Pastor Abram Cory's Sermons on Borrowing for Church, Seeking Wrong Goals in Life, Oct. 30, 1922

Sermon They Did Not Want to Hear But Cory Delivered It. . . Disciples’ Pastor Says Men Heed Bankers and Sheriffs More Than Do God—Interesting and Pointed Discourse

A large congregation heard Dr. Abram E. Cory in a strong and impressive sermon at the Gordon Street Christian Church Sunday morning. His subject was “The Sermon You Don’t Want to Hear.” Using charts, setting forth in a most comprehensive and remarkable manner the financial condition of the church, he stated plain facts and said the record by the church showed the great need for an awakening on the part of the membership to their obligations to the work. People are too afraid of bankers and sheriffs and not afraid enough of God, he declared. If we borrow for ourselves, we should most certainly be willing to borrow for God. His last remarks were an eloquent appeal for the church to be truly represented before God.

Evening Sermon

At the evening hour, basing his sermon, subject of which was “The Law of Shrinkage,” upon the 13th Chapter of Matthew, Dr. Cory gave telling illustrations of the scripture, “To him that hath shall be given, to him that hath not, shall be taken away even that he hath.” There are people who have gained the world, but lost their souls, thereby making themselves the most wretched people in the world, he declared. He said that too many are seeking wealth, social position, learning and travel, when they could be far more profitably employed, for “To him that hath shall be given, to him that hath not, shall be taken away even what he hath.”

Preceding the evening sermon, Dr Cory devoted 10 minutes to a review of current outstanding events. He spoke feelingly of the cuntry’s loss of a great thinker and active participant in public affairs in the person of Dr. Lyman Abbot editor of “The Outlook,” whose death was recorded in last week’s newspapers. He spoke of Ghandi (Gandhi), Kemal and Mussolini, who have risen in recent prominence in India, Turkey and Italy, respectively, saying that it seemed to be the days of bandits. He regretted the part women and preachers were playing in murders.

The choir sang an anthem at the evening service.

From the front page of the Daily Free Press, Kinston, N.C., Monday, Oct. 30, 1922.