Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-04-05

he loves YOU TO the end. Did they not try TO
divorce Margaret, the Scotch girl, from Jesuss
They said: You must give up your religion"
She said; al can't give up my religion.
And so they took her down to the beach OF
the sea, aud they drove a stake at low
water mark, and they fastened her TO it, ex
pecting that as the tide came up higher and
higher, and to the girdle, and To the lip, and
in the last moment just as the wave was
washing her soul into glory she shouted the
praises of Jesus.
THE JOYS OF FORGIVENESS.
60 step farther and tell you that when
Christ receives II soul into His love lie puts
him the ring of festivty. You know that 1t
has been the custom in all age TO bestow rings
on very happy occasions. There is nothing
more appropriate for birthday gift than a
ring. Your delight to bestow such gift
upon your children at such time. 1t means
JOY, hllarlty, festivity. Well, when this old
man of the text wanted to tell how glad he
was that his boy had got back he expressed It
in this way. Actually, before he ordered san
dals TO be put on his bare feet, before he or
dered the fatted calf to be killed to appease
the boys hunger, he commanded: "Put
ring on hishand."
Oh it is a merry time when Christ and the
soul are united! JOY Of forgiveness What
splendid thing IL is TO feel that all is right
between me and God! What Il glorious thing
ii is 10 have God just take up all the sins OF
my life and put them in one bundle, and then
fling them into the depths OF the sea, never to
rise again, never 10 be talked OF again, Pol.
luton all gone. Darkness all illumined. God
reconciled. The prodgal home Put ring
on his hand"
Every day find happy Christian people.
find some of them with no second coat, some
Of them In huis and tenement houses, not one
earthly comfort afforded them; and vet they
are as happy as happy can be. They sing
Crock OF Ages as no other people in the
world sing it, They never wore any Iewelry
in their life but one gold ring, and that was
the ring OF Gods uudying affection.
RELIGIONS DEEP BLESSINGS.
o, how happy religion makes us! Did IL
make you gloomy and sad! Did you 20
with your head cast dOwnl i do not think
you got religion, my brother. That is not the
effect Of religion. True religion is JOY. "Her
ways are ways OF pleasantncss, and all her
paths are peace" WIZ, religion iightens all
our burdens. IL smOOths all our way. 1t in
terprels all our sorrows. 1t changes the jar
OF earthly discord for tue peal OF festal bells
In front OF the flaming furnace of trial ID
sets the forge on which sceptres IRE hammered
out. Would you not like tC day TO come up
from the swine feeding and try this religonl
All the joys of heaven would come out and
meet you, and God would cry from the throne:
Put ring on his hand"
You are not happy. | see II. There Is no
peace, and sometimes YOU laugh when you
feel great deal more Ike crying The world
is a cheat 1t first wears you down with its
follies, then 1t kicks you out into darkness.
IL comes back from the massacre of a million
souls to attempt the dcs ruction of your soul
to-day. No peace out of God, but here is the
fountain that can Stake the thirst. Here is
the harbor where YOU eau drop safe anchor.
age.
Would you not like, Task you-not perfume
torlly, but rs one brother might talk TO an.
other-would you not like to have pillow of
rest 10 put YOUR head onl And would you
not like, when you retire at night, To feel that
all Is well, whether you wake up TO morrow
morning at g O'clock or sleep the sleep that
knows no waliingl Would you not like to ex-
change this awful uncertainty about the
future for glorious assurance ofheaven.
THE ONLY TRUE ALLIANCE.
Accept OF the Lord Jesus to-day and all Is
well. II on your way home some peril should
cross the street and dash your life out, it would
not hurt you. You would rise up Immediate
". You would stand In the celestial streets.
You would be amid the great throng that for
ever worship and are forever happy. III this
day some sudden disease should come upon
you II would not frighen you. If you knew
you were going you could give n calm fare.
know that you are going right into the com
partnership of those who have already got be-
yond the toling and the weeping.
You feel on Saturday night different from
the way YOU feel on any other night of the
week. You come home from the bank or the
store, or the shop, and YOU say: "Well, now
my weeks work is done, and tomorrow Is
sunday IL is Il pleasant thought There IS
refreshment and reconstruction in the very
idea. o. how pleasant it will be If when we
get through the dav of our life and we go and
lie down IN our bed OF dust we can realize:
"Well, now the work is done, and tomorrow
Is Sunday-an everlasting Sunday"
Oh, when. thou city Of my God
Shall thy courts ascc I'D?
Where congregations uc'er break up,
And Sabpaihs have no end.
There are people in this house to-day who
are very near the eternal world. If you are
Christians, bid you be OF good cheer Bear
with you our congratulations to the bright city.
Aged men, who will soon be gone, take with
you our love tpr our kindred in the better
land, and when you see them, tell them that
we are soon coming.
ONLY ONE GREAT TEST
Only few more sermons to preach and
hear. Only few more heartaches Only
few more tolls. Only few more tears. And
then, what an enhancing spectacle will open
before us
Beautiful heaven, where all is light
Beautiful angels clothed In white,
Beautfui strains that never tire,
beautiful herps through all he choir;
There shall Join the chorus sweet
Worshlping at the Savios's feet.
/ approach you now with a general invita-
toD, not picking out here and there man. or
here or there woman, or here and there a
child; but giving you an unlimited invitation.
saying: "Como for all things are now readv."
We invite you to the warm heart OF Christ,
and the Enclosure of the Christian church.
know great many think that the church does
not amount to much, that it is obsolete; that
II did It's work and is gone now, so far as all
usefulness is concerned. 1t is the happiost
place | have ever been in, except my own
home.
know there are some people who say they
are Christians who seem To yet along without
any help from others and who culture solitary
piety. They DO not want any ordinances.
do not belong 10 that class / can not get
along without them. There are so many
things In this world that take my attention
from God and Christ and heaven that want
all the helps Of all the symbols and of all the
Christian associations, and | want around
about me solid phalanx of men who love
God and keep His commandments. Are there
any here who would like TO enter into thst
association Then by n simple chldlike faith
apply for admission into the visible church and
you Will he received; no questions asked about
your past history or present surroundings;
only one test-Do you love Jesusl
AN APPEAL TO ALL MEN.
Baptism does not amount to anything, say
great many people, but the Lord Jesus de.
clared: Gle that believeth aud is baptized
shall be saved" putting baptism and faith
side by side. And an apostle declares: Re
pent and be baptized, every one OF you" 1
do not sickle for any particular mode of bap-
tism, but j put great emphasis on the fact