The Russellville Democrat., 1890-01-16

When religion comes to neighborhood, the first to receive it are the women. Some men say 1t is because they are weak-minded. say 1t is because they have quicker perception of what is right more ardent affection and capacity for sublimer emotion. After the women have received the Gospel then all the distressed and poor of both sexes, those who have no friends, accept Jesus. Last of all come the greatly prospered. Alas, that it is sol
 If there are those who have been fa- yored of fortune, or, as l might better put it, favored of God, surrender all you have and all you expect to be to the Lord who blessed this Queen of Sheba Certainly you are not ashamed to be found in this Queens company. l am glad that Christ has had His imperial friends inoall ages-- Elizabeth Christina, Queen of Prussia; Maria Feodorovna, Queen of Russia; Marie, Empress of France; Helena, the imperial mother of Constantine: Area dia, from her great fortunes building public baths in Constantinople and toil- ing for the alleyiation of the masses; Queen Clotilda, leading her husband and three hundred of his armed warriors to Christian baptism; Elizabeth of Bur gundy giving her jeweled glove to q beggar, and scattering great fortunes among the distressed; Prince Albert, singing Rock of Ages" in Windsor Castle, and Queen Victoria, incognita, reading Scriptures to dying pauper.
 I bless God that the day is coming when royalty will bring all it's thrones, and music all it's harmonies, and paint ing all it's pictures, and sculpture all its statuary, and conquest all its scepters, and the Queens of the earth, in long line of advance, frankincense filling the air and the camels laden with gold, shall approach Jerusalem, and the gates shall be hoisted. and the great burden of splendor shall be lifted into the palace of this greater than Solomon.
 Again, my subject teaches me what is earnestness in the search of truth. Do you know where Sheba was? It was in Abyssinia, or some say in the southern part of Arabia Felix. In either case 1t was great way from Jerusalem. To get from there to Jerusalem she had to cross country infested with bandits, and to cross blistering deserts. Why did not the Queen of Sheba stay at home and send committee to inquire about this new religion, and have the dele gates report in regard to that religion and wealth of King Solomon? She wanted to see for herself, and hear for herself. She could not do this by work of com mittee. She felt she had soul worth ten thousand Kingdoms like Sheba, and she wanted robe richer than any woven by Oriental shuttles, and she wanted crown set with the jewels of eternity Bring out the camels. Put on the spices. Gather up the jewels of the throne and put them on the caravan. Start now; no time to be lost. Goad on the camels. When l see the caravan, dust-covered, weary and exhausted, trudging on across the desert and among the bandits until it reaches Jerusalem, I say: "There is an earnest seeker after the truth.
 But there are great many who dc not act in that way. They all want to get the truth, but they want the truth to come to them; they do not want to go to it. There are people who fold their arms and say: ''I am ready to become Christian at any time; if I am to be saved shall be saved, and if am tobe lost I shall be lost" But Jerusalem will never come to you; you must go to Jerusalem. The religion of the Lord | Jesus Christ will not come to you; you must go and get religion. Bring out l the camels; put on all the sweet | spices, all the treasures of tho | hearts affection. Start for tho | throne. Go in and hear the waters | of salvation dashing in fountains al around about the throne Sit down al the banquet-the wine pressed from the grapes of the heavenly Eschol, thu angels of God the cup-bearers. Goad on the camels. The Bible declares it | "rhe Queen of the South"-that is, thi. very woman 1 am speaking of-"tht Queen of the South shall rise up il | judgment against this generation and
 condemn it; for she came from the ut | termost parts of the earth to hear the
 wisdom of Solomon; and, behold! . | greater than Solomon is here" Wha | infatuation the sitting down in idle
 ness expecting to be saved, 'Strive ts
 enter in at the straight gate Ask, ant
 it shall be given you; seek, and ye shal
 find; knock, and it shall be opened unt' you" Take tho Kingdom of Heaven b. | violence. Urge on the camels!
 | ait. Nsiff the fact that religion is surprise t'
 any one that gets it. This story of thu
 new religion in Jerusalem, and of thu | glory of King Solomon, who was a typ' ! of Christ-that story rolled on and on
 and was told by every traveller cominl | back from Jerusalem. The news zoe
 on the wing of every ship and witl
 every caravan. and you know stor,
 enlarges as tits retold, and by the tim'
 that story gets down into the southern part of Arabia Felix, and the Queen o
 Sheba hears it, it must be tremendou
 story. And yet this Queen declares il regard to it, although she had heard s'
 much and had her anticipations raised
 so high, the half--the half was not tolS her.
 So religion is always surprise to an.
 one that gets it. The story of grace
 an old story. Apostles preached it witf
 rattle of chain; martyrs declared it witt
 arm of fire; death-beds have affirmed i
 with visions of glory, and ministers O
 religion have sounded it through th'
 lanes, and the highways, and thu chapels, and the cathedrals. It hal
 been cut into stone with chisel an(
 spread on canvas with pencil; and i' | has been recited in the doxology o
 great congregations. And yet when [
 man first comes to look on the palacs
 of Gods mercy, and to see the royalty O
 Christ. and the wealth of this banquet
 and the luxuriance of His attendants
 and the loveliness of His face, and tn,