The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-30

ullu duu fS8Qy 10 Q6lIV6I.
That same Sunday there Is poor old wo-
man in the church hearing the gospel Oh,
how shrunken she Is! She wears the same
dress she wore twenty years ago. How faded
It Is and now out ofdate She sits and listens
as we'll as she can. Her eyes ara 50 dim she
cannot see half way across the church. Her
ear is 80 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 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 tremor5
sings:
Jesus, lover Of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly
While the btllow5 uear me roll,
While the tempest SILL is high.
Hide me, my iviour hide,
Till the storm OF life is past
Safe into the heaven guide
Oh, rece. We my soul at last.
And Jesus says to her, Mother, a,a you
weary?" And she says, "Yes, Jesus, I am
very tired" Jesus says, "Mother, are you
poor?" And she says: "Yes. am very
poor. I cannot sew any more. cannot
says to her, "Mother, would you like to
rest?" She says, eyes, Lord; that is what
Jesus. II will see thee through"
She goes home. The next morning In the
tenement house some one dwelling on
another floor comcsto her room and knocks.
No answer. The door is opened. She is
dead The night before the chariots OF God
halted at that pillow OF straw. and Jesus
kept His promise. He said that He would
give her rest, and he has given her rest.
Glory be to God for the height, the depth,
the length and the breadth OF such Christian
comfort! Oh, that We might have such JOY
as that which inspired the men at the battle
of Leuthen! They were singing Christian
song as they went into battle. A general
said to the king. "Shall stop those people
sinsing?" "No," said the king. "Men that
sing like that can fight" I would that we
had singing church, joyful church, ju-
bilant church. a comforting church, for then
we would have triumphant church.
Iremark, further, that we have here tried
TO build church abreast of the times. 1t is
all folly for US to try to dc things the way
they did fifty or 100 years ago. We might as
well be plowing with Eli jsh's crooked stick,
or 60 into battle with Saul's armor, or prefer
a canalboat to an express train, as to be
clinsing to old things. What we most need
now Is wide awake church. People who
are out in the world all the week, jostling
against this lightning footed century, come
into the church on the Sabbath and 90 right
to sleep unless they have a spirited service.
Men engaged in literary callings all the
week, reading pungent, sharp. writings, cam
not be expected to come and hear our eccle.
siastical humdrum.
II a man stay at home on SuudaW and
reads the newspapers, it is because thenews-
papers are more interesting. We need, my
brethren, to rouse up and stop hunting with
blank cartridges. The church OF GOD ought
to be the leader, the interpreter, the insoirer
of the age. 1t is all folly for US to be dis
cussing old issues-arraigning Nero, hang
ing Absalom, striking the PhtllsttneS with
Shampars OK coad-when all around about
US are iniquities to be slain.
Did say that the church ought to be
abreast OF the times? take that back. The
church OF God ought to be ahead OF the times
AS far In advance az the cross OF Christ is
ahead OF all human invention. Paul was
1000 years ahead of the day In which he
lived. The swift footed years that have
passed since Luther died have not yet come
up TO Luther's grave. Give iniouity 1000
wears the start, and the feet OF Christianity
are so nimble that If you will but give 1t full
swing 1t will catch up and pass IT In TWO
bounds. The church OF God ought to be
ahead OF the times.
Iremark. further, that we have tried here,
in the love and fear of God, to build church
that would be characterized by conversions.
have heard OF very good people who could
preach on for fifteen or twenty years and see
no conversions, but yet have faith. 1t takes
n very good man to do that. do not know
how man can keep his faith up II souls are
not brought to the Lord Jesus Christ. That
church that does not bring men and women
to the feet Of the Saviour is failure. care
not how fine the building, or how sweet the
al
how elegant the surroundings-it Is failure.
The church OF God WAS made for Just one
thinp-to get men out OF the world into the
kingdom of heaven.
The tendency In churches Is to spend their
tins In giving fine touches to Christians
already polished. We keep our religion 100
much indoors and under shelter, Wnen IL
ought to be climbing the rocks or hewinS III
the forests. Then It would be stalWart re-
ligion, a robust religion, religion aole 70
digest the strong meat OF the WORD, lnstelu
of being kept on the pap and gruel OF splr-
itual invalidism. It is high time tnat we
threw off the Sunday clothes OF sickiy senti,
mentality and put on the working oress VI
an earnest, active Christianity.
Here is Brooklyn, here is New York, here
are the United States, hero is the whole
world 70 he converted. 1t is 1854 years
since Christ came. and yet Europe, Asia,
htrica North and South America are still
rnevonrelized. More people born every veal
into the world than are born into the King.
dom of God. At that rate l ask any one Whc
con do n simple sum in arithmetic 20 caicu.
late when this world will be brought to
Jesus. At that rate. never. never, never!
And vet we know that it is to be brought TO
Christ But the church will have to change
its tact and take wider sweep with the gos-
mel NET than il has yet taken. believe that
the Great mass of the people are now ready
to receive the gospel if We give them a
chance.
A bow goes along the street at night and
sees fine house beautifully lighted up and
hears music. and he says, ~ wish was in
there. but have not been invited" and so
he masses op. Here is the church OF Go1.
LIGHTED ND with fcstivity and holy mirth. and
the world passes along outside, hears the
music ami sometimes wishes it was inside,
but saws that it is not invited. Oh, invite the
world to come in Go out into the highways
and hedges. Send ticket OF invitation
printed in these words, "Come, for all things
are now ready"
Some years ago 200 men were buried inthe
Hartley colliery OF England. The Queen OF
England from her throne telesraphed. SIS
there any hope for the meny' After awhile
the answer came over the wires ''No hope.
They are dead" Here is n whole race buried
In sin and darkness and woe. The question
that thrills up to the throne Of God today
is. sis there any hope for the men?' Answer
ing intelligence comes back from the throne
OF God, thrilling through the worlds dark
-o,, tho rorld'e woe