Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-09


with ours. Power from on the level when
the religious and secular press forward our
Christian undertakings. But power from
on the level is not sufficient. Power from
on high is what we need 10 take possession
OF us Power straight from God. Super
natural power, Omnipotent power, all-con-
quering power Not more than one out Of
thousand of the ministers have it contin-
uously. Not more than one out of ten
thousand Christians have il all the time.
Given in abundance these last ten years OF
tho nineteenth century would accomplish
more for God and the church and the world
than the previous 80 years Of this century.
AS the power from on high in lS57 was
more remarkable in academies OF music,
and lyceum halls, and theatres than in
churches, why not this winter Of 1891 in
these two academies of music, places of
secular entertainment where we are during
the rebuilding Of our Brooklyn tabernacle,
so grandly and gracously treated by the
owners and lessons and lessees; why not
expect, and why not have the power from
on high. comforting power. arousing power,
convicting power, converting power saw
ing power omnipotent power? My opinion
is that in this cluster of cities by the Allan
tic coast there are 500, 900 people now ready
TO accept the Gospel call, if, freed from all
the conventionalities of the church, it We're
earnestly and with strong faith presented
TO them. In these brilliant assemblies
there are hundreds who are not frequenters
of churches, and who do not believe much,
if at all, in ministers Of religion or ecclesi-
astical organizations. But God knows you
have struggles in which you need help and
bereavements in which you want soace,
and prosecutions in which you ought 10
have defence, and perpleXities in which you
need guidance, and with a profound
thoughtfulness. you stand by the grave Of
the old year and the cradle OF the young
year, wondering where you will be, and
what you will be when trolling years shall
cease to move" Power from on high de-
scend upon them! Men of New York and
Brooklyn, l offer you God and heaven.
From the day you came TO these cities.
what struggle you have had! | can tell
from your carc-worn countenances. and the
tears in your eyes, and the deep sigh you
have just breathed that you want reinforce
ment, and here it is. greater than Blucher
when he reinforced Wellington; greater
than the Bank Of England, when last
month it reinforced the Earrings; namely,
the God who through Jesus Christ is ready
TO pardon all your sin, comfort all your
sorrows. scatter all your doubts, and swing
all the shining gates of heaven wide open
before your redeemed spirit. Come into
the Kingdom Of God! Without a half sec
ond Of delay, come in,
At the first communion after the dedica-
ton Of our former church three hundred
and twenty-eight souls stood up in the
ais.es and publicly espoused the cause of
Christ. AT another time four hundred
souls; at another time five hundred; and
our four thousand five hundred membership
were but a small part Of those who within
those sacred walls took upon them the vows
of the Christian. What turned them?
What saved them? Power from the level?
No. Power from on high.
The history of unanswered prayers for
you God only knows. They may have
been offered in the solemn birth-hour.
They may have been offered when you
were down with scarlet fever or diphtheria
or membraneous Group. They may have
been offered some night when you were
sound asleep in the trunde bed, and your
mother came in 10 see that you were right
ly covered in the cold winter night They
may have been offered at that time which
comes at least once in almost every ones
life, when your father and mother had
hard work TO make a living, and they
feared that want would come TO them and
you. They may have been offered when
the lips could no longer move and the eyes
were closed for the long sleep. O. unan-
swered prayers Of father and mother.
where are you? In what room Of the old
homestead have they hidden? o, unan-
swered prayers, rise in a mist Of many
tears into a cloud and then break in a
shower which shall soften the heart of that
man who is so hard that he cannot cry, or
that woman who is ashamed TO pray.
O, armchair OF the aged, now empty and in
the garnet among the rubbish, speak QUIT
O, staff of the pilgrim who has ended his
weary Journey tell of the parental ankle
ties that bent over thee o. family Bible
with story of births and deaths, rustic some
thy time-worn leaves, and let us know OF
the wrinkled hands that once turned thy
pages and explain that spot where tear
fell upon the passage: 30, Absalom, my
son, my son, would God / had died for
thee,"
Good and gracious God What will
become of us if. after having had such de-
vout and praying parentage, we never pray
for ourselves! We will pray. We will
begin now. oh, for the power from on
high, power to move this assemblage
power to save Brooklyn and New York,
power of evangelism that shall sweep
across this continent like an ocean surge,
power TO girdle the round earth with red
girdle dipped in the blood Of the cross. II
this forward movement is TO begin at all,
there must be some place for it TO begin,
and why not this place? And there must
be some time for 1t TO begin, and why not
this time? And so l sound for your ears
a rhythmic invitation, which, until few
days ago, never came under my eye, but it
is so sweet, so sobbing with pathos, so
triumphant with Joy, that whoever chimed
it, instead of being anonymous, ought to be
immortal:
Thy sins bore on Calvary's tree:
The stripes, thy due, were laid on me,
That peace and pardon might be free
o, wretched sinner, come.
Burdened with guilt, wouldst thou be
blest?
Trust not the world; il gives no rest;
/ bring relief 10 hearts opprest-
o, weary sinner, come!
Come. leave thy burden at the cross,