Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-11-22
IRONTON MO- THCRSDAY.


ciety; they could have no influence
with the rich, the noble and the wise.
In consequence of this fatal deficiency
in the ministry very few people. if any
at all, were saved from among the up
Per class. But by and by. some good
men set about to remedy this lamenta-
BILE defect, to remove this deplorable
to roll away this disas-
trous stumbling-stone. They raised
money and endowed colleges and the
seminaries wherein men might
obtain a polite ministerial education,
and thus be qualified to stand before
cultured society. Through this means
ministers soon gained abundant en-
trance into the most refined circles
and began at once to wield an influ-
ence over the highest walks OF lille.
In this way the door of good works
was opened to US, so you plainly see
that it was through the enterprise of
these good, far-seeing men, that we
were started on the way to this place. :"
When he had finished speaking said,
"But what about the man Christ Jesus?
pray tell me something about him.
He is the object of my search here,
but he appears to be but little known
rr altogether a stranger" 80 yes,
SIR" he answered, "we heard OF him
before we came here, but we have not
seen him since our arrival; indeed we
have had no particular desire to see
him, for he Is of very little concern to
us. We would much rather see some
of the good men through whose in
strumentality we were brought here,
that we might express our sincere
thanks and lasting obligations to them;
for we are certain that to them belongs
the honor of our salvation. The man
Christ Jesus of whom you speak made
nothing certain. He finished nothing.
He went away and left the whole mat
ter in the hands of a few ignorant,
base, despised people. His whole
scheme would have proven a failure if
others had not taken it up and made
something of it, Here he closed his
speech, and l, feeling no affinity for
such company, wandered onward.
I next came upon a great company
composed of people of all nations.
They were full of zeal and enthusiasm.
1 at once recogdized that it was the
missionary harvest from the foreign
fields. Foremost in the throngs were
the Burmese, displaying banners with
Judson's name emblazoned in flaming
colors. After these came Hawaians,
Hindoos, Fijians, Persians, Japanese.
with now and then struggling China
man; none of the last named however
had died in America. High over all
foated prodigious flag bearing the
inscription, written in all languages,
"LoNG LIVE THE AMERICAN BOARD OF
FOREIGN MISSIONS. Upon inquiry l
found that this company embraced all
who had ever reached heaven from
heather lands, except the small num-
Der worshiping in the little temple on
top of the hill, before referred to. l
also found out from an old resident
that their arrival dated no further back
than the beginning of mission work.
Before this human machinery was put
in operation the countless number OF
men and women dying in heather
lands all sank down into irretrievable
destruction There was no remedy
for them. No preacher, consequently
no salvation; no priest, consequently
no Christ. / once more inquired con-
corning Jesus the Savior of sinners.
They only laughed and said he was en-
titled to no praise from them, for he
had done no more for them than he
had for their ancestors and brethren
who were now perishing in the per-
dition of the ungodly. They protested
that they owed their salvation alone
to the mission work, in carrying sal
vation within their reach, and their
own good judgment in appropriating
it to their own advantages; they said
that Christ alone had benefited them
nothing.
After hearing this stood for some
time sick at heart. / was here lone
ly wanderer. o how l longed to re-
turn to earth again. There l had the
fellowship and communion OF saints,
here was a wretched outcas., no fel-
low, no companions. none to join with
me in ascribing praise to God; even
the Savior himself could not be found
there. Dante's inferno, even to the
seventh circle, would have been more
desirable to me. I once more endeav-
ored to press forward, whittier l knew
not, and cared not, for / was now an
aimless wanderer, tramp in HEAVIER, ,
but was soon confronted by another
procession. The participants this
time wore blue ribbons in their button
holes and temperance badges upon the
lapels of their coats. A tall man head
ed the procession carrying large flag