The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-07-11

things. What Jesus had just been say
ing about making a dinner for the poor.
Blessed. Or happy.-Kingdom.
The good time coming of divine rule to |
which Israel was ever looking forward.
Unto him. AS shedding Instruction.
A certain man. Doubtless not the king |
described at Matt. % 2. Compare
A great supper. A rare treat. Babe
many. Llrge companies were invited to
these feasts.
Sent his servant. It is customary in
the East to send a second SUMMONS.
Several things conspire to make this nee
essary, (D b houses are not large
enough to accommodate the guests while
they wait. (2) It is impossible to tell
beforehand just when the feast will be
fully prepared. (3) Even if the hour of
the day were approximately known be-
fore hand. t~ime-pieces are not kept, and
announcement would be necessary
Come. Like the bell summoning to the
table.
, With one consent. Or, from the first
excuse. Or beg off. It is
this same wordthat occurs in the passage,
that speaketh "A piece of ground. A
renl estate venture. -Havem me excused.
Implying q previous invitation and cor
responding obligation.
Five yoke of oxen. A large business
transaction, a wholesale MERCHANT, 80 to
speak. But why such large purchases q,
the very inst mt when the call to the ban
quet was momentarily expected.--
Prove. Or, try.
Married a wife. Social engagements.
Sometimes the wedding ceremonies were
very elaborate and prolonged-Cannot
come. This one seems to speak as if the
mara poopt;op - III, ,,0k;olo ;o ,,,a:o;aok
excuse.
1 say to you. Solemn stltement.-
Bidden. Those who had refused
Taste. A strong expression.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the
kingdom of God. So easy to say. It
sounds very much like one of the good
sayings that, on unmeaning lips, pres
emily become cant. Roll on, great and
glorious gospel" cries the camp-meeting
devotee, and, in the ecstasy of his present
emotion, he does not see the collection
box under his nose. Not he; his eyes are
shut and he is faraway. He is like Sam
Jones little steamboat, that always
stopped running when it blew it's whistle,
so tremendous was the blast. If this
man thought so much of the bread of
heaven, why was he not partaking Of it
here and now? For this is eternal life,
that they might know thee, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent"
With one consent begant to make excuse.
Here is n place where oil the world is
agreed. 1t is unanimous in its excuses.
0, if only the church were as united
for aggression as the world is
for defense. And yet what miserable
apologetics! We try to find a reason for
| fha aycnsao nroo1 We povor shall Lo
able. They were absurd on the face of
them. And here is the point of the para
BILE, the miserable inconsistency of men.
their wretched folly regarding eternal
life. Too busy to eat. Too hurried to
be saved. The Roman actor cried, 20,
Celum!"-O, Heavens-and pointed
downward. His fastidious auditors
hooted the solec:sm. Behold men to-
day talking about their highest interests,
and then pointing to the earth. Was
ever greater vanity!
Come, for all things are now ready. It
is rs some one has said, supper time
supper! Have we a better picture than
this of the present crisis in the Christian
dispensation? The gospel feast is spread,
the doors are open, the whole world is
invited. Why, then, are not all eating?
Some one is not ready. If it is not the
host, who can it be but the guest? Hear
him. II have bought q piece of ground"
Land poor, indeed, since he will allow
it to render his heaven forfeited. "Five
| yoke of oxen" And he is letting them
drag him downward. He is not the only
man on whom business has a heavier
draft than religion. Married a wife"
What better wedding banquet than the
gospel feast? Heaven all ready. Only
poor, hungry man unready.
Go out quickly. 1t is time for celebrity.
Quickness of movement is desired. THE
Kings business requireth haste" You
recall that word of the angel at the
tomb's mouth, go quickly and tell his
disciples" A tagging, lettering embas-
sage could not have executed that COM
mand. There were the disciples in the
depths of dependency. They needed
help right away. The messenger must
go quickly. We have been much i'm
Acts, where Cornelius and Peter, the
GENTLE and the Jew, are brought to-
gether. And now send men to Joppa."
said the angel, and call for one Simon"
The messengers have hardly departed
ere Cornelius has with remarkable
promptness despatched his men on their
enjoined Grand. Now see the impor-
lance Of their celebrity. Travelling rap
idly, they are the next day right at the
gate when Peter, awaking from his own
trance, is asking himself the meaning of
it. And for an answer @the Spirit said
unto him, Behold three men seek thee"
God had made things ready at both ends
of the line, and quick movement was
necessary that connection might be made.
Now he points to a heather world pre-
pared, and says, go quickly" To 60
idly, indolently, may be to lose all.
Compel them to come in. 1t is q time
for urgency. We are to lay, as it were,
swift and strong hands on men, and CON-
pei them to come in. Now, what do we
mean by this? Compulsory Christianity?
Yes and no. Not that sort which, prac-
ticed by the old Gallo chiefs, brought in
. nation in a day by the stroke of the
kings pen, and, as it were, by order of
congress. Not that sort which. practiced,
alas. to-day, registers the unwilling, oft
by order of its parents. Not this, nor
that. But q compulsion of persuasion, a
c%onstraint of love. We think this man
to be not far from the kingdom, and we
invite him to go with us in the way of
discipleship. Not he! We are offended
at his bluntness, and we drop him from
our prayer and endeavor. We are not
compelling such a one to come in. Here
is a teacher laboring along with seeming
~ an unimpressible pupil, here is q pas
tor following up careless parishioner,
here q Christian worker keeping on and
on with q friend beloved, using one ten.
der eptreaty after another until at last
the heart is yielded-this is Christian
compulsion. Christ bids us use it.
Next Lesson-1Taking up the Cross"
Luke IA: 1886.
Decks and Ships.
l 4 Gil. EgE-g i,