showed him all the land.” Here we have the vision.
This is what he had been climing the mountain for.
He was not permitted to enter the land that day, but
fifteen hundred years later he came back and went
over with his Lord. He entered Canaan byway of
heaven, because it was not possible for the law to
“enter into that rest” which was the purchase of
grace.
The last touch of the brush reveals this text; “So
Moses the servant of the Lord died —according to
the word of the Lord.” He had lived according to
God’s Word and now he dies the same way. There
are one hundred and thirty-five chapters given to his
life, but only three given to his death. If we live
like we ought to, death will have no terrors when we
come to the last hours.
When Bishop Haven was breathing his last he
turned to a friend and said: “God seems to lift me
in His arms, Ido not even see the river of death. I
will say goodnight now, but it will soon be good
morning in heaven.” Even so, Lord Jesus, may it be
with us all when the shadows thicken and our frail
barques are drifting out into a limitless sea!
LIFE’S MISTAKES.
The following fourteen points have been given as
the mistakes of life. Even though they may not in
clude every error of which one may be guilty, they
are sufficiently comprehensive to form a good work
ing basis; for one who will avoid these fourteen mis
takes will have achieved much toward reaching the
ideal character.
“It is a great mistake to set up our own standard
of right and wrong, and judge people accordingly.
“To measure the enjoyment of others by our own.
“To expect uniformity of opinion in this world.
“To look for judgment and experience in youth.
“To endeavor to mold all dispositions alike.
“Not to yield to immaterial trifles.
“To look for perfection in our own actions.
“To worry ourselves arid others with what can not
be remedied.
“Not to alleviate all that needs alleviation, as far
as lies in our power.
“Not to make allowances for the infirmities of
others.
“To believe only what our finite minds can grasp.
“To expect to be able to understand everything.
“The greatest mistake is to live for time alone,
when any moment may launch us into eternity.” —
The Youth’s Instructor.
