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Show ' Bo Strongl Be Strong! 1 Say not. the days are evil who's to-, blame? . And fold the hands and acquiesce O shame! . ' I Stand up, speak out, and bravely. In God's name, ( Be Strong! I It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong, How hard the battle, goes, the day, how long; Faint not. fight on! Tomorrow comes j tho uong. SERVICES AT METHODIST CHURCH WELL ATTENDED BY MEN AT EVENING SESSION. "Be 6trong" the Toplo of Short Sermon Ser-mon by Revs rend G. W. McCreery The evening service at-the Methodist Metho-dist church was especially for men, a largo number of whom were present and Bat in a body. A beautiful beauti-ful carnation was presented to each roan and following the services others' were distributed to the women. wo-men. Mr. McCreery delivered the following follow-ing sermon on "Be Strong " There Is allne of development of animal life that Is marked by the changes In the backbone The feature feat-ure In which man Is distinguished from all othors is that all his active life is engaged In with erect body with vertical backbone. When sick or tired he is not himself he fights his battle with backbone weary. The sneak the criminal, tho coward docs not stand erect the line of criminals In your penitentiary has n distinct lean "forward. "for-ward. Very few of them stand erect. Man should be erect he should stand up straight. He fights his best battles erect. This Is what Paul means when he urges the Corinthians to "quit your-aelvee your-aelvee like men be strong." To be strong la a necessity of manhood. I- One must bo strong In every part of life. We are no stronger than our weakest point and oven our strongest if neglected may be the the point where wo break.- 1. - We must be strong in our thoughts, "As a man thlnketh In his heart bo Is be" Is true. Our thoughts are often the cause of weakness. Do you always think yourself strong? When you Imagine any possible situation, situ-ation, do you imagine yourself as talcing talc-ing n strong part or that of a'weak-llng? a'weak-llng? Do you believe that thero is any temptation, which would overcome you? You may rest assured that It will when It comes. As thoughts aro the Impulse of "action, they must bo strong. 2. Because we must be strong In action, Tho life about us demands strength. There are so many temptations tempta-tions which surround us It Is not easy to stem tho tide and overcome the downward tendency all about us. Indifference to the good and satisfaction satis-faction with the present Is so easy. Them Is. a story t61d of a man under un-der fine for the first time and he noticed that his knees were trembling and he spoke thus to them "shake! nhake If you will, if you knew where I am going to take you, you would shake more." 3. But our purposes which give meaning to acts must also be strong. Purpose aim Is essential. There are few who fail that meant to do so. They wanted to do better, hut tbo strong purpose for tho good which is neceB-iiary neceB-iiary was lacking and so they drifted. Purpose thrusts ahead against the current, beoaiiie men know it is right. It Is the necessity of back bone in purpose. Two officers were riding Into battle when tho younger noticed that the older one had a Mnnehed face Indicating fear. He twitted him, but tho older man said, "Yes, I am afraid, but if you naw tho danger as I do you would turn and run." We need a purpono that will drive against fear, ngalns all else. We mu6t be strong In every part of life. II. We must havp, backbone at all time. Ono never dares to woakon in the least. The spinal cord is very delicate. It 1h easily effected by physical phys-ical condition bo any weakness of tho spinal cord of character has its effect upon our development of character. Character is made up of tho little things oft repeated. Oranite is broken by many little blows along a certain cer-tain line where the mason wishes to break the rock. Habits beeomo fixed. If they are for good they hceomo established es-tablished in choractor. If they are i weak the character Is weak If strong so Is character. It 'is easllv seen that it Is essential that we Hhould bo atrong at all times. The Bure6t way of doing this Is to have tho Ideal of Jesus Christ In our hearts and do everything as ho would have us do it. III. Tho elements of backbone, are all those tendencies which require an effort and which leaves us 'hotter after the acts of life. 1. The most important Is decision. It la said of Disraeli that he was once ridiculed off the floor of the Hmp of Commons but he replied that 1,.? had begun many things in failure but that, ho would yet succeed In speech makingthat mak-ingthat they would hear him. They did, he became Prime Minister. One muBt have decision. Ho must grasp opportunity as it flits by. He must bo able to dare to risk that which is right. NTot long ago a man advocated that there was great value in drink. i because it gave mn the nocessarv dare. Yes. but it takes judgment out of the dare and many men fall simply because they dare under the influence of Intoxicants when they would not under ordinary circumstances, and come to themselves to find that they have overreached. overreach-ed. Most men who fall do po because be-cause of a lack of decision. But decision de-cision must be made whet manhood is at its best. 2. Another element of backbone Is determination. If one has a strong backbone ho can cArry a heavy load for a long time. When that gives out he Is broken In strength. Tho backbone back-bone of character. Perseverance is essential. 1 he one easily changing his employment never makes the success that he would If he had mastered ono line. It Is not often well to make a complete change In one's occupation, even if it seems to provide a better roturn. To lea&i a new trade Is dlffll-cult, dlffll-cult, but the. master of an occupation is always In demand. Stick to it.' 3. But the elements of strength are all summed up In ono word Jesus Christ. "Behold the man!" what a type of manhood, ho Is. How strong how brave how fearless! He is our typo copy him, follow him and all will be well. Quit you, like men be 6trong. Be Strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift. We have hard work to do, and loads to lift. Shun not the strufgl. face it. 'tis .. God's gift. |