The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-06-29

THE WELL"
TExT-Genesis xxx. 8: eve can not
until all the hOcks be gathered together,
and till they roll the stone from the
wells mouth, then we water the Sheep"
The scene in MesOpOtamia, beautifully
pastoral. A we'll Of water is of great value
in that region. The fields round about
white with three fiocks of sheep lying
down waiting for the watering. hear
their bleating coming on the bright air,
and the laughter of young men and
maidens engaged in rustic Fepartee. L
look off and see other flOcks of sheep
coming. Meanwhile Jacob, a stranger,
on the Interesting errand of looking for
a wife, comes to the well. A beautiful
shepherdess comes to the same we'll. I
see her approaching, followed by her
fathers flock of sheep. 1t was a mem
orable meeting. Jacob married that
shepherdess. The Bible account of 1t is:
Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his
voice and wept." 1t has always been a
mystery to me what he found to cry
about. But before that scene occurred
them why they postponed the shaking Of
the thirst Of these sheep, and why they
did not Immediately proceed to water
them. The shepherds replied to the ef-
feet, I'VE are all good neighbOrs, and as
matter of courtesy we wait until all
the sheep of the neighbOrhOOd come up.
Besides that, this stone at the wells
mouth is somewhat heavy, and several
take hold of it and push it aside, and
then the buckets and the trOughs are
| filled and the sheep are satisfied. We
can not until all the flOcks be gathered
together, until they roll the stone from
the Wells mouth, then we water the
Sheep"
oh, this is a thirsty world Hot for
the head and .blistering for the feet and
parching for the tongue. The worlds
| great want is cool, refreshing, satisfy
| ing dTaught. We wander around and
we find the cistern empty. Long and
tedious drought has dried up the worlds
| fountains. Nearly nineteen centuries
| ago shepherd, with crook in the shape
of cross and feet cut to the bleeding,
explored the desert passages Of this
world, and one day came across well a
thousand feet deep, bubbling and bright
and Opalescent, and looked to the north
and the south, and the east and the
west, and cried out with voice strong
and musical that rang through the ages;
"HO, every one that thirsteth, come ye
to the waters"
Now, great flock of sheep to-day
gather around this gospel we'll. There
are great many thirsty souls. | Won
der why the lOcks of all nations do not
gather-why so many stay thirsty; and
while l am wondering about it my text
breaks forth in the explanation, eve
can not until all the flOcks be gathered
together, until they roll the stone from
the wells mouth, then we water the
sheep"
If herd of swine come to a well they
angrily jOstle each other for the prece-
dence. If drove of cattle come to a
well they hook each other back from
the water. But when a flock of sheep
come, though q hundred of them shall
be disappointed, they only express 1T by
sad bleating-they come together
peacefully. We want great multitude
to come around the Gospel well. know
there are those who do not like a crowd
they think a crowd is vulgar. If they
are pressed for room in church they are
positively impatient and belligerent.
We have had people permanently leave
| our church because so many other peO-
| pie come to it. Not so did these Oriental
| shepherds. They waited until all the
flOcks were gathered, and the more
| hOcks that came, the better they liked 1T.
And so we ought to be anxious that all
| the people should come. Go out into
the highways, and the hedges, and COM
pei them to come in. Go to the rich and
| tell them they are INDECENT without the
| Gospel of Jesus. Go to the poor and
| tell them the afiuence there is in Christ.
| Go to the blind and tell them of the
| touch that gives eternal illumination.
| Go to the lame and tell them of the joy
| that will make the lame man leap like
hart. Gather all the sheep off of all
the mountains. None so torn of the
| dogs, none so sick, none so worried,
| none so dying as to be omitted. Why
not gather great flOckp All Brooklyn
| in the flock. All New York in the flock.
All London in the flock. All the world
in the flock. This we'll of the Gospe! is
deep enough to put out the burning
thirst Of the twelve hundred millions Of
the race. Do not let the Church, by a
spirit of exclusiveness, keep the world
| out. Let down all the bars, swing open
| all the gates, scatter all the Invitations.
| ''WhOsoever will come, let him come"
Come, white and black. Come, red men
Of the forest. Come, Laplander, out Of
| the snow. Come, yPatagOnian, out of
the heat. Come in furs. Come painting
under palm-leaves. Come one, come all.
Come now. As at this well Of MesopO-
tamia Jacob and Rachel were betr0thed,
80 this morning, at this we'll of saliva
tion, Christ, our Shepherd, will meet
you coming up with your long fOcks Of
cares and anxieties, and He will stretch
out His hand and pledge you with affec-
tiOn, while all Heaven will cry out:
Behold, the bridegroom cOmethl Go
ye out to meet him."
You notice that this we'll of MesOpo-
tamia had stone on it, which must be
removed before the sheep could be wat
cred, and find on the well of salvation
O-day impediments and obstacles which
must be removed in order that you may
obtain the refreshments and life of this
Gospel. In your case the impediment is
pride Of heart. You can not bear to
come to so democratic fountain. You
do not want to come with so many
others. 1t is to you like when you are
dry, coming to town pump, as COM
pared to sitting in parlOr slipping out
of chased chaliee which has Just been
lifted from silver salveT. Not so many
publicans and sinners. You want to
get to heaven, but it must be in a
special car, your feet on Turkish otto
man, and band of music on board the
train. You do not wish to be in COM
pany with rustic Jacob and Rachel, and
to be drinking out of the fountain
where ten thousand sheep have been
drinking before you. You will have to