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Six Thousand People Join With Twenty-Three Presbyterian Churches in Annual Celebration at City Auditorium
Robert E, Speer Enthralls and Lifts Up Eager Multitude.
OU would have thought Presbyter
ians were “shouting Methodists”
or the right kind of Baptists if
you had been in that mighty throng
of six thousand worshippers and
celebrants in the Auditorium in
Atlanta last Sunday.
Twenty-three Churches entered
into the sacred festivities, and
Y
Robert E. Speer of New York, who is to Pres
byterians what George Truett is to Baptists—
the most magnetic speaker in all their ranks
in America, preached the annual jubilee ser
mon.
Robert E. Speer enjoys (?) the distinction,
they say, of being the only man in America
who is not an ordained minister, who has had
the title of “D. D.” conferred upon; but as
he can out preach any thousand and one preach
er “D. D.’s” we ever heard we are sure our
readers will enjoy a little glimpse into his
jubilee message. He spoke from the 42nd verse
of the first chapter of John. “And he brought
him to Jesus and when Jesus beheld him He
said, thou art Simon, the son of Jonah, and
thou shalt be called Cephas, which by interpre
tation is a stone.” The theme of the discourse
was the purpose of the reincarnation to give
new life to those groping in darkness and des
pair through the power and love of the Son of
God. Dr. Speer spoke first on the two words,
“Thou art,” and next on the three “Thou shaft
be.”
A “NEW DUNNELLON” INDEED
Famous Florida Phosphate Town Breathes a New Moral Atmosphere and Has Made a New Reputation--Stirred by a Great Revival.
OU remember about Dunnellon,
don’t you? It is that gay Florida
town which used to “enjoy?” a
reputation for something besides
being the center of the Florida
phosphate industry—it was just
about the “booziest” town in
“Boozedom.” For a long time
•s*
this booze-bossed burg boasted just
one lone out-and-out Prohibitionist. This in
trepid Knight of Prohibition, bless you, is
named Knight. He stood his ground like a
veritable hero, fighting his battle for the Right
always with love in his heart and a smile in
his eye. The white-souled women organized a
W. C. T. U. and an inspiring auxiliary. The
Loyal Temperance League, and these brave
white ribbon bands —mothers, wives and chil
dren, took their places by his side, and now
thank the Lord, W. N. Knight stands alone no
more. Our readers will remember our front page
story after the last Florida prohibition election,
telling how Dunnellon—wonder of wonders!—
had voted a “dry” majority of three. But as
it was a state election that majority vote did
not banish saloons. Five of them are there
yet, but they know, poor things, that their
days are numbered.
At the recent municipal election the “wide
open” ticket was beaten about two to one, and
the friends of the “New Dunnellon” move
ment are simply whetting their knives for poor
old John Barleycorn when the Marion county
election, including Ocala, comes in the early
spring. We wish the barkeepers would see the
handwriting on the wall and shut-up shop be
fore they are forced out by the spotless ballots
of the brave men who have determined to de
fend their homes, their children and their repu
tation against the saloons.
With this strongly crystalized sentiment
against bar-rooms and general community
GREAT ATLANTA PRESBYTERIAN JUBILEE
The Golden Age for November 14, 1912,
During the course of his remarks he said:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ offers a clean,
new creation, wiping out the old man —a
change so absolute and complete that it is as
though the old had really died. So much so
that we can exclaim: ‘As for me old things
have passed away and behold all things have
become new.’ That new life alone gives some
men hope, for they can see in the past only
a long record of failure and defeat. They want
a supernatural recreation, where stands only
wreck and ruin.
The Material Man Still Lives.
“But this new life does not mean that those
who are to receive it must be annihilated —far
from it. It means that the man who is made
anew must take the life into him through Jesus
Christ, our Lord. The new birth quickens the
soul, that we still exist, for otherwise of what
benefit would it be to us? We are and we shall
be. Every human heart has the capacity for
the religion of Christ, no matter how low it
may have sunk in sin and degradation. Though
the sin be as scarlet thou shalt be as white as
snow. ‘ Just as lam without one plea but that
thy blood was shed for me.’
“Christ came to reveal to man his own best
possibilities and to remove the ol d hinderances
and let man be all that he can be. Like the
little man in that great story of ‘The Passing
of the Third Floor Back, ’ who made out of his
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devilment, has naturally come a wholesome
community pride in all things that mean the
uplift of the town.
During my recent stay of eight days in Dun
nellon I feil in love afresh with her noble,
big-hearted people.
Their ready response to the simple messages
of the old-time gospel was beautiful to see. The
fact that a little Church of forty members was
more than doubled in that short time shows
that human hearts were eager for the “Bread
of Life.”
Also An Educational Revival.
Not only was the community awakened by
a religious revival, but an educational revival
has likewise gripped the town.
Out of my frequent visits to the Dunnellon
public school grew the following correspon
dence, which will hold interest, I trust, for
those among our readers who are especially in
terested in community campaigns for better
educational advantages. That the letter was
used by the charming Dr. Griffith and Vice
Chairman Geo. W. Neville in their successful
fight before the county board, is very gratify
ing:
Dunnellon, Fla., October 7th, 1912.
Dr. Wm. Griffith,
Chairman Board of Trustees,
Dunnellon Public Schools,
Dunnellon, Fla.
Dear Sir:—-
As a friend to humanity, a special friend to
boys and girls, and a student of practical edu
cational problems as applied to local commun
ities, I feel impelled to say an earnest word
to your board before leaving Dunnellon.
My stay of eight days in your splendid,
promising town has been several times bright
ened and refreshed by visits to your school.
In the last seventeen years I have spoken to
hundreds of thousands of school boys and girls
By WILLIAM D. UPSHAW.
degraded neighbors the dream characters he
thought they might be, so Christ would mould
for us the character He knows we can possess.
It is His divine power that can develop in us
all the good we are capable of. The inspiration
which leads the teacher to develop the good
that is in the child is the fruit of the confi
dence that is shown. Christ would show us
with His confidence that He believes in us and
that belief is sweet and dear even to the man
who does not believe in himself. He that hath
hope in him purifieth himself even as Christ
was purified.
Tell Us What We Should Be.
“ ‘Thou art’ —every man knows what he is,
but Christ stands here today, just as he stood
on earth 1,900 years ago, and is ready to tell
you what thou shouldst be.
“The reincarnation was the power of God to
get all that was best out of human life. No
ground for trust can be found by man look
ing on man, but the life and death and teaching
of Jesus brings to every human heart explicit
trust in all things.
“Thou art, and may every soul here today
live to thank God that Christ has said unto
him, ‘Thou shalt be.’ ”
After the sermon the congregation sang,
“Saviour Again to Thy Dear Name.” The ser
vices closed with a benediction by Rev. R. 0.
Flinn, pastor of the North Avenue Presbyter
ian Church.
from New York to Mexico. I think I know
pupils of real promise when I see them. You
have them in Dunnellon, like the proverbial
good measure, “pressed down, shaken together
and running over.” And this “running over”
problem is what I wish to speak of especially.
You have an enterprising principal and loyal
teachers, but they cannot do their best possi
ble work with their present equipment. Be
sides a general brushing up of the building
and beautifying the grounds—something ab
solutely necessary to give proper inspiration
to your boys and girls—the greatest, crying
need of your school building, is an ample audi
torium where pupils can assemble every day
and sing “My Country ’Tis of Thee” and other
patriotic, inspiring songs and where their par
ents may gather with their children, from time
to time, to bless and encourage them with their
presence. On every occasion when I have
spoken there, the children have been crowded
beyond comfort, many of them standing
throughout the address.
Allow me to say that I have become deeply
and peculiarly interested in the people of Dun
nellon; her community pride and enthusiasm
are gathering about the highest and best things
far more than in former years. The building of
a great school makes common ground on which
your people can gather in their upward march.
Allow me to urge your board to lead your com
munity and your county board of education in
the steps necessary to the earliest possible en
largement of your building, with a beautiful
commodious auditorium, that shall be at once
the rallying center of your educational and
civic life.
My visit to your negro school also impressed
me that there is an immediate need there for
a betterment of facilities. It is well to remem
ber that concerning negro education, Dr, J.
(Continued on Page 8.)
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