, 1876-06-25
What Eabbakuk Meant by His
Remarks About
Treating.
Notcs and Personals at Home and
kbroad---Church Services
To-Day.


some conceptions of the life Of beings in the
planets, when VIC find that they exist under con-
dtIous and laws similar to our own with light,
auda::nospherc, and recurring seasons, to sus-
tain tic vital functions; infcrring that like our
selves they have eyes to see, cars to hear, and
l1res to breathe with, and blood circulating
through their systems, and minds todrect their
material organizations. But If TIC knew planet
to be inhabited whicl, had not light, and
warmth, and air, the manner Of the existence of
the inhabitants would be incomprchensible to
rs, But VIC have the highest Of all author
ity and the best of all evidence that
there Is another and higher state Of cx-
isteaco in which wc have an interest than the
natural one in which TIC now are, and that there Is
amora responsibility bound up with it; and that
evidence is the word Of God. Aswe could not have
ccnprchendcd this matter If told us in language
purely celestial. and illustrations only spiritual,
terms adapted to our experience are used; and
by sucl we arc told that this outside world, that
compasscs all other worlds, is the Kingdom OF
HcaScn.
Into that kingdom we are invited to enter,
blood cannot inherit Immortality, which God
has besto@cd upon this kingdom. But door,
has been opened and way has been prepared.
Christ said. =" am the Door, am the Way.'
This 'Kinelom Of Heaven" is referred to in
the text It is made the subject Of parable,
toned to teach and illustrate divine and spirit
ual truths. at is like a certain King which
made marriage for his son,n says tic text.
The Kingdom Of Heaven Is, then, like a we'd
now, and inherit it, and enter into it when we
shall leave this world, is like an invitation to at
tend a wedding. The possession OF it may also
be compared to the marriage state. The COM
pa1ison is susceptible Of many phases: Christ,
th Tao e way of IT. naS s1ySG n
earthly symbol Of the Kingdom, is called
Christ's bride. The figure. Of the acceptance
Of the life Of immortality in blessed
ness, which Christ came into the world to offer
made JOYOUS one, one in which human beings
delight aud prepare for, as the acme Of human
deligl.1 and happiness. To be married is the
consunln,aton Of all youthful hopes and expcc-
of The anticipations II life. To it youth looks
forward with joyous expectation; and age turns
back to behold with satisfaction, in the survey
Of the Journey Of 4 life, as 1t approaches pros
porous end, the fulfllmcnt in it Of the great
purpose Of this temporal existence
Il is important to note the style in which Christ
made His mission known, and laid 1t before hr-
manity. In the old dispensation commands
we're given The Lord thy God hath said it.
The Lord commands. But Christ invites. Men
They arc not carried like slaves, as the negroes |
we're taken from Africa to America; but the in- |
dncemcnts Of better country are offered to in
auence voluntary immigration. Therefore the |
phrase Of the communication Is not often in the
form Of IN order to 20. But the form is, |
"Co,ne-come unto Me" People arc solicited; |
thcy arc invited into the Kingdom; they are ill., |
ritcd to submit And thus it is said to the !
weary and oycrburdened: "Come unto Ne and
will giye you rest; cast your S burdens zen upon
And also the Wandcrcr is invited to return; the |
hungry to come and take bread, the thirsty to |
come and take the water OF life, both to drink
Eatcr and cat bread, Of which, they cat and
Il they are in darkness, they are invited to conc
to Christ for light; and, being dead even, are
invited to COME to Him tor life. Such is the
nature Of the relation between Jesus, tile
Savior, and humanity. He never asks any to
come for anything. that is not blessing to
merely gratifes Him OF contributes to His
personal pleasures. How very different from
III the Invitations VIC get from our fcllow-men
md from all earthly potentatcs! All these to
of life If they were not offered to us freely
without price, we should all struggle hard to OBJ
tsin them by our own efforts.
And here in the present instance, and in the
lom Of the text, we are all freely invited to the
Of Heaven, It Is said, is like unto certain King,
which made marriage for his son. The Sun is to
Be married. The wedding and coming unto
this wedding =. is like the Kingdom
parable Jesus s sis is made the King's son. The place
d the Jews, in the heavenly dispcnsation, is
briefly alluded to, as if they were the guests
specially invited. But they made light ot it, as
they did of tile labors OF Jesus among them.
Forld. All that world arc invited to come in,
however low their condition. There was no dis
Enction in society at that marriage OF the Kings
son. Such marriage in the world IS always
great state occasion, and few only, and OF
proper social standing with royalty, are invited.
u any royal country, the Iabble would
iush to sec the interesting ceremony per
Eo:med
The Invitation to a wedding Is simple matter
= q grace. No man is under any obllgation to to
[nFte single person to see his son married 1t
= !: considered favor and compliment to be IN
s!ttel. And when invited every one will esteem
Il i privilege aud pleasure to be present. AS
nc world goes, everybody delights to attend
and happy hearts. 1t is dis
espect to the occasion. and to all on whose
ssor the invitation is accepted, to bring to tue
a,eadips ,os any. of the sorrows OF ilie. Il
~ ~ harc them, leave them oehind,
:room and the bride. To treat lightly. such an
irritation, is the highest inlignity. We could
aaiuly expect to remain friends with family
ater sco17ling an invitation to wedding There
oe 1t is With sincere regrets, expressed in form
ed1 notc or otherwise wien VIC are not able to at
s,a eoa IN Invitation to wedding in the house ot
u ur ueishbor. So this picture teaches US, when
a e behold in it that the King Of Heaven has e1-
saaed to us an invitation to His SONS wedding, {
xnat Light We stand to that invitation. In .
;4 ae hrst place. He was under no obligation to in
:. &c us:.it was pure matter Of grace; ]
- confer no favor on the King | t
hea7en By accepting 1t. It is all for our graft
ston ,hou and happiness that He has extended to
that great favor. What shall We say, then, E
ourselves if wc reject it, treat It lightly, or
:;. = no hSed to it, but forget it: Shall we te
..eent Il VIC forget it! Dare we commit such !
mdlgrity as to refuse when invited to attend
= :, Welding Of the Kings son! S
i me Invitation is extended to all. But it Is d
sat that the King should prescribe some con- a
=! IONS On which the invitation should be ac- =
T. Med- This is required BY his own dig, y
y. Respect also to the assembled u
tests required that ill should come IN Il
Proper manner and in a BETTING costume. pI
ae royalty of this world especially on state oc-
sons, requires that it be approached In proper {: