The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-07-27

or half a mile from the church. There are
people in our crowded cities who live a
thousand miles from the church. Vast
deserts of indifference between them and
the house of God. The fact Is we must
keep our respectability though thousands
and tens OF thousands perish. Christ sat
with publicans and sinners. But il there
comes to he house of Col n man with
marks of destination upon him people
throw DIP their hands I'm horror, as much
as to say: ISN'T 1t shocking?" Ho,y
these dainty, fastidious Christians in
all our churches are going to get
into Heaven l don't know, unless
they have an especial train of
cars, cushioned n uphols stored, each one
a car to himself! They can not go with
the great herd OF publicans and sinners.
U, we who curl your lip of scorn Mt the
fallen, l tell o plainly, il you had been
by the same influences, in
stead of sitting to-day amid tho cultured
and the elm and the Christian, you
would have been a crouching wretch in
stable or ditch, covered with filth and
nomination 1t is not because you are
naturally any better, but because the
mercy OF God has protected you. Who
are you, that brought up in Christian cir
N'SiCo ny Sni tlU IdI 6nIdR9,
you should be so hard on the fallen?
l think men also are often hindered from
return by the fact that churches are too
anxious about their membership and too
anxious about their denomination and
they rush out when they see a man about
to give up his sin and return to God and
ask how he is going to be baptized, wheth-
er by spripkliEg or by immersion, and what
l of a church lie is going to join. o,
my friends. II Is n poor time to talk about
catechisms, and Episcopal
liturgies. and Methodist love feasts aud
to a man that Is coming out of
the darkness of sin into tho glorious ipht
OF the Gospel. Whv, 1t reminds us of a
man drowning in the sea, and a lifeboat
puts out after him, and the man in the
boat says to thu man out OF the boat:
Now, II l get you ashore are you going
to live i'm my street?" First get him
end then talk about the non essen-
tials of re ligion. Who cares what church
he joins, il he only joins Christ and starts
for Heaven? o. YOU ought to have. nv
brother, an Illuminated face and n hearty
grip for every one that tries to turn from
evil way! Tax hold of the same boo k
him. though HE designations shake
the book, remembering that he that CON- |
Verteth a slime from the error of his ways |
shall save a soul from death and hide n
rultitude of sins.
Now. | have shown you these obstacles
ecausel want you to understand / know |
all the difiicu ties in the way; but | am |
low to tell you how Hannibal may scale |
The Alps and how the shackles mey be ur-
-iveted and how the paths of virtue for
may be regained. First of all, nv |
brother, throw yourself on God. Go to |
frankly and earnestly, and tel, Him /
these habits you have, and ask Him, IL |
here is any help in all the resources of |
o~mnipotent love, to give it to you. Do
not 20 with a long rigmarole people call
madeu up of ''ohs" and ''ahs0 and !
forever aud forever amen |" Go to God |
cry for helpi help! help. and il you |
an not cry for help just look and live. / |
emember in the war 1 was at Antietam
I'D said to n man: "Where are you
irtf" He made no answer, but held up
arm swollen and splintered. l sew
ere he was hurt. !
the simple fact Is when a man has n |
founded soul all he has to do Is to hold it |
p before a sympathetic Lord and get it |
called, 1t does not take any long prayer. |
lust hold up the wound. Oh, it is no small i
when q man Is nervous and weak |
IND exhausted coming from his evil ways. |
o feel that God puts two omnipotent arms |
round about him and says: Young /
nan, l will stand by you'll The mountains
lay depart ana Luu nIIIs be removed, Tut
will never fail you" And then, AS the
oul thinks the news is too good to be
and can not believe it and looks up in
iod's face, God lifts His right hand and
nkes an oath, an affidavit, saying: "As I
saith the Lord God, l have no pleas
re in the death OF him that dieth,"
he God for such q Gospel as thisi
"Cut the slices thin" said the wife to
he husband, "or there will no, be enough /
o go all around for the children; cut the
Ices thin" Blessed be Gcd, there Is a
ull loaf for every one that wants 1t; |
enough and to spare. No thin slices
It The Lords rable. / remember when the
Easter street hospital. in Philadelphia. |
vas opened during the war, a telegram
anne, saying: ''There will be three hun
ired wounded men tonight; be ready to
o take care OF them;" and from my
church there went in some twenty or
hirty men and women to look af or these
'oor wounded fellows. As they came,
ome from one part of the land, some from
no one asked whether this man
vas from Oregon, or from Massachusetts,, |
fromMinnesota. or from New ork. There
a wounded soldier, and the only ques-
ion was how to take off tle rags most
emily, and put OF the bandage, and ad-
the cordial And when a soul /
ONES 20 God He does not ask where you
anne from or what your ance Stry was.
Iealing for all your ,ounds. Pardon for
your guilt. Comfort for ali your
Then, also, / couns3l you. IL you want
0 get back, TO quit all your bad associa-
One unholy intimacy will I'LL your
)ul with moral distemper. In all ages of
ne Church there has not been an instance
here a man kept one evil associate and
'as reformed. Among The fourteen hum
red million Of the race not one instance.
70 home to-day, open your desk, take out
tier paper, stamp aud envelope, and
hen write a letter something like this:
MY old companions: start this day for
leaven. Until I am pei suaded you will
Din me In this, farewell"
Ihen sign your name and send the let
sr with the first post Give up your bad
OF give up Heaven. 1t is not
IN bad companions that DESTROYED a
ian, nor five bad companions, nor three
ad companions, but one. What chance
; there LOT that young man j saw along
street, four or FIVE men with him.
Ialtlng in front OF a grog shop, urging
i'm 70 go In, he resisting, Until after a
While they forced him to go inp II was a
night and the doors were left
pen, and saw the process. They held
lm fast, and they put the cup to his lips
they forced down the strong drink.
What chance Is there for such a young
lanp
1 counsel you also seek Christian adj
Ice. Every Christian man Is bound to
clip you. First of all seek God; then |
eek Christian counsel Gather up all the
hergies OF body, mind and soul, and, 3D.
ealing to God for success, declare this
ay everlasting war against all drinking !
ablts, all gambling practices, all houses !
I Sin. Half-and-half work will amount
D nothing; il must be- n Waterloo. Shrink |
ack now and yvu are lost. Push on and
GU are saved. A Spartan Ganeral fell at
very moment OF victory, but he dipped
Is finger in his W blood and wrote on n
ock near which he YVES dying: Sparta
as conquered" Though your struggle
} get rid OF sin may seem to be almost n
struggle you can dip your finger in
cur own blood and write on the Rock OF
.ges: Victory through our Lord, Jesus