Connecticut western news., 1894-05-17

buI there IS d larger 1uea that a church may take-bringing in the rich and the poor, the wise and the igno- rant, the high and the low, so that kneel- ing beside each other shall be the man faring sumptuously every day and the man who could not get his breakfast. God speed such church.
 Oh, my friends, we need to break away from slavery to ecclesiastical custom. We dare not sing if anybody hears us. We dare not preach unless we have rounded off our sentences to suit the criticism of the world. We dare not dress for church until we have examined the fashion plates and would rather stay at home than appear with a coat or 8 hat not sanctioned by custom. When will the day of deliverance come to the church of God, when, instead of dead religion laid out in state on catafalque of pomp and insincerity, we shall have a living, bounding, sympathetic, glowing Chris tianity?
 Happy Church.
 I remark, further, that we have tried here to build and to conduct cheerful church. While, as you know, we have not held back the terrors of the law and the sterner doctrines of the gospel, we have tried in this house to present to this people the idea that the gladdest. bright est, happiest thing in all the universe is the Christian religion. There is so much trouble in the world. Business men have so many anxieties. Toiling men have so many fatigues. Orphans have so many desolations. For Gods sake, if there be any bright place on earth, show it to theml Let the church of Jesus Christ be the most cheerful spot on earth.
 Let me say that do not want any body to come whining around me about the Christian religion. have no faith in religion made up of equal parts of worm wood, vinegar and red pepper. If the re ligion that is presented to us be depres- sion, we will get along better withoutit. If it be a joy, let it shine out from your face and from your conversation. If man comes to my house to talk of re ligion with lugubrious countenance and manner full of sniff1e and dolorousness, feel like saying to my wife, 'You had better lock up the silver before he steals something." I have found 1t an invari- able rule that men who profess faith ill the Lord Jesus Christ, birding them selves at the same time on their sancti- moniousness, always turn out badly-1 never knew an exception-while those who are the most consistent, the most useful and the most consecrated have perfume in their conversation and heav- en in their face.
 The happiest Christians that I have ever known have been persons from 60 to 30 years of age. By that time people get over the shams and the pretenses of society and have no longer any patience with anything like imposture in religion. O Christian, how dare you be gloomyi Is not God your father? Is not Jesus Christ your Saviour? Has not your path all through life been strewn with mer- cies? Are you insensible to the fact that there are gloyies awaiting you in the bet ter land-doxologies of celestial wor- ship, eternal chorals, fearless eyes, songs that resound under arches of strength and hosannas that clap their hands at the foot of the throne?
 Is it nothing to you that all the hills ot heaven are radiant with the faces of those who have gone up from you and who are waiting for your coming, ready to keep with you eternal holiday? Is there nothing in songs that never cease, in hearts that never ache, in splendors that never die, to make you glad? Then take no more mercy at the hand of thy Godi Give back the marriage ring of love that Jesus put on your finger in the ,c <Df the flowers of heaven where there ought to be nothing but nettles and night shade!
 The Gospel of Courage.
 We try to make this church cheerful church. A man on Saturday afternoon stands in his store and says: "How shall I meet these obligationsp How can en- dure this new disaster that is coming upon meY' He goes home. Sabbath morning finds him in the house of God. Through the song, through the sermon, through the prayer, the Lord Jesus Christ says to that man: 70 man, have watched thee. I have seen all thy strug gles. It is enough. will see thee through. will stand between thee and thy creditors. I will make up in heaven ly treasures what you have lost in earth ly treasures. Courage, man, courage! Angels of God, I command you to clear the track for that man; put your wings over his head; with your golden scepters strike for his defense; throw around him all the defenses of eternity" What is the consequence? That business man is strengthened. He goes to the store next day feeling that God is with him and ready to deliver.
 That same Sunday there is a poor old woman in the church hearing the gospel. Oh, how shrunken she isl She wears the same dress she wore 20 years ago. How faded it is and now out of datel She sits snd listens as we'll as she can. Her eyes are so dim she cannot see half way across the church. Her ear is so imperfect that she can only catch occasionally note of the psalm or a word of the preacher. Some one sitting next to her gives her a book and finds the place for her. She says, "Thank you, miss; thank you" She holds the book close up to her eyes and with voice all full of tremors sings:
 Jesus. lover of my soul.
 Let me to thy bosom fly
 While the pillows near me roll,
 While the tempest still is high.
 Hide me, o my Saviour, hide,
 Till the storm of life Is past.
 Safe into the haven guide
 Oh. receive my soul at last.
 And Jesus says to her, "Mother, are you weary?" And she says, "Yes, Jesus, am very tired" Jesus says, Mother, are you poor?' And she says: "Yes, l am very poor. I cannot sew any more cannot knit any more. lam very poor Jesus says to her, Mother, would you like to rest?" She says, "Yes, Lord; that is what I want-rest." Courage, mother" says Jesus. 'I will see thee through"
 She goes home. The next morning in the tenement house some one dwelling on another floor comes to her room and knocks. No answer. The door is opened. She is dead The night before the chari- ots of God halted at thR pillow of straw, and Jesus kept his promise. He said