The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-04-11

TEXT: "Ouer sheep Ihare ,chich are not
Of this fold."-John <, 16.
There is no monopoly in religion. The
grace Of God is not a nice little property
fenced OFF all for ourselves. 1t is not kings
park, at which we look through q barred
gateway, wishing we might go in and pluck
the flowers and look at the deer and the
statuary. It is Q fathers orchard, and there
are bars to let down and gates to swing open.
In my boyhood days, next to the country
schoo4house where I went, there was an
apple orchard of great luxuriance owned by
very lame man who did not gather the
apples, and they went to waste by scores of
bushels. Sometimes the lads of the school.
In the slnfulness of a nature inherited from
/ our first parents who fell through the same
temptation, would climb over the fence and
take some of these apples, and notwithstand-
ing the fact that there was a surplus, and
/ all going to waste, the owner of that orchard,
[ reckless OF making his lamenesS worse would
/ take after these lads and shout, "Boys drop
those apples or Ill set the dog ON your
Now there are Christians who have severe
guard over the Church Of God. They have
rough and unsympathetic way OF treating
outsiders. It is great orchard into which
God would like to have all the people come
and take the richest and the ripest fruit, and
the moro they take the better dc likes it,
But there are those who stand with a hard
and severe nature guarding the Church of
God and all the time afraid that some will
get these apples VIXEN they really ought not
10 have them
Have you any idea that because you were
baptized at eight months of age. and because
Fou have all your life been surrounded by
aaIlowed influences, You have right to one
Whoie side OF the Lords table, spreading
yourself out SO nobody else can sit thereS
You will have to haul in your elbows. for
there will comea great multitude to sit at
The table and on both sides Of you. You are
not going to have this monopoly of religion.
"Other sheep have which are not of this
Told"
Mcdonald, the Scotchman, has on the
Scotch hills great flock of sheep. Mcdonald
has four or five thousand head of sheep.
some are browsing on the heather, some are
IN the hills, some are in the valleys q few
are in the yard. One day Cameron comes
over to Mcdonald and says: Mcdonald, you
nave thirty sheep. l have been counting
them" ''Oh, no" says Mcdonald. "Ihaye
Tour or five thousand" "Ahp says Came.
ron, you are mistaken. have Just counted
hem: There are thirty" "Why," saws Nc.
Donald, do you suppose that is all the sheen
! have! have sheep on the distant hills and
n the valleys ranging and roaming every
There Other sheep have which are not Of
80 Christ comes. Here is Q group of
Christians, and there is a group Of Chris.
tians; here Is a Methodist fold. here is a
Presbyterian fold, here is Baptist fold. here
Lutheran fold, and we make our annual
natlstics and we think we can tell you Just |
now many Christians there are in the world, |
now many there are in the church, how |
many in all these denominations. We az. |
gregate them, and we think We are giving
an intelligent and an accurate account: but |
christ comes and He says: 'You have not |
counted them right. There are those whom |
you have never seen, those Of whom you
nave never heard have Ny children in all
parts OF the earth, on all the islands of the
sea, on all the continents in all the mount.
alns and In all the valleys. Do you think
tnat these few sheep you have counted ara
~ the sheep havef There is q great mul.
t!tuoe tnat no man can number Other
'heep have l which are not of this fold"
Christ in my text talks OF the conversion
81 the Gentiies as confidently as though they
mad already been converted. He sets forth !
The idea that His people will come from all
parts OF the earth, from all ages, from all cir
cumstances from all conditions s.Other
'heep have which are not of this fold"
In the first place remark the Heavenly
Shepherd will find many Of His sheep among
nose who are at present non-churchgoers.
There are different kinds Of churches. Some
lines you will find church made I'D only of
Christians. Everything seems finished. The
church reminds you of those skeleton plants
rom which by chemical preparation all the
yreenness and the verdure have been taken.
md they are cold and white and delicate and
beautiful and finished. All that is wanted Is
glass case put over them The minister on
he Sabbath has only to take an ostrich
Gather and brush OFF the dust that has &C. |
in the last six days of business
md then they are as cold and beautiful and
ielicate as before. Everything is finished
inished sermons, finished music, finished
architecture, finished everything.
another church Is like an armory. the
ound Of drum and fife calling more recruits
o the Lords army. We say to the appli-
ants, Come in and get your equipment.
Here is the bath in which you are to be
leansed. here Is the helmet you are to put on
cur head, here are the sandals you are to
Tut over your feet, here is the breastplats
'ou are to put over your heart, here is the
word you are to take in your right hand and
lght bis battle with. Quit yourselves like
men,"
Inere are those here. perhaps who say.
1T Is now ten, fifteen years since was In
he habit, tine regular habit, OF church going.n
know all about your case. l am going to
ell you something that will be starting at
ne nrst and that is that you are going to
,ecome the Lords sheep. oh Won saw
That Is impossible; you don't know nv Z
aSe; you don't know how far am from apy
hlnS OF that kind" know all about your
use. nave been up and down the world. '
Know why some OF you do not attend upon
'hfisoian services. foN :
1 90 further, and make another Announce.
ien' In regard to you, and that is. Won ar. Il
OF only to become hhe Lords sheep. but Won G
re gong 10 become the Lords sheer, This
our. Gods going to call you graciousiy by q
rs sp!rlt; You arr going to come into the D
U Sholl l.. q
luch Tor these VINO are Christians 7 baya b
reached to them hundreds and thousands of c
mes. The sermon that 1 preach now is go q
Is TO be chiefly for those who consider them.
lives outsiders, but who may happen to be p
the house, and the chief employment of ii