The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-09-08

FIVE or six years before we can come
down and stand right beside the great
masses Of the people, learning ther joys,
sorrows, victories, defeats. We get our
heads 80 brimful Of theological wisdom
that we have to stand very straight lest
we spill over. Now, what do the great
masses Of the people care about the tech
nicalities of religion? What do they
care about the dypostatic union, or the
difference between sub-lapssrian and su'
pra.lapsarianP What do they care for
your profound explanation, clear as q
London fogP When a man is drowning
he does not want you to stand on the
dock, and describe the nature ofthe wa
ter into which he hasfallen, and tell him
there are two parts hydrogen gas and
one part oxygen gas, with a con mon
density of thirty nine Fahrenheit, turn
ing to ste m under common atmos.
ph, riC pressure of two hundred and
twelve. He does not want chemical
lecture on water, he wants rope. Obi
my friends tie curse Of God on the
church, it seems to me, in this day, is
metaphysics. We speak in an unknown
tongue in our Sabbath schools, in our re-
ligious assemblages and in our pulpits,
and how can people be sayed unless they
can understand Ut? We put on our Off
cial gowns, and we feel the two silk bal
looms Tapping at the elbows Of preach.
or give him great sancity. The river Of
Gods truth flows down before us pure
and clear as crystal; but We, take our the.
illogical stick and stir it up, and stir it
up, until you cannot see the bottom. Oh,
for the simplicity of Christ in all our in
struCtions -the simplicity he practiCed
when standing among the people; he
took lily and said: There is lesson
of the way l will Clothe you;" and then,
pointing to raven, said: "There is les.
son of tbe way l will feed you; consider
the lilies-behold the fowls"
l think often in our religious instruC-
tiOns we compel people to stay out by
our church architecture. People come
iu and find things angular and cold, and
they 60 away, never to come sgain;when
the church ought to be great home cir.
Gle, everybody having hymn book, Civ.
ing half OF If tn the one next him; every
one who has a hand to shake, shaking
hands-the church architecture and the
church surroundings saying to the peo'
pie: Come in and be at home" Instead
of that, think these surroundings often
compel people to stay out. Now, let us
all repent OF our sins and begin on the
other tack, and by our heartiness of af.
feCtion, and wermth of manner and i'm
ploration of the spirit of God, compel
The people to come in. How shall we do
il? l think we must certainly begin by
a holy life; we must be better men, bet.
ter women before we can compel the
people 10 come into the kingdom of Je.
sus Christ. There are fine essays being
written in this day about science and re-
ligiC N. l tell you the best argument in
behalf of our hUly Christianity. It is a
good man, good woman, life all con.
secrated to Christ No infGel can an.
swer it. Exhibit a Christian example,
and so by your Cody walk compel the
people to come in. think there i work
also in the way of kindly admonitlon. l
do not believe there is person in this
house tonight who, If fapproaChei in
kindly and gentlemanly mannrr, would
refuse to listen. If you are rebuffed it is
because you lack in tact and CONN on
sense. But oh, how much ineffective
work in the way of kindly admonition.
There are thousands Of men all around
you who have rever had one personal
invitation to the GLOSS. Give that one
invitation, ard you would be surprised
at the alaCrity with which they would
accept it. have friend, Christian
physician, who one day became very
anxious about the salvation IF brother
physician, and 80 left his Office and went
down to this mans cffice, and said, SIS
the doctor in2" mo" replied the young
man waiting; "the doctor is not in"
"Well," said the Christian physician
"when he comes in tell him l called, and
give him my love-" This worldly doctor
came home after while, and the mes
sage was given him, and he said within
himself what does he mean by leaving
his love for me?' And he became very
nervous and agitated, and he said after a
while, "Why, that man must mean my
+ loul, " and he went into bis back Office,
knelt down and began to pray. Then he
took his hat and went cut to the Office of
this Christian physician, and said, "What
can l do to be saved2" and the two doc
tors knelt in the Office and conn ended
their souls to God. All the means used
in that case was he voice of one good
man saying, Give my love to the doc.
tor" The voice of Kindly admonition.
Have you uttered it today2 Will you ut
ter it tomorrow? Will you utter it to.
nighl2 Compel them to come in.
1 think there is a great work also to be
done in the way of prayer. II we ha
faith enough tonight we could go before
God and ask for the salvation of all the
people here assembled, anu they would
al be saved, here and now, without a
single exception. There may be profes.
9ional men here, political men here,
worldly men here, men who have not
heard the gospel for twenty years; men
who are prejudiCed against the preacher;
men who are prejudiced against the mu
sic; men who are prejudiCed against the
church; men who are prtjudiCed against
God-I do not Care--they would come
n-you would compel them to come in.
D! for such an earnest prayer. People
Of God, lay hold the horns of the altor
tonight and suppliCate the salvation of
all those no sit in the same pew with
yOu--yea, the redemption of all who now
BIT in this house. What a momentous
hourI God helpl At the clio of re.
ligious service, and when the people had
all nearly left the building, a pastor saw
a little girl with her head boz ed on the
back Of the pew, and passing down the
aisle, he said to himself "The little child
has fallen asleep" So he tapped her on
The shoulder and said, "Tne service is
ovet." She said, II know 1t is over;
am praying, sir; am praying" "WelL,"
iaid the minister, "whatsoever ye ask of
God, believing, ye will receive" She
,aid, us that in the Bible9" "Yes," said
he, "there is prom Sc Of that kind in
,he Bible" "Well." she said, "let me
ice it," So he leaved over the Bible un.
Ill he came to the promise, and she said,
That's 80, is it2 Now, Oh, Lordl bring
NY father to this church tonight
While she wa praying her father passed
nto the door of the church, and csme
I I'm