We have a fighting chance to save this nation, and what we want is men and women who have moral courage to stand up and say:

“No, I will not touch the Sunday paper, and all the influence I have I will throw dead against it. I will not go away on Saturday evening if I have to travel on Sunday to get back. I will not do unnecessary work on the sabbath. I will do all I can to keep it holy as God commanded.”

But some one says: “Mr. Moody, what are you going to do? I have to work seven days a week or starve.”

Then starve! Wouldn’t it be a grand thing to have a martyr in the nineteenth century? “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Some one says the seed is getting very low; it has been a long time since we have had any seed. I would give something to erect a monument to such a martyr to his fidelity to God’s law. I would go around the world to attend his funeral.

We want to-day men who will make up their minds to do what is right, and stand by it if the heavens tumble on their heads. What is to become of Christian Associations and Sunday Schools, of churches and Christian Endeavor Societies, if the Christian sabbath is given up to recreation, and made a holiday? Hasn’t the time come to call a halt if men want power with God? Let men call you narrow and bigoted, but be man enough to stand by God’s law, and you will have power and blessing. That is the kind of Christianity we want just now in this country. Any man can go with the crowd, but we want men who will go against the current.

Sabbath-breaker, are you ready to step into the scales?

Fifth Commandment

“Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

We are living in dark days on this question too. It really seems as if the days the apostle Paul wrote about are upon us: “In the last days perilous times shall come; for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, despisers of those that are good, . . . .” If Paul was alive to-day, could he have described the present state of affairs more truly? There are perhaps more men in this country that are breaking the hearts of their fathers and mothers, and trampling on the law of God, than in any other civilized country in the world. How many sons treat their parents with contempt, and make light of their entreaties? A young man will have the kindest care from parents; they will watch over him, and care for all his wants; and some bad companion will come in and sweep him away from them in a few weeks. How many young ladies have married against their parents’ wishes, and have gone off and made their own life bitter! I never knew one case that did not turn out badly. They invariably bring ruin upon themselves, unless they repent.