The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-17

cples; but Jesus said, "It is better for you that
/ 60 away Ibave wondered could anything be
better than Jesus2 Brother, back yonder, four
or five thousand, years ago, this old world
CROPPED in darkness and despair. They turned
their eager faces up into heaven and cried,
who art thou, thou Great Being that made
us alll We grope in darkness and
despair" And they bent their ears to catch
any whisper in reply, and all at once as they
bent their ears up into the darkness they heard
voice saying, II Am. !" They eot.an expression.
He said Il Am" 81 Am" sWe have heard His
voice. We have heard His name." BY and by
they CROPPED in darkness and despair, and years
and centuries wore away and they looked up
again and sad 'Tell us who Thou art, thou
Great Being of the universe" And they heard
the voice again. and God spake out of a cloud
and said, Il Am that | AM" And they said
Here is little more light He has spoken a
little more to us in our darkness and our gloom"
And finally, as the cloud gathered about the hum
bic Nazarene, they were all hushed In his pres
ence. And Jesus spake up and said. II am.
And they stopped and said, Hush;
listen, we have heard that before
light" And Jesus said 81 am the way. "Ah,"
they said. 'glory to God; we have been lost in
the wilderness for four thousand years and here
is highway and holy way that leads to God
and heaven. Oh, ye lost ones, of earth come and
walk in this pathway that leads up to heaven"
Listen; He is going to speak again: II am the
truth" Oh We men that have lived over
Swallowed by error all your life, you who have
followed falsehood and been mistaken and have
CROPPED in error long, here is the truth
at last, embodied in the blessed Son
Of God. Here is the truth. that
will make you free. Here is the truth that will
enlighten, that will burst the shackles from You,
that will make you wise unto salvation But
listen, Heis going to speak again. 81 am the
life" Oh, We dying millions. and We who peo-
pie the erave-yards and cemeteries of the earth,
here is life, eternal life to every one that be-
lieveth Listen; He is going to speak again: II
am the bread" Oh We hungry furnishing mill
ions, here is bread which, if a man eat he shall
hunger no more forever. Listen; He is going to
speak again: II am the water" Oh, We thirsty
ones of earth, come drink and be dry no
more forever. Listen; He speaks again:
II am the door" And the door means house,
home. and hospitality. and welcome Oh, We
wandering tribes of men, here is home, and
house. and welcome for you. [Cries of Amen
Oh, blessed Christ, Thou art. the way, Thou art
the truth, Thou art the life. Thou art the bread,
Thou art the water, Thou art the home of the
SOUL Oh, wilt Thou go, and canst Thou tell us
that there Is something better still for US than
home, and welcomed Jesus said: 81 am all
these, but it is expedient the best thing can do
for you is to go to my Father"-to 60 to my
Father! And that company of pray
upper chamber of Jerusalem and prayed
one day, and two days. and four days.
and six days, and nine days, and on
the morning of the tenth day. as they prayed
to Cox for tho endowment of power on high all
at once the blessed Spirit the third person of
the adorable Trinity. poised His wings and flew
right through the wounded side of the Son of
God and laid His wings in that precious blood,
and few to earth. and filled that upper chamber
like rushing. mighty winl. and Peter caught
the Divine Spirit. his lips caught fire, and he
ran down into the streets of Jerusalem. and
preached the one memorable gospel ser
mon, and wen three thousand souls to
Christ; and that blessed Spirit came with
the benediction of the Father. with the blood of
the Son. and with the great heart of the Trinity
to bless world and to save a world. Thank
God we live in the dispensation of the divine
spirit of grace. [Cries of amen. Every good
purpose, every good desire, every good intention
is born of this spirit Of grace and truth.
Brother. il God has given US His own testi-
mony Of himself, and given us His Son to die for
us, why then Jesus was to the Jew a stumbling
block, and to the Greek He was foolishness.
They did not understand His character. They
did not know what il meant. They did not know
what divine sacrifice taught the children of men,
And say to you to day. have walked out in
the hills of north Georgia in the morning before
daylight I have looked out on those hills and
valleys and SAW but the dim outline of an indis-
tinct picture; and hours later | walked out and
the sun had arisen upon the scene and bathed
hills and valleys in a perfect sea and flood of
light. And as looked out upon the valleys and
mountains. bathed in the light of the sun, l saw
beauties and splendors that my eyes never
looked en- before. But brother. yonder is that
cross. There it is with its victim. 1 look on
it, and / see but the dim outline of some
thing. / do not understand it. But when
the Holy Ghost arose on the cross and bathed it
in a sea of heavenly light, then saw indeed one
hanging on a tree in agonies and blood. He
fixed his languid eyes on me, near his cross |
stood. Sure never to my latest breath can for
get that look. It seemed to charge me with His
death though not word He spoke second
look He gave which said, freely all forgive;
my blood is shed that thou might live. A ran
som paid for you. And under the divine light of
the spirit of God Jesus Christ is the Savior Of
the world andmy own precious Savior. Amen.
Holy Ghost arise OH the cross tonight. Amen
And let this congregation OF men and women
see the Savior of men as they never have seen
Him before. This blessed spirit comes into the
world to WOO us, comes to beseech, to implore.
to coniure every man to be man of God. But
brother, hear me tonight. He comes to call yeu
to better lifes to nobler aims, to truer pur-
poses. and everywhere the spirit knocks at the
door Of the heart He would bid you come out
into the presence of God and into the sunlight
of heavenf VIII you hear the calf Will you
heed the call of that divine Spirit tonight?
Brother. brother. l have seen the spirit strive
with men and strive with men until could
almost hear the rustling of his retreating
wings. and almost hear the gates of mercy
they closed upon their hinges forever. Oh. you
may trifie with this preacher, and trifie with AL
these preachers, but warn you he that sinneth
persistently against the Holy Ghost shall not be
pardoned in this world nor in the world to come.
Oh. Spirit of grace lnger with us. enlighten us.
try us, WOO US and beseech us to come to a bet
ter life lament The Spirit says come.
Brother, know God is in earnest when He
comes to save world. He not only gave His
Son, and sent the divine Spirit to abide with us,
but He said the church, the bride, says come.
/ am sorry not better. The church of
God has never been what it ought to be. l am
sorry we have unfaithful men and women in the
church. am sorry there is an unfaithful broth
er upon the face of the EARTH But hear me,
my brother, hear me. You may say what You
please about u.s. but, thank God, the church of
Christ has never spent day without praying
for God to save poor lost sinners. We have been
earnest about that am sorry on your account
that have not lived better. have no doubt
every man of US will say on your
account and on your account, we
sorry our lives have not been more consecrated.
But hear me, my brother, however many mis-