Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-08-01
EXAMPLES Of Earnest Laborers.


the banks OF Monona lake near Madison,
Wis. II was a great gathering oil peo-
ple from all parts of the northwest HIS
text was Esther iv, II: who knoweth
whether thou art come to the Kingdom
for such time as this. ,
Esther. the Beautiful, was the wife OF
Ahasuerus, the ahominable. The time
had come for her 20 present petition
TO her infamous husband in behalf OF
the Israelitish nation, to which she had
once belonged. She was afraid 10 I'M
dertake the work. lest she should loose
her own life: but her uncle. Mordecat
who had brought her up, encouraged
her with the suggestion that probably
She had been raised up OF God for that
peculiar mission. who knoweth
whether thou art come to the Kingdom
for such q time as this: Esther
had her God appointed WORK
you and have ours. 1t is my business
to tell YOU what style OF people we
ought to be in order that we can meet
the demand of the age in which God
has cast our lot. II you haye come en-
Meeting to hear distractions discussed,
or dry technicalities OF religion glori-
fed, YOU have come to the wrong place:
but II YOU really would like to know
what this age has a right to expect, oil
YOU as Christian men and women, then
| am ready in the Lords name to look
YOU in the face. When two armies
have rushed into battle the officers OF
either army do not want philosophi-
cal discussion about the chemical pro-
perties OF human blood or the nature
Of gunpowder; they want some one 10
man the batteries and swao out the
gums. And now, when all the forces OF
light and darkness, of heaven and hell,
have plunged into the fight. 1t ls no
time to give ourselves to the definitions
and formulas and technicalltles ana
conventionalities OF religion. What we
want is practical, earnest, concentrated
enthusiastic and triumphant help.
What we need in the east you in WIS
consin need.
In the first place, in order to meet
the special demand OF this age, you
need TO be an Enthusiastically aggressive
Christian. OF half-and-half Christians
we do not want any more. The churcn
OF Jesus Christ will be better without
10000 of them. They are the CHIEF Cd
stacle to the church's advancement. 1
am speaking OF another kind OF Christ
ian. All the appliances for your be-
coming an earnest Christian are al your
hand, and there is straight path Tor
YOU into the broad daylight OF Gods
forgiveness. You may have come here
to-day the bondsmen OF the world, ana
vet before YOU 20 out of these doors you
may become the princes OF the LORD
God Almighty. You know what en-
citement there is in this country when
q foreign prince comes to our shores.
Why? Because it is expected some
day he will sit upon O throne. But
what is all that honor compared with
the honor to which God calls you-to
be sons and daughters OF the Lord Al
mighty; yea, to be queens ana kings
unto God? 'They shall reign with hun
forever and forever"
But, my friends, you need to be az
pressive Christians and not like those
persons who spend their lives in hug
cling their Christian graces and won
dering why they do not make any pro-
press. How much robustness OF health
would q man have il he hid himself in u
dark closet? A great deal OF piety o!
the day is too exclusive. 1t hides itself.
Il needs more fresh air, more out door
exercise. There are many Christians
who are giving their entire life to sell
examination. They are feeling their
pulses TO see what is the condition OF
their spiritual health. How long would
a man have robust physical health II ne
kept all the days and weeks and months
and years OF his life feeling his pulse
instead OF going out into active, earnest,
everyday work?
was once amid the wonderful. be-
witchinp cactus growtlIs OF North Car
olinA / never was more bewildered
with the beauty OF flowers, and yet
when would take up one OF these cac-
ii and pull the leaves apart, the
beauty was all gone. You could hardly
tell that It had ever been flower. And
there are great many Christian peo-
pie in this day just pulling apart their
Christian experiences to see what there
Ia in them. and there is nothing attract
i've left. This style OF self-examination
is Q damage instead OF an advantage TO
their Christian character.
o, my friends! II you want to have o
stalwart Christian character, plant 1t
right out of doors in the great field OF
Christian usefulness, and though storms
may come upon it. and though the hot
sun of trial may try TO consume 1t, 1t
viii thrive until 1t becomesa great tree,
in which the fowls OF heaven may have
their habitatiOn. l have no patience
with these flower pot Christians. They
keep themselves under shelter, and all
their Christian experience in small
exclusive circle, when they Ought TO
plant 1t In the great garden OF the
lord, 80 that the whole atmosphere
could be aromatic with their Christian
usefulness. What We want In the
church of God is more Drawn OF piety.
The century plant Is wonderfully sug-
Qestive and wonderfully beautiful, but
never look at it without thinking Of
its parsimony. It lets whole genera
lions 90 by before it puts forth one bios