The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-03-05

rouses up to see mis- sinfulness and he
says: 20 Lord, have mercy, ! am q
wanderer, and without Thee / perish.
Have mercy" God hears him, and
immediately two Of the towers of
heaven
STRIKE A siLvERY' CHIME.
But here is an outcast. He was
picked up last night out of the gutter
and carried to the police station. He
has been in the ~penitentiary three
times. He is covered and soaked with
loathsomeness and abomination.
Arousing from his debauch, he cries
out: 20 God, have mercy on me.
Thou who didst pardon the p~enitent
thief, hear me cry for mercy" And
the Lord listens and pardons, and no
sooner is the poor wretch pardoned
than three of the great towers of
heaven strike up q silvery chime. But
here is a Waif OF the street. She passes
under the gaslight, and your soul
shudders with a great horror No
pity for her. No commiseration for
her. As she passes down the street,
she hears a songin a midnight mission,
and as she listens to that song she
hears: RI.
All may come, whoever will,
This Man receives poor sinners still.
She puts into that harbor, she
kneels by the rough bench near the
door, she says, 20, Lord! Thou who
didst have mercy on Mary Magdalen,
take my blistered feet off the red hot
pavement of hell" God says, my
daughter, thy sins are forgiven thee;
20 in peace" Now all the four towers
of heaven strike a silvery chime, and
they who pass through the celestial
streets say, "What's that? why, the
worst sinner must have been saved.
Hear all the four towers ring and ring
and ring" "And there is joy in heav.
en- among the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth."
MY SUBJECT MPkEssEs YOU,
I think, with the thought that it is
possible for rs to augment the happi-
ness of heaven. People think that
souls before the throne are as happy
as they can be-. deny it. Look at
that mother before the throne of God.
When she died she left her son in this
world a vagabond. That son repent.
ed of his iniquities and came to God.
The report OF that salvation has
reached heaven. Do you tell me that
mother before the throne of God has
not her Joy richly augmented?
My subject also impresses me with
the idea that heaven and earth are III
close sympathy. People talk of heav-
en- as though it were a great way of.
Christ says in one place it is not "a
hours distance, when he says to the
penitent thief, "This day shalt thou
be with me in Paradise" It is not a
day, it is not-an hour, it is not a min
ute, it is not a second. OF how near
heaven is to earth.
My subject also impresses me with
the fact that the salvation of the soul
is of vast Importance. If you should
make 5000, 600 this year, do you sup
pose that news would be
CARRIED TO HEAVEN.
It would not be of enough import
ance or significance to be carried
heavenward. If at the next quadren.
NAL election you are made president
of the United States, do you suppose
that news would be carried to heaven!
Do you suppose that the news of a
revolution in France or Spain would be
carried to heaven? These things are
not of enough Importance, but there
is one item that is sure to be carried
It is the salvation of your soul, it il
your repentance before God. The fly
ing hoofs of Gods couriers clash
through the gates and the news goes
from gate to mansion, and from man
sion to temple, and from temple tc
throne, and 'there is Joy in heaven
among the angels of God over one sin.
ner forgiven. 1t must be of vast i'm.
portance to be of any moment in
heaven, your salvation, in that land
where gladnesses are the everyday oc
currence, in that land where the com
mon stones of the field are jasper, and
emerald, and chrysoprasus, and car
buncle, and sardonyx. And yet, the
news of your salvation makes Joy be-
fore the throne of God.