The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-10-05

fore the cork goes under The nsn
come TO him as fast as he can throw
them ashore. In other words, in our
Christian work, why do we not go
where the fish are? 1t is not so easy to
catch souls in church, for they know
that we are trying to take them. II
you can throw your line out into the
world, where they are not expecting
you, they will be captured. Is 1t fair to
take men by such stratagem? Yes l
would like to cheat five thousand souls
into the kingdom.
The whole policy of the Church OF
God is to be changed. Instead of chiefly
looking after the few who have become
Christians, our chief efforts will be for
those outside. If, after man is con-
verted, he cannot take care of himself,
am not going to take care Of him. If
he thinks that am going to stand and
pat on the back, and feed him out OF an
elegant spoon, and watch him so that
he does not get into draught of world
lincss, he is much mistaken. We have
In our churches great mass of help
less, insane professors, who are doing
nothing for themselves or for Others,
who want us to stop and nurse them!
They are so troubled with doubt as to
whether they are Christians or not.
The doubt is settled. They are not
Christians. The best we can do with
these fish is to throw them back into
the stream, and go after them again
with the gospel net.
go into all the world and preach the
the gospel" says Christ; into the fac
tory, the engine house, the club-room,
into the houses of the sick, into the
dark lane, into the damp cellar, into
the cold garret, into the dismal prison.
Let every man, woman and child know
that Jesus died and that the gate of
heaven is wide open. With the Bible
in one pocket and the hymnbook in an
other pocket, and loaf of bread under
your arm, launch out into the great
deep of this worlds wretchedness.
The text is appropriate to all the un-
forgiven. Every sinner would come to
God II he thought that he might come
just as he is. People talk as though the
pardon Of God were narrow river like
the Kennebec or the Thames, and that
their sin draws too much water to enter
1t. No, 1t is not river, nor bay, but
sea- should like to persuade you to
launch out into the great deep of Gods
mercy. l am q merchant. 1 have
bought cargo of spices in India,
l have, through bill of exchange,
paid for the whole cargo. You are
ship captain. l give you the
orders and say: Bring me those spices.
You land in India. You go to the trader
and say: Here are the ORDERS" and
you find everything all right You do
not stop to pay the money yourself. It
Is not your business to pay it. The
arrangements were made before you
started. So Christ purchases your par
don. He puts the papers, or the prom
ises, into your hand. Is 1t wise to stop
and say, II cannot pay for my redemp-
tion2" God does not ask you to pay.
Relying on what has been done, launch
out into the deep.
The Bibles promises TO join hands
and the circle they make will compass
all your sins, and all your temptations
and all your sorrows The round table
Of King Arthur and his knights had
room for only thirteen banqueters but
the round table Of Gods supply is large
enough for all the present inhabitants
Of earth and heaven TO sit at, and foi
the still mightier population that are
! yet TO be.
Do not sail coastwise along your old
habits and old sins Keep clear of the
shore. Go out where the water Is deep
est o, for the mid-sea of Gods mercyi
"Be 1t known unto you, men and
brethren, that through this man Ia
preached unto you forgiveness of sins. "
preach 1t with as much confidence tc
the eightyear-old transgressor as To
the maiden. Though your sins were
blood-red, they shall be snow-white.
Tho more ragged the prodigal, the
more compassionate the father. Do you
say that you are too bad? The high
water mark Of Gods pardon Is higher
than all your transgressions. "The
blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from
all SIM" Do you say that your heart Is
hard2 Suppose 1t were ten times
harder Do you say that your iniquity
is long continued? Suppose it were ten
times longer. Do you say that your
crimes are black? Suppose that they
were ten times blaclSer. Is there any
lion that this Samson cannot slay? Ii
there any fortress that this Conqueror
cannot talke2 Is there any sin this Re-
deemer cannot pardon?
II is said that when Charlemagne'i
host was overpowered by the three
armies OF the Saracens in the pass oi
Roncesvalles, his warrior, Roland, in
terrible earnestness, seized n trumpet
and blew IL with such terrific strength
that the opposing army reeled bach
with terror, but at the third blast o.
the trumpet II. broke in two. / SEE
your soul fercely assailed by all the
powers Of earth and hell put ths
mightier trumpet Of the gospel TO my
lips, and blow It three times Bias
the first "Whosoever will, let hin
come" Blast the second, Seek ye the
Lord while he may be found" Bias
the third, Now is the accepted time
now is the day Of salvation" Does no
the host of your sins fall back2 But
the trumpet does not like that Of Ro
land, break in two AS IL was handel
down to us from the lips Of cur fathers
we hand 1t dowu to the lips Of our chill
dren, and tell them TO sound It whom W,