Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-07-08


the leper, Lord, If thou wilt thou
canst make me clean;" sinking Peter,
Lord, save me-" the publican, God,
be merciful to me, a sinner!' But if
you come up with the tip of your finger
and tap at the gate of mercy it will not
open. You have got to have the ear
nestness of the warrior, who, defeated
and pursued, dismounts from his lath-
cred steed and with gaantleted fists
pounds Mt the palace gate.
You have got to have the earnestness
of the man who at midnight in the
fourth story has sense of suffocation
with the house in flames, goes to the
window and shouts to the fireman.
Help" Oh. unforgivlng soul, if you
were in full earnest might have to
command silence in the auditory, for
your prayers would drown the voice of
the speaker and we have to pause in
the great service. 1t is because you do
not realize your sin before God that
you are not this moment crying mercy,
mercy, mercy.
This prayer of the publican was also
an humble prayer. The pharisee looked
up. the publican looked down. You
can not be saved as metaphysician;
you can not be saved as scholar; you
can not be saved as an artist; you can
not be saved as an official. If you are
ever saved Mt all, it will be as sinner.
Another characteristic of the prayer
of the publican was, it had ring Of
confidence 1t was not cry of despair.
He knew he was going to get what he
asked for. He wanted mercy. He
asked for it. expecting it. And do you
tell me. O man. that God has provided
this salvation and is not going to let
you have it?
If man builds bridge across riv-
er. will he not let people go over it? II
a physician gives u prescription to u
sick man, will he not let him take it?
If an architect puts upa building. will
he not let people in it? If God provides
salvation, will he not let you have
it? Oh. if there be n pharisee here, a
man who says: am all right. My
past life has been right. don: want
the pardon of the Gospel. for have no
sin to pardon, let me say that while
that man is in that mood there Is no
peace for him, there is no pardon. no
salvation. and the probability is that
he will go down and spend eternity
withe the lost pharisees of the text.
But if there be here one who says,
| want to be better; want to quit my
sins: my life has been very imperfect
life: how many things have | said that
/ should not have said; how many
things / have done should not have
done: want to change my life: want
to begin now: let me say to such soul,
God is waiting. God is ready, and you
are near the kingdom. or rather you
have entered it. for no man says, am
determined to serve God and surrender
the sins of my life; here, now, conse-
crate myself to the Lord Jesus Christ
who died to redeem memo man from
the depth of his soul says that he is al
ready Christian.
NV uncle. Rev. Samuel X. Talmage,
of Augusta, Ga. was passing along the
streets of Augusta one day, and he saw
man, black man, step from the side
walk out into the street, take his hat
off and bow very lowly. My uncle was
not man who demanded obsequious-
ness. and he said, What do you do
that for?" ''Oh." says the man. ''massa,
the other night l was going along the
street. and had burden on my
shoulder. and / was sick. and l was
hungry. and ! came to the door OF
Your church, and you were preach
ing about God be merci-
full to me, sinner! and ] stood there
at the door long enough to hear you
say that If man could utter that
prayer from the depths of his soul God
would pardon him and finally take him
to Heaven. Then / put my burden on
my shoulder, and started home.
got to my home, and / sat down, and
said, God be merciful to me, sinner"
but it got darker and darker, and then.
massa. | got down on my knees, and /
said, God be merciful to me, sinnerF
and the burden got heavier, and it got
darker and darker. l knew not what
to do. Then l got down on my face,
and cried, God be merciful to me, q
sinner and away off l saw high
coming, and it came nearer and nearer
and nearer until all was bright in my
heart. and arose. / am happy now
the burden is all gone-and said t
myself if ever met you in the street
! would get clear off the sidewalk, and
/ would bow down and take my hat of
before you. feel that l owe more to
you than to any other man. That is
the reason l bow before you"
Oh, are there not many now who can
utter this prayer, the prayer of the
black man, the prayer of the publican,
''God be merciful to me, a sinner!"
While ! halt in the sermon, will you
not all utter it? do not say audibly,