Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-06-18

UOeS. ANA inc only ulIferencc between
this Christian who is getting along
very fast in the holy life and this who
is only getting along tolerably is that
the first prays more than the last. You
can graduate II mans progress in reli-
gion by the amount of prayer, not by
the number of hours, perhaps, but by
the earnest supplication that he puts up
to God. There is no exception to the
rule. Show us Christian man who
neglects this kind of duty and will
show you one who is inconsistent. Show
me man who prays and his strength
and his power cannot be exaggerated.
Why, just give to n man this power Of
prayer and you give him almost omni-
potence.
This afternoon you will see two Sab
bath school teachers. That one Goes
not gain the attention of her class.
This one does. What is the diff erence
between them, their intellects being
about equal? The first thought only
of her own apparel. The other came
from great prostration before God in
earnest supplication, asking that Gods
mercy might come upon the school and
that in the afternoon she might gain
the attention OF those five or six immor-
tails that would be around her. The
one teacher has no control over her
class The other sits as with the
strength of the Lord God Almighty.
Read the Bible and it brings Won into
the association of the best people that
ever lived. You stand beside Moses and
learn his meeliness. beside Job and learn
his patience, beside Paul and catch
something of his enthusiasm, beside
Christ and You feel his love. And yet,
how strange it is that n great many
men have given their whole lives to the
assaulting OF that book. ] cannot UNI
derstand it. Tom Paine worked against
that book as though he received large
wages and was inspired by the very
powers of darkness, confessing all tibet
time that he was writing he did n o
have the Bible anywhere near him.
How many powerful intellects have en-
deavored to destroy it. Ten thousand
men now are warning against the truth
of Gods word. What do you think of
them? think it is mean and will prove
it. will prove it is the meanest thing
that has ever been done in all the CEN
turtles.
There is ship at sea and in trouble.
The captain and the crew are at their
wits end. You are on board. You are
an old seaman You come up and give
some good counsel, which is kindly
taken. That is all right. But suppose,
instead of doing that, in the midst of
the trouble You pick up the only COM
pass that is on board and pitch it over
the taffrail? O, you say, that is dastard-
". But is 1t as mean as this? Here is
the vessel of the world going on with
LOGO, 900, 900 Of passengers, tossed and
driven in the tempest, AID ut the time
we want help the infidel comes and he
takes hold of the only compass and he
tries to pitch it overheard. 1t is con-
temptible beyond everything that is
contemplate. Have you any better
light? Bring it on if you have. Have
you any better comfort to give us?
Bring it on if you have Have you any
better hope? Bring it on if you have,
and then you may have this Bible and
shall never want it again.
But l can think of a meaner thing
than that, and that is an old man going
along on the mountains with staff In
one hand and Il lantern in the other.
Darkness has come on suddenly. He is
very old, Just able to pick his way out
amid the rocks and precipices, leaning
on his staff with one hand and guiding
himself with the light in the other You
come no and say: you seem to be lost.
You are long wag from home" Yes"
he replies. And then you take him by
the hand and lead him home. That is
very kind of you But suppose instead
of that you snatch the staff from his
hands and hurl it over the rocks, and
snatch the lantern and blow it out?
That would be dastardly, contemplate
until there is no depth of contempt be
meath it. If you have better staff
give it to him.
You see, my friends, have not tried
to hide the fact that / have large eX-
pectation of you who have entered the
Christian life. Do not be discouraged.
Press on toward the prize; God beside
YOU and Heaven before you. Keep
your courage up. Look in thirty years
from now upon this church. Another
man in the pulpit. Other faces in the
pews Another man leading the song.
Others carrying around the aims boxes
~ the church. All changed Thirty
wears have gone and i look into the
faces of the people, and I say:
"Why. it seems TO me have cen
these people somewhere, but l cannot
exactly say where. o, yes, now begin
to think These were the converts in
1892 and 1890. Why, how you have
30, yes" they say, so
course we have changed. Thirty years
make great change" ! say: How