Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-01-10

COulu nave expected lHe nun nun WIS |
not told me-
Learn from this subject what a beautiful |
thing it is when social position and wealth
surrender themselves to God. When religion
comes TO "A neighborhood the first to receive
it are the women Some men say it is because
they are weakminded. say it is because
they have quicker perception of what is right,
more ardent affection and capacity for sub
liner emotion After the women have re-
ceived the Gospel then all the distressed and
the 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 favored
of fortune, or, as | might better put it, fa-
vored of God, surrender all you have and all
YOU expect to he to the Lord who blessed this
queen of Shcba Certainly you are not
ashamed to be found in this queens COM
panv. | am glad that Christ has had his
imperial friends in all ages Elizabeth Chris
tina, queen of Prussia; Maria Fcodorovna,
queen Of Russia; Marie, empress Of France;
Helena, the imperial mother of Constantine;
Arcadia from her great fortunes building
public baths in Constantinople and toilng
for the alienation of the masses; Queen Clio
tida, leading her husband and three thou
sand Of his armed warriors to Christian hap
tiSin: Elizabeth, of Burgundy, giving her
jeweled glove to a beggar and scattering
great fortunes among the distressed; Prince
Albert, singing Rock of Ages in Windsor
castle, and Queen Victoria, incognta, read
ing the Scriptures to a dying pauper.
/ bless God that the day is coming when
royalty will bring all its thrones, and music
ell its harmonies, and painting all its pic
lures and sculpture all its statuary, and ar
chitecture all its pillars, and conquest all its
scepters; and the queens of the earth, in long
line Of advance, frankncense filling the air
and the camels laden with gold, shall APP
proach Jerusalem, and the gates shall he
hoisted, and the great burden of splendor
shall be lifted into the palace of this greater
than Solomon.
THE KINGDOM or HEAVEN MUST BE SOUGHT
Again, my subject teaches me what is
oarnestness in the search of truth. Do you
know where Sheba wasl 1t was in Abys-
sinia, or some say in the southern part Of
Arabia Felix. In either case, it was great
way off from Jerusalem. To get from there
to Jerusalem she had to cross a country in
tested with bandits, and go across blisterng
deserts. Why did not the queen of Sheba
stav at home and send a committee to in
q,lire about this new religion, and have the
delegates report in regard to that religion
and wealth Of King Solomonl She wanted
TO see for herself and hear for herself. She
could not do this by work of committee.
She felt she had a soul worth ten thousand
Kingdoms like Sheba, and she wanted a robe
richer than any woven by oriental shuttles,
and She wanted n 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.
" hen see that caravan, dust covered, weary
and exhausted trudging on across the desert
and among tho bandits until IT reaches Jcru-
salem. ! say: "There is an earnest seeker
after the truth"
But there are great many who do not act
in that way. They all want to get the truth,
but they want tho truth to come TO them;
they do not want to 60 to it There are PEG
pie who fold their arms and say: Il am ready
to become a Christian at any time; if | am to
be saved shall be saved, and if | am to be
lost | shall be lost" But Jerusalem will never
come 10 you: you must go to Jerusalem The
religion of our Lord Jesus Christ will not
come to you; you must so and get religion.
Bring out the caluels; put on all the sweet
spices, all the treasures of the hearts alice
ton Start for the throne. Go in and hear
the waters of salvation dashing in fountains
all around about the throne Sitdown at the
banquet-the wine pressed from the grapes
of the heavenly Eshcol the angels of God the
cuDbearers tIoad ON the camelS The Bible
declares it: THE queen of the south that
is, this very woman | am speaking of-"the
queen of the south shall rise up in Judgment
against this generation and condemn it; for
she came from the uttermost parts Of the
earth to hear the wisdom Of Solomon; and,
behold! greater than Solomon is here ="
What infatuation the sitting down in idle
. ness expecting TO be saved Strive to enter
in at the strait gate. Ask and it shall be
/ given you, seek, and we shall find knock,
and it shall be opened to you" Take the
kingdom of heaven by violence. Urge on
/ the camelS!
Again. my subject impresseS me with the
fart that religion is a surprise to any one that
gets il. This story of the new religion in Je-
rusalem, and Of the glory of King Solomon,
who was type of Christ-that story rolled
on and on, and was told by every traveller
coming back from Jerusalem. The news
goes on the wing of every ship and with every
caravan, and you know story enlarges as it
is retold, and by the time that story gets
down into the southern part of Arabia Felix,
and the queen of Sheba hears it, it must be u
tremendous story. And yet this queen de-
clares in regard TO it, although she had heard
so much and had her antcipations raised 50
high, the half-the half was not told her.
THE CONVERTS JOYFUL SURPRISE.
So religion is always a surprise TO any one
that gets it. The story of grace-an old story.
Apostles preached it with rattle of chain
martyrs declared it with arm of fire; death
beds have affirmed it with visions of glory,
and ministers of religion have sounded il
through the lanes, and the highways, and the
chapels and the cathedrals. 1t has been cut
into stone with chisel, and spread on the can
vas with pencil; and it has been recited il
the doxology of great congregations. And
yet when a man first comes to look on the
palace of Gods mercy, and to see the royalty
of Christ and the wealth of this banquet, and
the luxurance Of his attendants and the
loyeliness Of his face, and the joy of his ser
vice. ho excaims with prayers, with tears
with signs, with triumphs: 'The half-the
half was not told meln
appeal TO those who are Christians. Com.
pare tho idea you had of the joy Of the Chris
tian life before you became Il Christian with
the appreciation of that joy you have now