Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-03-04


Some men say IL is because they are weak
minded. l say il is because they have
quicker perception OF what is right
more ardent affection aud capacity
for sublimcr emotion. After the
women have received the Gospel then all
the distressed and the poor OF both sexes,
those who have no friends, accept Jesus.
Last OF all come the people OF afiluence
and high social position. Alas, that 1t is
sol
IL there are those here oday who have
been favored of fortune, or, as / might
better put il, favored of God, surrender
all you have and all you expect TO be TO
the Lord who blessed this queen Of Sheba.
Certainly you are not ashamed to be found
in this queens company. i am glad that
Christ has had his imperial friends in all
ages--Elizabeth Christina, queen OF Prus-
STA; Maria Feodorovna queen of Russia;
Marie, empress of France; Helena,
the imperial mother of Con-
stantine; Arcadia, from her great
fortunes building public baths in Constan-
tinople and toiling for the alienation Of
the masses; Queen Clotilda, leading her
husband aud three thousand of his armed
warriors TO Christian baptism; Elizabeth
of Burgundy. giving her jeweled glove to
among the distressed; Prince Albert,
singing Rock of Ages" in Windsor Castle,
and Queen Victoria, incognita, reading
the scriptures to dying pauper
/ bless God that the day is coming when
royalty will bring all its thrones, and
music all it's harmonies, and painting all
its pictures and sculpture all its statuary,
and architecture all its pillars. and con-
al t. IA N Of
the earth, in long line Of advance, frank
incense filling the air and the camels laden
with gold, shall approach Jerusalem, and
the gates shall be hoisted, and the great
burden of splendor saall be lifted into the
palace OF this greater than Solomon.
Again my subject teaches sme what is
earnestness in the search of truth. Do
you know where Sheba was. II was in
Abyssinia. or some say in the southern
part OF Arabia Felix. In either case IL
was "A great way off from Jerusalem. To
get from there to Jerusalem she had To
cross a country infested with bandits, and
go across blstering deserts. Why did not
the Queen OF Sheba stay at homo and
send "a committee TO Inquire about this
new religion, and have the delegates re-
port in regard TO that religion and
wealth of King So,omonl She wanted
10 see for herself aud hear for herself
She could not do this by work of COM
mittee She felt she hal soul worth
ten thousand kingdoms like Sheba and
she wanted robe richer than any woven
by Oriental shuttles, and she wanted IA
crown set with the jewels OF eternity.
Bring out the camcls. Put on the spices
Gather up the jewels of the throne aud
put them on the caravan. Start now; no
time TO be lost. Goad on the camels.
When i see that caravan, dust covered,
weary and exhausted, trudginy on across
the desert and among the bandits until it
reaches Jerusalem, | say, There is an
earnest seeker after the truth. 4"
But there are great many of you, my
friends. who do not act In that way. You
all want TO get the truth, but you want
the truth TO come TO you you do not want
TO go 10 1t. There are people who fold
their arms and say, II am ready to become
Christian at any time; if L am TO be
saved l shall be saved, and if am to be
lost | shall be lost" All Jerusalem will
never come TO you; you must go To Jeru-
salem. The religion of the Lord
Jesus Christ will not como 10 you;
you must go and get religion. Bring
out the camels, put on all the sweet
spices, all the treasures OF the hearts af-
lection. Start for the throne Go in and
hear the waters of salvation dashiug in
fountains all around about the throne. Sit
down at the banQuet-the wine pressed
from the grapes of the heavenly Eschol
the angels of God the cup-bearers Goad
on the camels; Jerusalem will never come
TO you; you must go to Jerusalem. The
Bible declares it: 1.-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: a greater than Solomon is
here" God help me TO break up the in
fatuation of those people who are sittin
down in idleneSs expecting TO be saved
Strive to enter in at the straight gate.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek. and
ye shall hud knock and it shall be
opened TO you" Take the kingdom Of
heaven by violence. Urge on the camels
Again, my subject impresses ms with
the fact that religion is surprise TO any
one that gets il. Tnis story of the new
religion in Jerusalem, and of the glory Of
King Solomon, who was type of Christ
that story rolls on aud on and is told By
every traveller coming back from Jerusa-
lem. The news goes on the wing of every
ship and with every caravan, and you
know a story enlargcs 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 "a ire
mendous story And yet this queen dc.
clares in regard TO it, although she had
heard so much aud had her antcipations
raised so high, the half-the half was not
told her.
So religion is always a surprise to any
one that gets it. The story of grace-an
old story. Apostles preac ed it with rattle
of chain; martyrs declared it VITA arm of
fire; death beds have affirmed it with WIS.,
ions of glory, and ministers of religion
have sounded it through the lanes, and
the highways, aud the clapels, and tho
cathedrals. 1t has been cut into stone
with chisel, and spread on the canvas VITA
pencil; and it has been reclted in the dox.
ology Of great congregations. And yet
Al