Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-03-10


alone. They begin to feel in The way when
you come into the room where they are,
and they move their chair nervously and
say, 81 hope am not in the way" Alas!
that father and mother should ever be in
the way. When you were sick and they
sat up all night rocking you, singing to
you administering to you, did they think
that you were in the way? Are you tired
of the old people? DO you snap them up
quick and sharp? You will be cursed to
the bone for your ingratitude and unknd-
ness
THE WORLD COLD WITHOUT RELIGION
Oh, it is hard to be old without religion
to feel this world going away, and moth
Ing better coming. If there be any here
who have gone far on without Christ, |
address you deferentially. You have fouirl
this tough world for old people. Alas!
to have aches and pains, and no Christ to
soothe them. | want to give you a cane
better than that you lean on. 1t is the
cane that the Bible speaks of when it says,
THY rod and thy staff they comfort me-"
want to give you better spectacles than
those you now look through. 1t is the
spiritual eyesight of divine grace Christ
will not think that you are in the way
Does your head trcmble with the palsy
Of old age? Lay it on Christ's bosom. Do
you feel lonely now that your companions
and children are gomez think Christ has
them. They are safe in his keeping. Very
soon he will take you where they are. |
take hold Of your arm and try to lead you
to place where you can put down all your
burden. Go with me. Only little while
longer and your sight will come again, and
your hearing will come again and with
the strength of an immortal athlete you
will step on the pavement of heaven. No
crutches in heaven, no sleepless nights in
heaven, no cross looks for old people
Dwelling there for ages, no one will say,
"Father, you know nothing about this;
step back; you are in the wayl'
Oh, how many dear old folks Jesus has
put to sleepl How sweetly he has closed
their eyes! How gently folded their arms!
How he has put his hand on their silent
hearts and said: REST now, tired pilgrim.
1t is all over. The tears will never start
again. Hush! hushr' So he gives his be-
loved sleep. ] think the most beautiful
object on earth is an old Christan-the
hair white, not with the frosts of winter,
but the blossoms Of the tree of life. never
feel sorry for Christian old man. Why
feel sorry for those upon whom the glores
of the eternal world are about to burst9
They are going to the goodly cedar.
Though their wings are heavy with age,
God shall renew their strength like the
eagle, and they shall make their nest in the
cedar. Cali fowl of every wing"
GOD CAN SAVE ANYBODY.
Again, the very bad the outrageously
sinful, may come Men talk of the grace
of God as though it were so many yards
long and SO many yards deep. People point
to the dying thief as an encouragement to
the sinner. How much better it would
be to point to our own case and say, "If
God saved us he can save anybody"
There may be those here who never had
one earnest word said to them about
their souls. Consider me as putting my
hand on your shoulder and looking in
your eye. God has been good to you.
You ask, Glow do you know thatP
He has been very hard on me-"
Where did you come from?' Home"
"Then you have home. Have you ever
childrenf" Yes" "uave you ever
thanked God for your children? Who
keeps them safer Were you ever sick"
yes" "Who made you we'll? Have you
been fed every day? Who feeds your Put
your hand Oh your pulse. Who makes it
throbY Listen to the respiration Of your
lungs. Who helps you to breathe2 Have
you Bible in the house, spreading before
you the future life? Who gave you that
Bibler
Oh, it has been story of goodness and
mercy all the way through. You have
been one Of Gods pet children. Who fon-
| died you and caressed you and loved YOU (?
And when you went astrey and wanted to
come back, did he ever refuse? | know of
a father who, after his son came back the
fourth time, said, "No; | forgave you three
times, but | will never forgive you again"
And the son went off and died. But God
takes back his children the thousandth
time as cheerfully as the first. As easily
as with my handkerchief l strike the dust
Oh book, God will wipe out all your sins
| There are hospitals for "incurables "
| When men are hopelcssly sick, they are
sent there. Thank God, there is no hos
| pital for spiritual incurables Though you
had the worst leprosy that ever struck a
soul, your flesh shall come again like the
flesh OF little child. Oh, this mercy of
Godl am told tits an ocean. Then place
on it four swift sailing craft, with compass
and charts and choice rigging and skillful
navigators, and l tell them to launch away
and discover for me the extent of this ocean
That craft puts out in one direction, and
| sails to the north; this craft to the south:
this to lie east; this TO the west. They
GROW ol all their canvas and sail ten
thou-.-.I years, and one day come up the
harbor OF heaven, and | shout to them
from the beach, Have you found the
shore" and they answer, mo shore to
Gods mercy" Swift angels dispatched
from the throne, attempt to go across it.
For million years they fly and fly, but
then come back and fold their wings at the
foot Of the throne and cry, NO shore! no
shore to Gods mercy
MERCY! MERCY! MERCY!
Mercy Mercy! Mercy l sing it. 7
preach it, pray it. Here / find a man
bound hand and foot to the devil, but with
one stroke Of the hammer Of Gods truth
the chains fall off and he is free forever.
Mercy Mercy! Mercyl There is no depth
it cannot fathom; there is no height it can
not scale; there is no innnity 1t cannot
compass. | take my stand under this
goodly cedar and see the focks flying
thithcr. They are torn with the shot of
temptation and wounded and sick and
SCARED. Some fought with iron beak;