Connecticut western news., 1891-02-04


 give testimony to show that there is no happiness outside of Christ, while there is great joy in his service. There are young men who have not been Christians more than two months who would stand up tonight, if l should ask them. and say in those two months they had more joy and satisfaction than in all the years of their frivelity and dissipation. Go to the door of that gin shop to night, and when the gang of young men come out ask them whether they are happy. They laugh along the street. and they jeer and they shout, but nobody has any idea that they are happy.
 could call upon the aged men in this house to give testimony. There are aged men here who tried the world, and they tried religion, and they are willing to testify on our side. It was not long ago that an old man arose in praying circle and said: Brethren. lost my son just as he graduated from college, and it broke my heart; but l am glad now he is gone. He is at rest, away from all sorrow and from all trouble. And then, in 1857, I lost all my property, and you see am getting old, and it is rather hard upon me; but am sure God will not let me sui fer He has not taken care of me for seventy five years now to let me drop out of his hands," .s.... ....
 went into the room of an aged man, his eyesight nearly gone, his hearing nearly gone, and what do you suppose he was talking about2 The goodness of God and the joys of religion. He said: II would like to go over and join my wife on the other side of the food. and l am waiting until the Lord calls me. I am happy now shall be happy there. a9 ..l .f g.. ao.s .
 What is it thas gave that aged man so much satisfaction and rest Phys ical exuberance2 No; it has all gone. Sunshine He cannot see it. The voices of friends He cannot hear them. It is the grace of God, that is brighter than monday and that is sweeter than music If harpist takes harp and finds that all the strings are broken but one string. he does not try to play upon it. Yet here will show you an aged man. the strings of whose joy are all broken save one, and yet he thrums it with such satisfaction, such melody that the angels of God stop the swift stroke of their wings and hover about the place until the music ceases Oh, re. u of orfD and all her paths are peace. And if you have not the satisfaction that is to be found in Jesus Christ l must tell you, with all the concentrated emphasis of my soul. ''One thing thou lackest." CHRIST CALLS YOU TO USEFULNESS. remark, again, that you lack the element of usefulness Where is your business2 You say it is No, 45 such a street. or No. 260 such a street, or No 300 such street. My friend immortal your business is wherever there Is a tear to be wiped away or soul to be saved. You may. before going to Christ, do great many noble things
 You take loaf of bread to that starv ing man in the alley, but he wants i'm mortal bread. You take a dozen of candles to that dark shanty. They want the light that springs from the throne of God, and you cannot take it because you have it not in your own heart. You know that the flight of an arrow depends very much upon the strength of the bow, and l have to tell you that the best bow that was ever made was made out of the cross of Christ. and when religion takes soul and puts it on that, and pulls it back and lets 1t fly, every time it brings down a Saul or Goliath.
 There are people here of high social position, and large means, and cultured minds. who, if they would come into the kingdom of God, would set the city on fire with religious awakening. Oh. hear you not the more than million voices of those in these two cities who are unconverted2 Voices of those who in these two cities are dying in their sinsa They want light. They want bread. They want Christ They want heaven. Oh, that the Lord would make you a flaming evangell As for myself, I have sworn before high heaven that will preach this gospel as well as can, in all it's fullness, until every fiber of my body, and every fac ulty of my mind, and every passion Of my soul, Is exhausted But we all have a work to do. cannot do your work, nor can you do my work. God l points us out the place where we are to serve, and yet are there not people in this house who are thirty, forty, fifty, and sixty years of age, and yet have not begun the great work for which they were created? With every worldly equipment, One thing thou lackest. !" Again, you lack the element of per sonal safety. Where are those people who associated with you twenty years 1 ago2 Where are those people that fiji teen years ago used to cross South ferry or Fulton ferry with you to New York7 Walk down the street where and see how all the signs have changed. Where are the people gone2 How many of them are landed in eternity cannot say, but many, many. I went to the village of my. boyhood. The houses were all changed. passed one house in which once resided man who had lived an earnest, useful life, and he is in glory now. In the next house a miser lived. He devoured widows houses, and spent bis whole life in trying to make the world worse and worse. And he is gone-the good man and the miser both gone to the same place. An, did they go to the same place2 It is an infinite absurdity