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TALMAGE SERMON ft By Rev. FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. D.D.. Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby terian Church, Chicago Chicago. Aug. 17.—In this discourse, -the decline of churchgoing, its cause and its remedy are discussed by Rev. Frank De Witt Talnmge with charac teristic vigor and directness. Tin? text is I Corinthians ii, 22, “Despise ye the church of God?” While rainmaging through a book store the other day I purchased a vol ume with this suggestive title: “Why Men Do Not Go to Church.” In it the author gives mnnv blunt statements. He asserts that in New York city alone not more than 3 per cent of all the ale population are members of the Protestant churches. He makes this charge against Now York city, with Its millions upon millions of dollars in vested in church architecture, with its millions of dollars every year lavishly expended for evangelistic work. He makes this charge against Now York city, which is not a heathen town, but fwbich claims to be not only the wealtb- i^it but the most enlightened city in r Christian land. The author of at book further declared that not more than one-half of all the inhabit ants of this country ever attend church. By that the author means the vast ma jority of Americans seldom set foot in any church building, because the most of the half who do attend church do so occasionally only. With the startling statements of that book still fresh in my mind I would like to ask you the question which Paul asked the nonchurchgoers of Corinth. The world needs precisely the things that the church was organ ized to supply. It needs strength to resist temptation, it needs rules for the guidance of life, it needs support un der afllietion. solace in bereavement and a hope of heaven after death. All these blessings come by Christianity. It is therefore worth while inquiring what are the obstacles that keep men from coming into the church and ob taining them. So I not only want to find out why the vast majority of people do not join or regularly attend church, but I also want to try to re- piove those difficulties so that you, one nd all, will come into the fellowship of the divine institution in which are numbered the great hosts of the fol lowers of the Lord Jesus. An Abxnril Iteanon. “Well,” says some one in answer to the words of my text, “the reason I despise the church of God is because there are certain parts of the Bible I do not understand. Therefore I will not profess to believe what I cannot comprehend.” Now, my friend, such a statement is simply absurd. From such talk one might suppose that the only inexplicable things in the whole universe are those recorded between the lids of holy writ Why, there are whole realms and cycles and uni verses of facts in every direction yet untraversed and unexplained. You cannot focus the whole heavens with one telescope nor span infinity with the finite. You might as well try to build a range of mountains from Long Island to England by pitching pebbles into the Atlantic ocean or try to empty the I’acitic by dipping up the waters with a sewing girl’s thimble as to at tempt to build up a system of science or to develop a belief in the Bible un less you are willing to accept some things which you cannot explain. But, though statements may be made In the Bible which you and I cannot understand, the salient truths, the Cal vary truths, the converting truths, are all simply told truths. I defy any un biased man to read the simple words of the four gospels and remain blind to their meaning. No man can read ie story of the prodigal son and fail b realize that God is represented by the aged father, that ids own sinful life is represented by the sins of the younger son. that repentance and peace are represented by the return home and the divine love and forgiveness by the ring and the fatted calf and the father’s kiss. Spiritual light and deep er faith will come later. So. my broth er, as you believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost; as you believe that Jesus suffered and died upon the cross for our sins, as you believe that Christ has gone to heaven to prepare a dwelling place for tbose who arc cleansed by his blood you believe all that is needed to qual ify you to come into the church he es- blished on earth. This was the sav- g belief of the Philippian jailer, to horn Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved and thy bouse.” A man is not ueces- aarily barred from the church of Jesus f Christ because he does not fully under- i stand all the Bible. lie is received and ; welcomed because he believes that “God so loved the world that he gave I bis only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” One Pnatnr'a (experience, k One day a woman came to the most | noted minister of the south, the Rev. B. M. Palmer of New Orleans. She |[ said, “Pastor, I cannot accept and be- I lieve the doctrines of the Presbyterian h church; therefore I am afraid 1 must ,, fcave my name dropped from the church roll.” “What do you not be- ■ beve?" asked Dr. Palmer. “Well, there [ Is the Presbyterian doctrine of foreor- f dlnatloti. I cannot believe that God knows the end from the beginning. 1 cannot understand bow be can foresee everything and yet 1 be a free agent” I never asked you to believe the doc trine of foreordination,” said Dr. Pal mer. “Well,” said the woman, “I can not believe the doctrine of election.” “I never asked you to believe the doc trine of election,” again said Dr. Pal mer. “What, then, do you want me to believe?” “As a minister of the Pres byterian church,” Dr. Palmer replied, “I have to accept the Confession of Faith, but you as a lay member only have to believe two great doctrines. The first is, that man is a sinner. You I believe that? The second is, that Jesus j is a Saviour and died for your sins. You believe that? As a believer In those two great doctrines, I want you to throw yourself upon the mercy of Christ, and you can be saved. This is all the Presbyterian church or any other Protestant church demands of you for membership.” Dr. Palmer was right. You may not understand all of the Bible, but you do understand and believe enough to make you acceptable for membership in Christ’s church. You do believe in the atonement. You do believe that Jesus died to save you. Throw away your doubts! Hold to your beliefs! The gospel church life boat is too fine a craft to bo scuttled merely because we know not all the planks out of which its hull was built. Come into the church lifeboat today on the simple faith that its keel was made from the straight beam of the Calvary cross. Another Henson Answered. “Well,” remarks another man, “I do not joi the church because of the in consistencies of its members. Some profess one tiling and practice another. They say Christians ought to be kind and loving and gentle and helpful to their fellow church members. Then they demonstrate that some of the worst fights on earth are church fights. The edder who prays the loudest in prayer meeting may bo the farmer who never comes out second best in ahorse trade, and the gossip of the sewing society is just as merciless as the gos sip at the club or in a ballroom. As long as the church is filled with hypo crites I do not want to join it.” Stop, my brother! You know that some of the very best men in every community are members of the differ ent Christian churches. You know, as well as I know, that though some of the church members may be hypo crites the vast majority are men and women who have banded themselves together for the purpose of prayer and communion with God and of trying to make their fellowship bettor and purer and truer anti more Christlike. There are thousands and tens of thousands of church members who are no more hypocrites than your Christian father and mother, who were also members of a Christian church, were hypocrites. To demonstrate how much you really respect the Christian church, though you may not know it, I would like to ask you a question. 1 f you were strand ed us a young woman in a distant city, without money or friends, to whom would you go for help? To the saloon keeper? To the rich brewer? No, no! Without doubt you would go straight to some Christian minister’s home. You would go to him, just as many young men and women have come to me, and you would say, “My father and mother are members of Dr. So-and-so’s church, in such and such a town. 1 have no money. 1 want to get home. Will you help me?” To have you realize how much you respect the church of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 would picture you Stranded as a ship wrecked sailor upon a strange coast. What would you most prefer to see— a fortress, a king’s palace, an army en campment or the steeple of a Christian church? You know as well as every intelligent man or woman knows that the community which lives under the shadow of the church spire is a God fearing community. The community which does not protect the Christian church is an unsafe community In which to dwell, and there is no excep tion to the rule. John Newton, when most of us reach heaven—I pray we may all be there—I believe we shall be very much sur prised to find there some people who never entered the church door and never publicly professed their faith at the ehurcb altar. .Mr. Beecher once beautifully and poetically said: “I am glad that some gospel seeds have been blown over the church wall and that fruit trees and flowers most pleasant to the eye are springing up outside the church garden as well as in^de, and, though I wish they were within the inclosure, where the boars out of the woods could not waste them and the wild beasts of the field devour them, yet I love them and am glad to see them growing there.” The Spiritnal IIoTinchnld. But, though there may be Christian men and women living outside of the church fellowship, I for one do not be lieve I could be a Christian and not be a professing member of church of Christ. I do not believe that 1 could turn my back upon my church and still love my Christ as I love him today, and, my brother and sister, neither do I believe you can turn your back upon the church of God and yet give to Christ your true and fervent love, be cause I believe that, as Christians, we should look upon the church as a col lection of God's children: Therefore we should accept and love its mem bers as our spiritual brothers and sis ters, children of God, and we our selves should long to be of the spirit ual household. An old Boston merchant loved a young man from Kentucky, who was the friend of his dead boy. This old Boston merchant’s only son bad enlist ed for the civil war. Down at the front in 1NG4 he was shot. Wounded unto death, he was carried into the home of a southern lady and nursed there until lie died. But just before ids death he looked up into tke sweet face of the southern lady and said: “I am the' only son of a rich Boston mer chant. My father will be heartbroken when lie hears of my death. After the war is over, and as your money is all swept away, I want your son to go to Boston and see my father. I want him to tell my father that you have nursed me for weeks and months. Then my father will love your son for my sake.” And the dying boy with trembling fin gers wrote upon a slip of paper: “Dear Father—I am dying. This young man is the son of the dear lady who lias taken your place and mother’s. Take her son to your heart for my sake.” Time passed on, and the awful carnage came to an end. The home of the southern lady was swept away. One day the young man, armed with the dead son’s letter, started for Boston. When he was ushered into the office of the old merchant, at first the latter would not even speak to him. The old merchant kept on at ids desk writing. But when the young man placed the message of the dead boy upon the mer chant’s desk the broken hearted father arose and put his arms about the young man's neck and sobbed, “I will love you for my boy’s sake—yes, for my dead boy’s sake.” Now, 1 do not be lieve it is possible for us to love Christ unless we also love his church for his sake. I do not believe it is possible for us to love the church unless for Christ’s sake we also love Christ’s children, who are members of that church, nor do I believe it possible for a Christian man to be as good a Chris tian outside of tin* church of Christ as if he were a true, hearty, active, con scientious member of that church. Mark you well my statement. 1 did not affirm that there were no Christian men outside of the church of Jesus Christ, but 1 did affirm that a man can not be as good a Christian outside of the Christian church as inside. There may be good Christians found outside of the church. There may be good Christians who prefer the society of Sabbath deseeraters and worldly Whnt the Church la For. When you criticise the sincerity of certain church members, you should not forget that the church of Christ j was Instituted for the imperfect us well as the perfect, for the moral crip ples as well as for those who are spir itually whole. In the church there are to be found members like a man whom a friend of mine was one evening de fending. Howard Crosby came to this gentleman and said: “Doctor, how can you like such a man? You know he is not what he ought to be.” My friend turned and said: “Dr. Crosby, if you had a little child who had lost an eye or was deaf or who was born lame would you despise him on account of bis intlrmity? Well, my friend is a moral cripple. I do not like him be cause he has lost one eye and one leg 1 and one arm, but I do love him be cause, by the grace of God, he is try ing to struggle against his daily temp tations and his spiritual deformities.” So you will find In the church of God I today moral cripples. They are strug gling every day of their lives against sinful temptations; they keep on strug gling; keep on praying; keep on reach ing up to God; keep on staying in the church because they know that Christ did not come to Institute a church for perfect men. He came to heal the sick and not the well. The church of God is the great earthly spiritual hospital, where Christ, as the surgeon, loves to set the crooked limbs; where Christ, as the spiritual opthalmologist, loves to open the eyes that are blinded of sin. “Well,” observes another hearer, “the reason I do not Join the church is be cause 1 believe a man can be Just as good a Christian outside the church as Inside.” Now, I would not assert that •11 men who are nonchurchgoers are unchristian men. John Newton used to say: “When I get to heaven, I shall have three great surprises. One great surprise will be to find so many peo ple there I did not expect to see. The next surprise will be to find so many people absent whom I expected to see, and the third great surprise will be to And that I got to heaven myself.” Like pleasure seekers instead of the society of God's children, who love to gather in the house of praise; but I frankly confess I have never found good Chris tians who prefer to seek the society of worldly pleasure seekers to the society of those who delight in God’s house. Jack roses may grow in cesspools, but as a rule the most beautiful roses blush a deeper red and swing a sweet er incense in a flower garden than among the thorns of a wild hedge. Ont? HoiteMt Krply. “Well.” answers another man, “I will tell you frankly why I despise the church of God. The reason l do not join the church is because it is too j straitlaced for me, and l am not will- I ing to give up my own way of living.” My brother, I believe you have told me the exact truth. 1 believe ninety- nine-hundredths of those who scoff at the church scoff principally because they are not ready to surrender some secret sin. But as you have given me one honest answer I want you to give me another to a question just as im portant. If you are not ready to sur render your secret sin and join the church, where is that sin going to send you? Some time ago I stood in the depot of our national capital fetching a little colored boy about five years old asleep upon one of the benches. Tliis little baby had a card pinned to his coat which read like this: “Con ductor, will you please see that this little boy is put in the right train and sent to Atlanta, Ga., where friends will meet him?” As I stood there watching that little child I said to myself: “Some people seem to be sleeping in the great depot of sin as unconscious of their sur roundings as that colored baby. They care not what is going to happen to them. And Satan has pinned a tag upon them to send them through, like baggage, to the great city of eternal despair." My unrepentant brother, as you are unwilling to join the church because yon are reluctant to give up your se cret sin. I ask you where will that se cret sin ultimately send you? You need to be aroused from your spiritual lethargy and to realize your awful dan ger. I would especially plead with you to surrender your sins and dedicate your life to Jesus Christ by joining the church because, in your heart, you know well what you ought to do. I have always shrunk from the thought that people who were born in sin and ignorantly reared in sin and who ig norantly died in sin and unrepentant Were totally lost. It lias always been a question in my mind whether some of those poor, loathsome creatures who were reared in the slums of a great city and who never heard the name of Jesus except in blasphemy might not in God’s mercy be made as fit for the celestial city as some who, having been born in Christian homes, have led a very different Christian life. God will never condemn one who is born blind because he cannot see. He will never destroy one who is born deaf and dumb because be cannot speak or hear; but, my brother, though there may be some excuse for those born in the sinful slums of a great city for not renouncing their sins and joining the church, there is no excuse for you. Yon were born in a Christian home, you were reared amid Christian sur roundings, you were started out with Christian prayers, and the mere fact that you made such an excuse as you have proves that the Holy Spirit is mightily striving with you today to confess Christ and Join the church the Saviour founded on earth. You are in exactly the same position as was Dr. Parley when he was a dis sipated college student. One morn ing, when he was trying to sleep off the debauch of the previous night, a classmate came into his room and, sit ting upon the bed by his side, said: “Parley, I have been thinking of what you are doing. You are wasting your life for time and eternity. Now, Par ley. it does not matter much what hap pens to me. 1 am a nobody, but you have the best brain in college. Besides that, you were born of good blood. You have a praying mother and a praying father. Unless you stop your sins I shall cut your acquaintance.” So today all the Christian influences which surround your past life, all the Christian influences which surround your present life, all your hopes for eternity, are pleading and begging you in Christ’s name to turn from your sins. They ax - e pleading with you to come into the church of Jesus as a re pentant sinner because you know and feel—you intensely feel today — that you ought to come. Are you man enough in Christ’s name to come to his altar ikw? Your Duty to the Church. But there is one answer yet to the question of my text. This answer comes from many a troubled heart. You say to me: “Mr. Talmage, I do not despise the church except by my ac tions in a public way. The reason I do not join the church is because I have so many home duties that I can not do my share in church work, if I should join. In a few years 1 expect to take my place as a member at the church altar.” Now, my friend, I want you to realize this great truth: God never ordained that one duty should conflict with other duties. He never wants a mother to leave the bedside of her sick child in order to attend a mis sionary meeting. He never compels a man to do for the church more than he can conscientiously do. But Christ does demand this: He does demand that you profess and confess ids love before men. And you cannot do that in a better way than at the church al tar. Then let the most imminent Christian duty decide what you ought to do thereafter. And I would especially plead with you to confess Christ in the church be fore men because, as you have others depending upon you, your present ac tions will probably decide how your loved ones will act and feel toward the church of Christ’s establishment. This fact was demonstrated some years ago in Smyrna. Two sailers for some weeks had been attending the mission services. One night, in answer to the invitation to come forward and confess Christ and join the church, one of the sailors turned and said, “Well, l will come if Bill will.” But Bill would not come. But the night before the ship was to sail the two sailors came for ward and gave their hearts to Christ and joined the church. Then the Chris tian workers in Smyrna asked Bill how it was that he came to join the church. In rough sailor fashion he said: “Well, I liked to attend your meetings be cause they made me feel good. I used to think of the old times when on Sun day afternoons In the old home at New Bedford we used to sing the same songs. Mother was there and my sis ters and brothers and father were all there, and I really wanted to join your church; but when Tom said he would come if 1 did it made me mad. What had I to do with Tom’s actions? But a couple of nights ago Tom was sick. I sat up with him, and as he was toss ing around in his bunk 1 heard him muttering something, and us I put my ear down to his mouth 1 heard him say: ‘Oh, Bill, won’t you come, Bill? It’s my last chance for heaven. Bill Oh, Bill, won’t you come? Won’t you come?’ And then and there I said to myself, Tf my actions are going to keep Tom out of heaven, why, I’ll come.’ And here we are, sir, Tom and Bill!” So today the loved ones in your home and In the store and those who are dependent upon you are plead ing with you to come into the church for their sakes as well as for your own sake and for Christ’s. “Despise ye tha church?” Nay, nay! In your heart you feel that it is in the church you ought to confess Christ. You know It Is into the church you will want to be carried when j ou are dead, and it la from Its hallowed precincts you will want to ; o forth to meet him when you shall dwell with him In heaven forever and ever and ever. (Copyright, 1902, by Louis Klopsch.] How It In Done. The first object in life wiih the American people is to “get rich the second, how to regain good health. The first can be oblaiued by honesty, energy and saving; the second, (good health) by using Green’s August Flower. Should you be a despondent sufferer from any of the effects of Dyspepsia, Livt r Complaint, Appen dicitis. Indigestion, etc., such as Sick Headache. Palpitation of the Heart, Sour Stomach, Habitual Costiveness, Dizziness of the Head, Nervous Pios- trerion, Low Spirits, etc., you need not suffer another day Two doses of the well known August Flower will relieve you at once Go to Oh<- r okee Drug Co. and get a sample bottle free. Regular size, 75 cts. Get Green’s Special Almanac. A man must put his best foot up ward as well as forward it he would reach the top of the ladder. Quick Kclief for Asthma SutTcrers. Foley’s Honey and Tar affords im mediate relief to asthma sufferers in rhe worsr stages a’-d if taken in time Will effect a cure. SoM by Cherokee Drug Co. Deuteronomy is from two Gr^ek words meaning second and law. The fifth book of Moses is so called from its being mainly a repitition of laws previously enumerated. Pineapples grow so plentifully in Natal at certain season that it is net worth while carting them to murk-*', aud they are ofteu given to the pigs in consequence. ‘■J had diabetes in its worst form,” writes Marion Leath, of Dunreath, Ind. “I tried eight physicians with out relief. Only three buttles of Foley’s Kidney Cure made me a well man.” For sale bv Cherokee Drug Co. the Cough autl Works Off the Cold Laxative Brotno-Quinire Tablets cure a cold in one clay. No Cure, no Pay. Price 25 cents. Foley'h Kidney Cure Will cure Bright’s Disease, Will cure Diabetes. Will cure Stone in Bladder. Will cure Kidney and Bladder Dis eases. For sale by Cherokee Drug Co So many thatched roofs in the Transvaal were burned during the war that a hi om in American galvan ized iron is expected. Foley’s Kidney Cure will cure all diseases arising from disordered kid neys or bladder. For sale by Chero kee Drug Co. The barking of a dog is said to be an acquired habit and one lost if the animals are allowed to run wild. This signature iu on every box of the gouuins Laxative Bromo-Quinine Tablets ths remedy that cures a cold In one day One Minute Cough Cure For Coughs* Colds and Croup. Foley’s Kidney Cure makes kidneys and bladder right. Advertising is called by some an art. If it be an art it is the art of telling a story simply and convincingly. Nobody knows more about the strong qualities of an establishment than the proprietor who oversees it. Other things being equal, nobody should be able to write more convinc ingly of tlie articles he of fers for sale. c i 4 « f In a store where the employer sells goods side by side with his clerks it is rare that the employer will not be the best salesman. The reason issimple. He knows the goods from A to Z. He probably has pur chased them. He knows his aims. His arguments carry weight because they are convincing. The same arguments pre sented in the same way, with the same enthusiastic spirit, the same knowledge of detail, would attract new customers if presented through the advertising col umns of this paper. If yon have not tried it, why not begin? If yon have tried it and are not aatia- fied, let u know about it Announcements : I hcroby announce niysvif a candidate for Sta'f Senator, subject to the rules of the Democratic prlmarv. Thus. H. Butler J hereby offer myself as a candidate for re elect ion to the State Senate, subject to the action of the Democratic primary'. it. O. Saukatt. Die friends hf Dr. John (j. Black announce him a candidate to represent Cherokee coun ty in the State Senate. At the earnest solicitation of numerous friends I have consented to make the race tor tlie Legislature, and therefore announce myself a candidate, subject to the action of the Democratic primary. C. W. W h i sox ANT. 1 am a candidate for the Legislature, sub ject to the Primary election. J. C. Otts. I announce myself a candidate to repre sent Cherokee county in the Legislature and pledge myself to abide by the action of the Democratic primary. W. Judson Saukatt. Having the best interests of the people of Cherokee county at heart and feeling sure that 1 could benefit them were I in a position to do so, I respectfully offer myself for their consideration as a candidate for the House of Representatives and beg them to give me their support, subject to the action of the Democratic primary election. Respect- fully. W. D. Kikby. Haying endeavored at all times and on all occasions to do my full duty and give en tire satisfaction to the public at large. ] hereby announce myself a candidate for re- election to the office of Clerk of Court of Cherokee county, subject to the Democratic primary, and i promise, if re-elected, to con tinue to render the same efficient service that I have so endeavored to do in t he past. J. Kb. JerriSKtr.s. 1 hereby announce myself a candidate for tlie office of Clerk of the Court for Cherokee county, subject to the action of ihe Demo cratic primary. W. W. Gaffney. Tlie many friends of W. H. Ross, recogniz ing Ids ability and integrity hereby present his name as u suitable and efficient candidate for the office of Clerk of Court of Cherokee County, subject to the action of the Demo cratic primary. I hereby announce myself as a candidate for the office of Clerk of Court of Cherokee County and respectfully solicit the support of the voters of tlie county in the approach ing Democratic primary. Ben F. Bonner. i hereby announce myself as a candidate for Treasurer of Cherokee county subject to the action of the Democratic primary election. Will M. McCraw. 1 hereby announce myself a candidate for tlie office of Treasurer of Cherokee county, subject to the Democratic primary election, t John E. .1 effekies. I hereby declare myself a candidate for the offi, e of County Treasurer, subject.to the action of the Democratic primary. \V. Harry Goodtng. I hereby announce myself as a candidate for Treasurer of Cherokee county, subject to the action of tlie primary election. W. Ernest Peeler. 1 hereby announce myself a candidate for Supervisor of Cherokee county. Wm. (Chris) Phillips. I hereby announce myself a candidate for the office of Supervisor of CiierokeeCounty subject to Hie action of the Democratic pri mary. James J. Gaffney. I hereby announce myself a candidate for re-election to the office of county Supervisor of Cherokee county, suliject to the action of tlie Democratic primary. J. V. WllELCHEL. I hereqy announce myself a candidate for the office of Supervisor of Cherokee county, subject, to the action of the Democratic primary. W. G. Austell. I hereby announce myself a candidate for Supervisor of i 'herokee county subject to the action of the Democratic primary. D. C. Philltps._ The many friends of R. M. Jol ley earnestly request him to run for tlie office of Super visor of Cherokee Conuty, believing itim to be well qualified for the place, and that it will be to the interetsof the public, to elect him, and believing he will take a pride in making good roads. Many Voters. 1 hereby announce myself as a candidate for nomination for the office of Sheriff of Cherokee county,subject to the action of the Democratic primary. R. P. Sc it it (fog. 1 hereby announce myself a candidate for re-election to tlie office of Sheriff of Ciiero kee county, subject to the action of the Democratic primary. W. W. Thomas. At the solicitation of friends 1 liereby an nounce myself a candidate for the office of Sheriff of Cherokee county, subject to the rules governing the Democratic primary. B. Frank Camp. I liereby announce myself as a candidate for Auditor of Ciierokee county, subject to the action of tlie Democratic primary. KimseyO. Huskey. I hereby announce myself as a candidate for Auditor of Ciierokee county, subject to tlie action of the Democratic election. George W. Brown. Having been assured by my friends that 1 have given general satisfaction and having a clear conscience of having done my duty since I have been In office. I hereby an nounce myself a candidate for re-election to the office of Auditor for Ciierokee county. Thanking my friends for their confidence and support, in the past and most respectfully asking a continuance of their coniUlence and support 1 1 shnli strive never to betray or impair i ho confidence imposed in me. W. 1). CAMP. I hereby announce myself H candidate for tlie office of Probate Judge of Cherokee county, subject to tlie actioc of the Demo cratic primary and respectfully solicit the support of the good people of Cherokee. Will D. Thomas. I am a candidate for re-nomination for Probate Judge of Cherokee county, subject to tlie Dene cratic primary, and respectfully solicit vour suffrage. J. E. W>cster. 1 hereby announce myso f a candidate for the office of .superintendent of Education, subject to the decision of the Democratic pirty. J. L. Walker* 1 announce myself as a candidate for re- election to Hie office of Superintendent of Education, suliject to the action of the De- moeratlc primary. W. F. McArthur. 1 am a candidate for Coroner of Cherokee county. I know my ability to discharge the duties of the office and 1 ask the Democrats of Cherokee to elect me. I will abide by the deelssion of the primary-election. John O. Tate. At tlie request of my friends I hereby an nounce myself a candidate for Coroner of Cherol.ce ci uidy. suliject to the rules of the Democratic primary election, and if elected will always strive to do my duty. J. H. Huepe. The many friends of R G. Ray hereby an nounce lilin a candidate for tlie office of Coroner, knowing him to be competent in every respect to discharge the duties of said office and that lie will be governed by therales of the Democratic primary election. Many Voters. I hert by announce mys»lf as a candidate for Coroner of Ciierokee county, subject to the rules of the Democratic primary Preston Wood. 1 am a candidate for Coroner of Cherokee county and will lie governed hy the rules of Hie Democratic party. Bert Hallman. 1 hereby announce myself a candidate for re-election to the office of Coroner of Chero kee county, subject to tlie rules of the De mocratic party. John S. Vinesbtt. I respectfully announce myself a candi date fur tlie office of Coroner of Cherokee county, subject to the Democratic primary, and I promise, if elected, to faithfully dis charge tlie duties of tlie office R. F. Spencer. I hereby announce myself a candidate for the office of Coroner of Cherokee county, subject to the rules of Hie Democratic primary. J. Mat Ali.u-on. The many friends of M. C. Parker liereby present his iiittnc as a sult'ible and i Iff. lent candidate for the office of Corom r o' Chero kee county, subject to the actiou of tm D.-- mocratlc primary. T announce myself a candidate fo» v* vw. trate of Gowoeyvllie Township, -uliji • i to the action of the Democratic n hn Aug. 16th, it-pd. C. L> V Lm g.