The Covington news. (Covington, Ga.) 1908-current, January 20, 1909, Image 2

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SERMON PREACHED AT BAPTiST CHURCH Sunday January 17th, By Rev. E. R. Pendleton. Reproduced By Our Solicitation. Jesus of Nazareth Who Went About Doing Good.—Acts 10:38. No loftier ecomium, no richer epi¬ taph could be written about the de¬ parted than the words, He went about doing good. It is this quality in human life, and this alone, that will ever impress an observant humanity. It is this, and this alone, which speaks of him whose aim and business it was to do good. Jesus did not measure out his good¬ ness by creed nor in proportion to the deserts of the recipient, but, with healing in his very presence and balm in his every word, he sought to do only good to each one within his reach. His good, like all other, was some¬ times evil-spoken-of, his pearls fell before swine, he was called Beelze¬ bub, and finally he was crucified as an impostor; but after his departure, an eye-w'itness who had followed him for three years could recall nothing, and those to whom he spoke could think of no circumstance that they could challenge, that would even throw any doubt upon the motive of his life, but as they looked into the Holy of holies of his heart they found it guarded by the Vestal Virgins of an honest purpose, and the Jews to¬ day, belonging to the race that slew him, will admit that he was a good man. And the crowning glory of his life was shown in his magnamity on the cross for, while their hatred was causing him to suffer the pains of an horrible death, he cried out in prayer for them, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Contrast with the simple and help¬ ful life of our Lord the lives of some of his professed disciples,—those who claim to be regenerated with his motives, and yet who go about back biting, and criticising, and envying one another. One good Christian said recently, “It is a pity that people have any feelings, for it takes a third of one’s time to heal up imaginary wounds and nurse mashed toes.” Paul complains in the long ago of the babies in the church, and after 1900 years there are babies still. Think of babies 1900 years old!—spir¬ itual babies who take up the time of the church—nursing when it ought to be evangelizing. I never did think the church was any place for babies, and babies that wear long trousers and women’s skirts are particularly in¬ convenient. There are those in the churches who will do good in their way to their kind, but outside of their little patch you really must excuse them. Now 7 Jesus says, “If you do good to your friends, what thanks have you? And w r herein is that different from any one else?” Such people are sectarian and Phari¬ saical. They have learned of Christ with the head but they are not Christ-ians down in the heart, the only place where it counts. What a gain it w'ould be, by the way, if we would always say Christ ian, and CHRiST-ianity, and mean it when we say it? There is far too much churchanity and too little Christianity in the world. Really there is a mass of Christianity that has no Christ in it. One has often to dig back thru the traditions and errors of the church to find Christ just as Jesus had to dig down thru Jewish tradi¬ tions to find the lost law of Moses, and, with the woman at the sepulchre, we are forced to exclaim, “They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him.” There are many altars erected in Christian homes to an unknow T n god. Christianity is nothing if it is not the finest system of goodness with the finest motive, for his sake. Creeds and doctrines that do not produce that kind of fruit are obnoxious to the 9 world. It is goodness of both, neg¬ a ative and a positive sort. Leave off to do evil and learn to do well. Selfishness can show in one’s religion as quickly as anywhere else and, like flies in the ointment, it makes the whole to stink. Those institutions and bodies that have really gone about the w 7 orld do ing good have won the hearts and confidence of men. The Roman Cath¬ olic Church with its angels of mercy at the ear of the dying, and ready to staunch the wounds of the suffering, regardless of creed or class, have w r on a large place in the world, and their goodness has covered a multitude of faults. The lodges have seized upon these teachings of Christ, and have prac¬ ticed them, whilst the churches have been dogmatizing about controverted doctrines, and men and women have been dying. There is not a single sound humani¬ tarian principle in the Catholic church or in the lodges but w 7 hat ought to be in the Baptist church at Covington, and in an the other churches of Jesus Christ. It is not something to be ad¬ ded. It is an integral part, an atmos¬ phere, a spirit, a motive. If each member would go out of this place re¬ solving to practice the spirit of Christ toward the poor, toward strangers, toward enemies, toward all, the church would rise in importance, and take on pow 7 er as a garment. An educated Mohammedan had to come to New York recently on busi-1 ness and while he was in a Christian home he was invited to go to a Chris¬ tian church. This he declined to do, saying that it was contrary to his cus¬ tom and rearing. It w 7 as then gested that perhaps he would like to go thru the hospitals. He accepted and started, and remarked that he had heard that these institutions, af¬ ter they were filled with Christians, wmuld take in foreigners if room re¬ mained. This he did not believe but treated as an absurd story, and look¬ ed for a prompt declaration that it w 7 as not true. He was told that it was not only true, but that no distinc¬ tion was made, and that at that very i time there were some of his men under treatment in one of them. He expressed a desire to see them, and upon being carried to the ward, he entered into such an animated conversation with the patient that the nurse was about to stop the visit when he turned to her and told her that his countryman had been telling him that she was an angel of mercy to him, and he thanked her in formal and enthusiastic style. After reach¬ ing the sidew 7 alk his companion says that he stopped and, stretching his hands towards heaven, prayed such a prayer asking the blessings of heaven upon the institution as the American had never heard. This breadth is the very genius of Christianity, and makes it differ from all other religions; it is the spirit of its founder who w 7 ent about doing good without respect to creed or class or color or nationality. Some people who profess to know him draw 7 the line at the Negro, and no one who mistreats, hates, or oppesses the Ne¬ gro can ever convince me that he knows Jesus Christ. The black man is among those for whom Christ died, and he is one to whom we can do good. There are 10,000 people in Ohio, who have recently made a covenant to do for a time what Jesus would do. That is well, but it is spectacular. The Christian is under a solemn cov¬ enant for life to do all the good lie can, to as many as ever he can, just as long as he can. We may have our inward twists of character that give us trouble with ourselves, but we, who have been touched by the life of the man of Galilee, can never afford to treasure any malice, ill will, or resentment to¬ ward a fellowman; and those who are tempted to do so should recall the apostle’s prayer, Forgive us our tres¬ passes as we forgive those who tres¬ pass against us. There are noble and multiplied ex¬ amples of true Christianity in the world, and this is the salt of Christian¬ ity which keeps it from spoiling. Recently these words in an editoral of a great daily paper were written about a Baptist minister, “His is a creed w 7 hich transcends the narrow 7 bounds of sect. Based upon manhood and tolerance, it has, during his life in this city, not balked at affiliation with, and sympathy for Jew or Gen¬ tile. His is a catholic religion in its truest sense, in that it embraces the universal heart and the universal need.” Noble tribute worthily spoken! What do people want with a creed? It is a poor, cold string of man made words. What they want is flesh and blood epistles with warm hearts and ready hands. Such aro the nobles of earth: They are tine truly happy, for to be good is to he happy. The Scriptures say we are never to harden our hearts of compassion against the suffering, nor close our coffers against the needy. This should be the meat and drink of Christiana—to do good to men. Some were talking not long ago about the social classes in the churches, and the statement w 7 as made that “oil water will not mix.” This led the speaker to propound this question, How will they mix in heaven? This provoked more talk, and the sugges¬ tion w r as made that perhaps they would grow better before they w 7 ere called to walk the golden streets; but what if they were called before they grew better? So many difficulties arose that one finally said, Well, maybe they w 7 ill not all get to heaven. This closed the argument and brought forcibly to mind the words of Jesus, Not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, —but he that doeth the will of my Father in heaven. His will is that you shall not offend one of the least of those for whom Christ died, and if you have done so, not to pray until you have gone and asked forgiveness and been reconciled; And not only so, but His will is that the Christian shall heap coals of fire upon his enemy’s head, and seek to do good to all men. The Christian may grow 7 tired in the work but never of it, because it is a vital part of his new nature, and he cannot forget it any more than the sun could forget to shine. May God grant that when we come to lay down our lives, and close our labors, that eyewitnesses may be able to say, He or she went about doing I good. —FOR RENT—A four room dwelling on Railroad street. Apply to W. Cohen, or W. S. Ramsey.—2t. THE COVINGTON NEWS JURORS DRAWN FOR MARCH SUPERIOR COURT. Names of The Gentlemen Who Have Been Drawn to Serve as Jurors at Spring Term of The Court. The following named persons w r ere drawn to serve as Grand Jurors, for March term, 19U9, Newton Superior Court, to-wit: GRAND JURORS-. Evans Lunsford W. H. Boggus C. 11. White * T. G. Berry Tom (J. Cowan F. E. Heard A. H. Smith E. C. Hull Leonidas Loyd A. O. Ellington. J. W. Stephenson J. II. Willingham H. A. DeLoaeh L. W. Jarman L. I). Adams T. D. Speer J. L. Skinner J. W. Anderson Feilder Ozbum W. T. Corley C. E. Cook R. E. Lee M. G. Turner C. I. Ogletree A. C. Belcher F. M. Hays E. II. Jordan Geo. T. Smith C. 1. Cash J. II. Wood The following named persons were drawn to serve as Traverse Jurors, for March term, 1909, New r ton Superior Court, to-wit: J. N. Epps L. S. Wright S. R. Campbell L. A. Patrick E. T. Hull W. E. Lunsford C. D. Ramsey J. W. King R. D. Dial A. J. Wingate A. S. Fowler W. E. Harwell W. T. Smith R. E. Everitt C. A. Cannon P. jH. Henderson G. I. Biggers A. J. Parker J. K. Guffin R. H. Christian S. H. Avery J. W. Pope J. C. Harwell J. J. Owens J. E. Dobbs W. P. Hooper C. O. Kimball T. W. Heard E. E. Lunsford P. W. Turner C. E. Hardeman W. P. Odum S. S. Starr C. M. Griffin Newt Stedham C’nas. G. Smith Fair View Dots. Miss Clifford Smith was the guestjof Miss Emily Neely Sunday. Miss Emma Longshore entertained a number of friends at a “spend the day” party Tuesday. The guests de¬ parted at a late hour declaring Miss Longshore an ideal hostess. Quite a crowd w r as out at prayer meeting at the home of Mr. H. J. Neely’s Sunday night. The next meet¬ ing w'ill be held at the home of Mr. J. P. Longshore. Some one ask Mr. Dock Bentley w 7 hy he w r as all smiles Sunday after¬ noon. Mr. Johnie Stowers, of Atlanta, spent the w r eek-end w r ith his parents and friends. We are always glad see Johnie shaking hands with time friends. Misses Katie Everett and Ficquettw y ere delightfully at Miss Adnah Neely’s Tuesday night. Mr. Helms and w 7 ife, of Milstead, visited at the home of Mr. J. O’Kelley recently. Mr. W. E. Ray and family were our community Saturday night. Some of our young people the singing at Almon Sunday. Mrs. Martha Nelms, of was in this vicinity a few days week. We are sorry to note the illness Mr. J. D. Boyd, We wish for him speedy recovery. Messrs Charlie and Oliver visited friends near Conyers night. —FOR SALE, a number of shoats just arrived. J. Genuine Peruvian Guano Untouched by the Chemist or the ^Manufacturer For TOBACCO COTTON, TRUCK Peruvian Guano C orporation CHARLESTON, S. C. EGGS From Prize Winning Barred and White Plymouth Rocks at $2.00 per setting. White Leghorns at $1.00 per setting and Spangled Games at $4 per setting. Put in your or¬ ders now for spring delivery. MODEL POULTRY FARM Conyers, Ga. — WAYS OF THE ARABS. Dodging the Evil Eye and Tests of Filial Piety. Very curious to the occidental mind are some of the ways of Arabia and other Mohammedan countries. A trav¬ eler says: “One of the objects of the most anxious solicitude for Moham¬ medan parents is the shielding of their children from the evil eye. Any person expressing admiration for a child ex¬ cept by pious ejaculation or the invo¬ cation of blessings upon the prophet fills the heart of the parent with ap¬ prehension. When children are to be taken into the street their faces are often even smeared with mud or greasy substances lest their comeliness should attract attention, and in order that the person of the child itself should escape attention gaudy and glit¬ tering ornaments are hung about it and written charms sewed into leather medallions suspended from its neck. “One of the best of Arab character¬ istics is that of filial piety. Sons and daughters of deceased parents take upon themselves all sorts of irksome tasks accounted as expiatory of the minor faults committed by the depart¬ ed ones during their lifetime and dis¬ charging faithfully- every payment or obligation left unfulfilled by dead par¬ ents, for has not the prophet said that martyrdom even will not atone for an unpaid debt? “Eloquence is accounted the greatest of all possible gifts. According Arab tradition, the most superlative degree of eloquence was attained by King David, such being the beauty his diction, added to the poetry of his words, that when he declaimed Psalms even birds and wild beasts were spellbound, while on some occa¬ sions as many as 400 men died from the excess of delight induced by reading.’’—Chicago News. Off Guard. “How did it happen that your got the best of you?” queried the quisitive person. “They got busy while I was Ltf my enemies,” explained the who had got the short end of cago News. Subscribe for the News while it only 50 cents a year. NOTICE. I am now back in my old office Cohen’s. Have two rooms, one white, the other for colored and am fully prepai'ed and capable doing better work than ever Your patronage solicited. Very respectfully, W. J. Higgins, Dentist. Dr. Tully U. Smith Dentist Office No. 9 Star Building Phone 21 I High Grade Work 0-;70*0*0*0*0*0<J0<?0<?0*0*0tt0£ •*•*•**•*•■<*•*•*•*•<*•*•<»• .,%-s Barber Shop ? The Only White In t 1 I 0 Covington, Georgia. § I 0 # 1 Is better prepared than ever to serve the . | 0 people of this section, with new equip¬ I 0 0 ! ment, hot and cold towels, wait and three ! good White Barbers to on you. Come to see us, always glad t^ see Y'ui. ! i W. J.GOBER, Proprietor. * 0 * 0 m " 0 * 0 * 0*0 0 '. 0*0 Elegant Clothing for Men Since we have been in business in Covington we have made a reputation for carrying a good, substan¬ tial line of Clothing, and this season’s line surpassss anything we have pre¬ viously had. The quality | of the goods, workmanship and styles that appeal to the men who iike to wear neat, snappy clothes are in our stock. Come and take a look at them. After you see them we believe we can do business with you. Heard, White & Company Covington, Georgia. -“4 THE BEST IN JOB PRINTING NICE FRESH GROCERIES You will always find at my store as nice and fresh Gro¬ ceries as can be found in the city, and when you purchase them from me I make it a point to get them to your home just as quick as it is possible for me to do it. FRESH MEATS I also have in connection with my store a first class Meat Market and can furnish you with the choice kind of Meats yon like so well. Giveme an order. 1 will appreciate it and will try to please you. Cigars aud Tobacco. Cash Paid for Hides. R. F. Wright, Covington, Georgia.