The Dickinson press., 1892-03-12

Hebrews, but 1 ind 1t far beyond my
anticipations. l must add
more than so per cent to what has
been related. 1t exceeds everything
that l could have expected. The half
the half was not told me-"
Learn from this subject what a
beautiful thing it is when social
position and wealth
SURRENDER THEMSELVES TO GOD.
When religion comes to a neighbour
hood the first to receive it are the
women. Some men say it is because
they " weak-minded. say it is be-
cause they have quicker perception of
what is right, more ardent affection
and capacity for sublimer emotion.
After the women have received the
gospel then all the distressed and the
poor OF both sexes, thosewho have no
accept Jesus. Last OF all
come the people OF affluence and high
position. Alas, that it is So!
If there are those here today who
have been favored OF fortune, or, as |
better put it, favored OF God,
surrender all you have and all you
except to beto the Lord who blessed
this Queen OF Sheba.
| bless God that the day is coming
when royalty will bring allitsthrones,
and music all it's harmonies, and
paintings all it's pictures, and sculp-
ture all its statuary, and architecture
all its pillars, and conquest all its
sceptres; and the queens OF the earth,
in long line OF advance, fra~nkincense
filling the air and the camels laden
with gold, shall approach Jesusalcm,
and the gates shall I've hoisted, and
the great burden OF splendor shall be
lifted into the palace OF this greater
than Solomon.
Again, my subject teaches me what
is earnestness in the search OF truth.
DO you know where Sheba was? 1t
was in Abyssinia, or some say in the
southern part OF Arabia Felix. In
either case it was u great way of
from Jerusalem. 10 get from there
to Jerusalem she had to cross u coun-
try infested with bandits, and 90
across b~listering deserts. Why did
not the Queen OF Sheba stay at home
and send a committee to inquire
about
THE NEW RELIGION,
and have the delegates report in re-
gard to that religion and wealth OF
King Solomon? She wanted to see
for herself, and hear for herself. She
could not do this 10y work OF commit
tee. She felt she had Il soul worth
10000 kingdoms like Sheba, and she
wanted a robe richer than amy woven
by oriental shuttles, and she wanted
q crown set with the jewels o%feternity.
out the camels. Put on the
spices. Gather up the Jewels OF the
throne and put them on the caravan.
Start now; no time to he lost. Goad
the camels. When | see that cara
dust covered, weary and eNhaus-
ted, trudying on across the desert and
among the bandits until it reaches
Jerusalem, | say. There is an earn
est seeker after the truth"
The religion ofthe Lord Jesus Christ
will not cometo you; you must 20 and
get religion. Bring cut the ramels;
put on all the sweet spices, ali the
VI cdsuIeS vi lilt lltitFl > d!lctllOI.
Start for the throne. Go in andh hear
the waters OF salvation dashing in
all around about the
throne. Sit down at the banquet
the wine pressed from the grapes OF
the heavenly Esclol, the angels of
God the cup-bearers. God help me to
break up the lnfatuation OF thosepeo.
pie who are sitting down in idleness
expecting to be saved. "Strive to en-
ter in at the strait gate. Ask, and it
shall be given you; seek, and We shall
find; knock, and it shall he opened to
you" Take the kingdom OF heaven
by violence. Urge on the camels.
Again, my subject impresses Inc with
the fact that
RELIGION Is a SURPRISE
to any n that gets it,. This story
Of the new religion in Jerusalem, and
Of the glory OF King Solomon, who
was a type OF Chri>t-that story rolls
on and on, and istoldby every travel
coming back from Jerusalem. The
goes on the wing OF every ship
and with every caravan, and you
know a story enlarges as it is retold,
and by the time that story gets down
into the southern part of Arabia
and the Queen OF Shepa hears
it, it must be tremendous story.
And yet this queen declares in regard
to it, although she had heard so much
and had her anticipations raised SO
high, the half-the half was not told
me.
So religion is always a surprise to
any n that gets it. Tie story OF
grace-an old story. Apostles preach
ed it with rattle OF chain; martyrs
declared it with arm OF fire; death-heds
have affirmed it with visions OF glory,
and ministers OF religion have sounded
it through the lanes, and the high
ways, and the chapels, and the cathe-
drals. lthas been cut into stone with
chisel, and spread on the canvas with
pencil; and it has been recited in the
doxology OF the great congregations.
And yet when a man first comes &c
look on the palace OF Gods mercy,
and to see the rovaltv OF Christ. and
the wealth of this banquet, and the
of his attendants, and the
OF his face and thejoy OF his
service, he exclaims Wallpapers, with
tears, with signs, with triumphs:
"'The half-the half vas not told mel"
IT is THE OLD STORY.
Everybody tells it. Isaiah told it,
John told it, Paul told it, Ezekiel
told it, Luther told it, CALVIN told it,
John Milton told it-everybody tells
it; and yet-and yet when the mid
night shall fly the hills, and Christ
shall marshal his great army, and
China, dashing her idols into thedust,
shall hear the voice OF God and wheel
into line; and India, destroying her
Juggernaut and snatchins up herlittle
children from the Ganges, shall hear
the voice OF God and wheel into line;
and vine-covered Italy, and all the
nations OF the earth shall hear the
voice OF God and fall into line; then
the church which has been toiling and
struggling through thecenturies, ROBBED
and garlanded like q bride adorned
for her husband, shall put aside her
veil and look up into the face of her