Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-24
CHRIST AT THE pooR.


Notes Of sermon by George Macdonald,
from the text, "Behold l stand at the door
aud knock"
These are the words Of the one in whose
name We are gathered tonight. There are
some who are called after him to whom his
name is a mere sound. They are called
Christians, but Christ is not real to them. A
gulf of centuries intervenes between them
and him. The story Of his life comes to them
like legend.
My fSiends, wish l could sweep away
from your minds the fog of custom. wish
l could drive away the notion that many Of
you probably have, that stand to speak
tonight because it is my business to do so,
This is not 80, for | am not minister. l
speak this evening because want to speak
aud want to speak Of Christ because he is
to me the only Interpretation Of life.
have for years done as some Of you have
done have been pondering the old old
story Of the life OF Christ, and every year
the glory shines brighter; | see more beauty
and more TO attract me TO it. | am attract
cd because | SEQ in this man secret, and |
know--or at least think-that God has no
secrets which he intends to keep always, and
feel sure that may learn some Of Gods
secrets by learning Christ.
Christ has lived and died, and has left
but a short, brief story Of his life. We often
wish we had more, but, if we knew every
thing he said and did, we might not be any
better than we are. We have, however, the
author himself, and with him we may be-
come better acquainted, and in doing this we
shall certainly be made better. We ought
not to use the word "was" with reference to
Christ, for he is not being simply Of the
past. Indeed, he himself says I'll am with
you always" and in our text he says, "Be-
hold stand at the door and knock"
1t is not the perpexities Of the world
which trouble US so much, but the perplexi'
ties of our own souls. If the soul were right
all the perplexities would vanish. My friend,
do you think yourself all right2 Do you
think yourself as good as your friends think
you 2 Or, do you feel dissatisfied with your
self If you do see your own unworthinesl
l am glad. Better think yourself a worm
than think yourself fit to sit on throne in
your own glory. My friend, have y pic
ture of you in my mind which l wish to de
scribe.
see you alone in your own house a
night. The wind is bowling around your
dwelling. The rain is beating against thu
windows. The night is cold, and you arr
trying to make the FIRE burn, and you NEE
with very roor success. You have been liv.
ing good many years, and you have gath
cred very much which you call treasure
But this treasury does not make the FIR
burn; the frost crecps in and even you
heart is getting cold A tap at the door j
heard. You say, "Perhaps it is neighbor
but he can do nothing for me now" An'
yet, in spite of this thought, you open tn
door, but you find no one there, and yov
return to your house more lonely than ever
But the tap is heard again, and you ope
the door with the same result as before. An
still the tapping is heard, and then you re
member there is another door to your house
Ii has not been used for years, aud the ches
containing your treasures has been place
against it. The thought comes to you tina
this must be an important visit, and you tea
away the old chest from the almost forgotte
door, and there stands the one whom you
recognize as your only friend. He wants
stay with you, and he is willing to take any
thing you may set before him. You say to hin
Lord, have but little to offer thee hav
but very little love, but all have is thine
have been selfish, have been gathcrin
up these treasures, but they are Of no use t
me they do not satisfy me-" And the frien
sits down with you, and talks with you as
you and he were the only friends in tn
world. o my hearers, if this picture Of tn
coming of great friend is not true, it wi
have TO be true before that heart of your
can be at rest.
What is the best thing you have in tn
word2 Is it not friend whom you loy
and in whom you can trust2 Now, Just in
agne the best friend you can possibly hav
Make out, if you like, your highest idea
Let it be, if you will, your most gloriol
fancy. Let him be a man, hero n perfeC
: human being. My friend, he is standing
your door. Christ stands there, and he gil
this grand ideal he is all this to which
have referred and more in addition than yC
can even imagine.
o My friend, it you owned this entire Il
n public your. heart would not be full. Nc
: Their money, nor love, nor high standing wi
! fill it; for man made like God cannot
I. satisfied with anything less than God. Al
d let me tell you that the divine man-the h
g man God-stands waiting to satisfy 20
It VIII you not let him como in and take l
h his abode with you? o friend. hasten
a open the door for the ono who has been
d long waiting and then the King Of Glol
n will come in.-Adcance.