The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-12-18

tion, and we must look out for our respecta-
bihty. Jesus Christ sat with publicans and
sinners; but, in some churches, il a man
unkempt in bis appearance, indicating that
he is morally disordered enters the building
people almost hold up their hands and say
us it not shockingl" These dainty, pune.
dllous Christians are in all our churches.
don't know how they will get to Heaven,
unless there can somehow be managed q
special train of cars, elegantly cushioned
and tspestried, and each one can have a car
all to himself They can't go with the vul-
gar herd of publicans and sinners. o, We
who curl your lips with scorn in the presence
of those who have fallen / tell You plainly
that If you had been subject to the same class
OF evil influences that destroyed them
instead OF standing today among the FORE
most for respec,ability, you would probably
have been a crouching wretch lying down in
a ditch or stable all covered with filth and
abcmination. 1t is not because you are no
better naturally, but because the mercy of
God has protected you. Who are you that
with pious ancestry and with all benef-
cent surroundings YOU should be SO hard in
your behavior against the fallen and the lost?
think We often repel the prodigal who
would return by our anxiety to bring them
into this or thai denomination of Christians
Don't go to talking about Presbyterian cate
| chism and Episcopalian liturgy and Metho-
/ ulsJ lONSp lcdSts W a WHO Wants 10 KNOW
| how to be emancipated. If we want to help
those who have strayed, we must take higher
| grounds and instead of being nxious for the
welfare OF this or that church or denomina-
ton, persuade him it is the soul we seek,
and not our own denominational advance.
ment. 1t is absurd when men are drowning
| in sin, before we get them ashore, to ask
| them what church they intend to go to-.
| That Is as senseless as though a man were
drowning and you put out in a lifeboat for
| him, and before you gave him help should
say, IF you ever get out in what street do
you propose to take up your residence?'
come now to the chief point of my dis
| course. L have said thus much only that
| may persuade the wayward that / know
| what their difficulties are: Now / am ready
to tell them how Hannibal may scale the
Alps; how shackles may be unriveted, and
/ how the path of rectitude, forsaken, may be
regaiDed. The first thing to do is to throw
their self on God. Go to Him frankly aud
| earnestly and justly. Tell Him how you
have these habiLs on you, aud that if in all
the resources of 0mnipotent love there is
any heip you want it. Don't go before the
Lord with any long rigmarole Of obs and
abs, but cry for help. II you can't speak a
| word of prayer you can look heavenward,
/ and that will do Just as well. / went into
| the hospital at Anlietam during the war,
| aud asked a man where he was hurt, and
he put out his hand, splintered and swollen.
| There was no need that he say any more.
| All we have to do is to go before God and
hold up in HIS sight, for His pity and com.
| passion, our wounded souls. Iu destitute
household, when a father at the table was
| cutting the bread, the mother said, "Cut the
slices thin, or there will not be enough to 60
all around" but the loaf that the Lord offers
the returning prodIgal is a large loaf like
| those in the miracle. which got larger the
L ma hrnLyaa off
Don't think that your reformation is i'm.
possible. Justice Edwards in his day re-
| corded the salvation OF 10000 drunkards.
God loves TO take hold Of case like you
| An engineer is not so much interested in 9
| bridge to be built across a small stream, but
| here is a great railway 10 be constructed
| tremendous chasms to be bridged, and high
| mountains to be tunneled or dug down. He
| feels that Is something worthy OF his genius
aud care. The greater the obstacle the more
intense the anxiety to overcome 1t. You
must also give up bad associations. You
can't maintain evil compsnIoDship and re
cover however strong your resolution. They
will make you drink. They will make you
swear. They will drag you down with them
| to bottomless perdition. Go home to-day,
open your wriung-desk and take out letter
paper, envelopes, aud city postage stamp:
and write this letter:
| Ny old mpanious, to-day L start for
Heaven; until 1 am persuaded that you are
willing 10 go the latter way must say fare
| well. Yours, respectfully.
One intimacy maintained with corrupt
companion will fill you with moral distem
| per. Seek CHRISTIAN counsel. III you find
10 other human ear willing to listen to the
story of your conflict, then come to me, and
with every power of my heart and every toi
of my hand, and every sympathy of my
nature, l will stand by you IN your attemp
at reform, and as hope at last for pardon O
my own sins and inIquity in the great day,
will not betray you. Grace omnipoten
alone is sufficient for your soul, but there i:
great Joy in Christian council. Gather W
all your energies of body, mind and soul
and make an appeal to heaven for success
proclaim to-day everlasting war against al
drinking habits, all gaming tables, all houses
of sin. Your struggle will be a Waterloo
that will decide tremendous destinies
Shrink back now and you are lost push on
and you are saved. A..Spartan soldier fell iI
the hour of battle, but dipped his finger In
his own blood and wrote on the rocks the
words. "Sparla has conquered" And though
the efforts you make for deliyerance amount
to a death struggle, you may write out In
your own blood the glorious announcement
of victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Il