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MAGINE yourself being made
State Evangelist of the Baptist
denomination and within the
month being called to the classic
town of Athens, Alabama to ap
pear before a congregation re
puted to set culture above Chris
tianity and to prefer a cold con
ventionality to enthusiasm and
V-
fellowship. Then imagine a miracle wrought
—indifference transmitted into deep interest,
apathy into conviction—the entire audience
swayed as one man by the magic power of
sympathy, and, on the last night of a wonder
ful revival, your own name caught up by a
universal impulse and woven info the parting
song with the fervent exaltation that only
love inspires. Imagine all this and even then
you will have but a faint conception of the
experience of Rev. Curtis S. Shugart, who has
just closed a two weeks’ revival at this place.
Mr. Shugart came among us a stranger,
but as he himself said, he came “bringing
Jesus with him.” He came singing the old
fashioned songs dear to a generation ago. He
came preaching the old-fashioned Gospel of
love for one another. He came praying the
old-fashioned prayer, recognizing the father
hood of God. This direct personal appeal to
God the Father, and to man the child of God,
has lost none of its potency even in this mod
ern day. “Loving everybody,” as the Bible
directs, Mr. Shugart seems electrified by the
message of Divine love he has to impart, and
at his very first words from the pulpit the
current flashes from soul to soul, and the con
gregation becomes a unit subject to the will
Wise and Otherwise.
(Continued from Page 4.)
guage of a certain gentleman named
Patrick Henry, “When shall we grow
stronger? Shall we gather strength
by irresolution and inaction? Shall we
acquire the means of effectual resistance
by lying supinely upon our backs and hug
ging the delusive phantom of hope until our
enemies have bound us hand and foot?”
That is what the enemy has already done
in Memphis. The city is bound hand and
foot by the saloons and their allies? The
Commercial Appeal itself is bound. If it de
nies it, let it prove the truth of its assertion
by opening a broadside against the law-defy
ing saloons and keep it up every day and
hour until the weaklings gather strength and
the putrid, graft-poisoned politicians run to
cover. Our Memphis editor says this can not
be done. How does he know ? He has never
triedit. We dare him to try I
“Let us try to conduct the affairs of this
town so as to save the young boys and the
young girls.” AMEN! A loud, long Amen!
Then in God’s name, do what you have
never done—make one square, brave, honest
effort to close the Sunday theater and the
every-day saloon.
If you don’t do this, Mr. Commercial Ap
peal, the people will keep on thinking what
they now think—that you don’t want them
closed.
“There’s a reason.”
We dare you— we just dare you to try!
THE SENATE SAFE.
By Lamar Strickland Payne.
If our Senate of the U. S. is being “under
mined,” as a writer in The London Chronicle
suggests, then the English
What House of Lords is not only be-
About ing “undermined” but the vel-
The House vet box of the Peers has lost all
of Lords? its foundations, and is now
ready to slide off into the
rrn nr i c c crr j t A d nr the man and his
CUJK 11 0 0 • Jll U u/il\ 1 WONDERFUL POWER
The Golden Age for May 11,1911.
of the speaker.
So young, so boyish looking and endowed
with a love-winning personality, he is deeply
emotional —his luminous countenance is one
instant bathed in tears, and the next flashing
with smiles; while strong men all round are
bowed down weeping like children; and the
newly converted are testifying to the power
of Jesus unto salvation.
Intensely human, intensely himself, Mr.
Shugart wields an influence exercised only by
those who awaken the responsive chord of
human fellowship and individual responsi
bility. Each heart feels the solemnity and
earnestness of his purpose. Personally, each
one realizes that it is the Evangelist’s ques
tion, “What will it profit me to gain the whole
world and lose my brother’s soul?”
To save souls has been his ruling passion
since his conversion one Friday in August,
1909. Beginning on the following Sunday to
plead with men, he has offered no self-exten
uating circumstances for his former reckless
life, but has been proclaiming the mercy of a
Saviour who could redeem a sinner like him.
His very first effort was blessed with 47 con
verts—all men. From that date he has
preached without cessation, numbering his
converts by the hundreds.
Denominational differences are forgotten.
The saved and the unsaved throng to hear
him. In less than a week’s time, the commo
dious new Baptist Church in this place was
taxed to its utmost capacity of standing
room, and numbers stood outside the doors
and windows, in their eagerness to hear, for
getting all physical discomforts.
Thames and down the Thames into the sea.
It does not logically follow that the Senate
is doomed because it wishes “reform.” And
if it voted for “reform” the vote was not cast
for “undermining.” Reforming and under
mining are not synonymous terms. The Sen
ate wishes to correct its own faults, “sir,
ere an enemy discovers.” And, incidentally,
it might be well to suggest to the House of
Lords: “Go thou and do likewise!”
In America the state is not Louis, the
Grand Monarch, but— the people. What they
want—they get; or know the reason why, at.
the end of the game.
I do not know that the Senate represents
“the interests.” Perhaps, it represents “the
people,” as near as 92 atoms of humanity can
represent anything. I know this, that the
Senate is accused of representing “the inter
ests,” just as a cur is accused of representing
a colony of fleas. But, in the face of all criti
cisms, at home and abroad, the Senate, as a
rule, remains;
Silent!
And silence is the hardest force, in the
universe, to combat. God and nature have
profound silent-spaces and places to rule the
pigmy—man.
The Senate is merely passing the 100
mile-post. It, as a body politic, has no inten
tion of dropping out of the great government
race. God grant, that at the next 100 mile
post, the Senate of this Republic may be
found singing “the Star Spangled Banner,”
under that ensign that has never been un
dermined by British fire, from the cannon or
the pencil.
Not so full of Calhouns, Clays, Websters,
as in the days of old, is the present-day sen
ate, but yet effective, and efficient. Perhaps,
with the loss of ornate oratory, she has gain
ed in that workable brand of speech-making,
which is demanded by the age and the times!
And, lastly, the author of the London
Chronicle article attacking the Senate, refers
to that body as “a dangerous constructive
force.” Oh, Horatio! Horatio! Begging your
Every one has doubtless heard ministers,
when the hour for dismissal came beseeching
the patience of the congregation for only a
few moments more, promising to detain them
only a short time—but Mr. Shugart just re
verses this plan. Fairly radiating with his
jubilant service of the Lord, he claims the
privilege for himself of worshipping all
night, but invites all of his auditors, who
have no further interest in staying, to “get
up and go on home.” Few act upon this sug
gestion, however, and with undiminished in
terest the people linger, being reluctant to
disperse even at a late hour.
On the final night of the meeting, there
was a spontaneous demonstration rarely wit
nessed in the church. The young minister
extended his hand in token of farewell and
pronounced the words, “There will be no
good-byes in Heaven.” Even then he was not
permitted to go but was detained by the pres
sure of the throng around him, until warned
by the whistle of the train—he made his way
to the station, where with a last hand-clasp
and a last good-bye, he was gone. The spirit
of loving fellowship he evoked, remains to
perpetuate the memory of his brief stay in
our midst.
Mr. Shugart’s work as State Evangelist is
but just begun. May God preserve him in
strength and health to lead many to right
eousness. When the “choir invisible” joins
in halleluiahs round the throne Mr.
Shugart’s name will ring again in the grate
ful chorus of multitudes of the redeemed, to
whom he has pointed the way of salvation.
FINETA.
pardon, but there are strange terms afloat in
the newspapers of today, more strange than
ever was dreamed of in all thy philosophy!
If the Senate is a constructive force it is a
“bully” good thing, and far from being dan
gerous. Construction is to build up!
Time can alone determine the merit or fail
ure of any branch of government. So, let us
be of the Household of Faith, and declare!
The Senate is Safe!
%
A Marianna Miracle.
(Continued from Page 1.)
take place in your church and community.
It is worth traveling many miles to see
that church and Sunday School in action and
to see and study the beautiful, convenient,
commodious workshop which crowns their
loyalty through all the years.
Saloon Men Hear Fox Preach.
It is a notable fact, they tell me, that the
saloon men hear Fox preach every Sunday.
They like him because he don’t “maul them
over the head.” He goes for their business
without gloves, but he lets them know that
he loves their souls. One thing certain—
if they keep on hearing him they will be con
verted in heart and go into a better business.
Marianna’s Danger.
A visit to the splendid public school where
Prof. Andrews, teachers and pupils gave me
a royal reception, and a “hand-shake” in the
business houses down town revealed the fact
that Marianna still has a right to the reputa
tion she enjoyed thirteen years ago—she has
always been known as “a town with a big
heart.”
But I saw signs that you always see in a
rapidly growing town—the encroachment of
commercialism on the ideals of the people.
What would she do without the influence
of her churches and the noble pastors whom
I met?
God bless and keep Marianna forever “a
big-hearted town!”
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