The free press., 1894-09-27

| standing among the people he TOOK a lily
and said. "There is lesson OF the manner L
| will clothe you and pointing to a raven.
said There is lesson oil the way VIII
feed YOU. Consider the lilies-behold the
| fowls"
think often in our religious instructions
we compel the people to stay out by our
church architecture. People come in, and
they find things angular and cold and stiff,
| and they 80 away, never again 10 come,
when the church ought to be great home
circle, everybody having hymEbook, giving
| half of it to the one next him every one
who has hand to shake hands shaking
| hands-the church architecture and the
church surroundings saying to the people,
Come in and be mt home" Instead OF that.
think all these surroundings often compel
the people to stay out. Now, let us all re-
! pent OF our sins and begin on the other track
and by our heartiness of affection and
warmth of manner and imploration Of the
| spirit OF Col compel the people 10 come in.
! How shall we lead sinners to accept the
Lords invitation? think we must certain
| ly begin by holy life We must be better
men, better women, before we can compel
the people 10 come into the kingdom of
Jesus Christ There are fine essays being
written in this day about science and re-
| lieion. I tell you the best argument in be-
half of our holy Christianity. 1t is good
man. a good woman. a life all consecrated
| to Christ. No inndel can answer it. oh,
! let rs by a holy example compel the people
( to come in
| read OF a minister OF the gospel who was
very fond Of climbing among the Swiss
mountains. One day he was climbing among
very dangerous places and thought himself
all alone when he heard voice beneath him
| say "Father. look out for the safe path;
| am following" And he looked back. and he
| saw that he was climbing not only for him
| self. but climbing for his boy. Oh, let us be
sure and take the safe path Our children
| arc following our partners in business are
| following our neighbors are following; u
great multitude stepping right on in our
| steps. Oh. be sure and take the right path
| Exhibit Christian example, and so by your
| gody walk compel the people to come in.
think there is work also in the way of
kindly admonition. do not believe there is
| a person in this house who, If approached
in kindly and brotherly manner, would
refuse to listen. If you are rebuffed, 1t is
because you lack in tact and common sense.
But, Oh how much effective work there is
in the way ofkindy admonition There are
thousands of men all around about you who
| have never had one personal invitation to
the cross. Give that one invitation, and you
would be surprised at the alacrity with
which they would accept it.
I have a friend, n Christian physician,
who one day became very anxious about the
salvation of brother physician, and so he
left his office, went down to his mans office
and said, rs the doctor in?" ''No," replied
the young man waiting. "The doctor is
not in" ''Wel," said this physician, "when
he comes in, tell him | called and give him
my Christian love-" This worldly doctor
came home after awhile, and the message
was given to him, and he said within him
self. "What does he mean by leaving his
Christian love for me?" And he became
very much awakened and stirred in spirit,
and he said after awhile, "Why, that man
must mean my SOUL" and he went into his
back office, knet down and began to pray,
Then he took mis- hat AMI went out to the
office of this Christian physician and said,
''What can | do to be savedy and the two
doctors knelt in the Office and commended
their souls to God. All the means used in
! that case was only the voice OF one good
man. saying "Give my Christian love to the
Doctor" The voice of kindly admonition.
Have you uttered it to-day? viii you utter
it tomorrow? Will you utter it now? Com
pei them to come in.
think there is a great work also TO be
done in the way OF prayer. 1t we had faith
| enough to-day. we could go before God and
ask for the salvation Of all the people in our
churches. and they would all be saved there
and then without a single exception. There
might be professional men there, political
| men there, worldly men there. men who had
| not heard the gospel for twenty years. men
who are prejudiced against the preachers,
men who are preiudiced against the music,
men who are preiudiced against the church,
| men who are preiudiced against God-I do
| not care-they might be brought in by fer
vent prayer-you would compel them to
| come in.
| Oh, for such an earnest prayer! People
OF God, lay hold of the horns OF the altar
now and supplicate the salvation o. all hose
| N n
redemption OF all who sit in your churches.
| / tell you to-day, my friends OF n great sal
| walton. Do you understand what it is to
have Il Saviour? He took your place. He
bore your sins. He wept your sorrows. He
| is here now to save your soul. soldier,
| worn out in his country service, took to the
| violin as a mode OF earning his living. He
| was found in the street OF Vienna playing
| his violin, but after awhile his hand became
| feeble and tremulous and he could no more
make music. One day, while he sat there
weeping, man passed along an said
! MY friend, you are too old and feeble. Give
| me your VIOLIN And he took the mans
| violin ana began to discourse most exquisite
music, and the people gathered around in
| larger and larger multiudcs, and the aged
| man held his hat, and the coin poured in un-
til the hat was full,
NOW said the man who was playing the
violin, put that coin in your pock9ts" The
| com was put III the OIu man pockets.
| Then he held his hat again. an the violin
ist played more sweetly tnan ever and played
| until some of the people wept and some shout
ell. And again the hat was filled with coin.
Then the vionist droppei the instrum mt
and passed Off, and the whisper Went, "Wno
is it, who is it?" and some one just euter,ns
the crowd said 'Why, that is Bucher, the
great volinist, known all through the realm.
Yes, that is the great violinist." Tnc TACT
was, he had just taken that mans place,
and assumed his poverty. and borne his bur
| den. and played HIS music. AMI earne his
livelihood, and made sacrifice tor the poor
old man. So the Lord Jesus Christ comes
| down, and He finds Us in our spiritual pen
| ury, and across the broken strings OF His
| own broken heart He strikes Il strain OF in
| finite music which wins the attention OF
earth and heaven. He takes our poverty.
He plays our music. He weeps our sorrow
He dies our death. A sacrifice Tor you, ii
sacrifice for me.
o. will you accept this sacrifice now? l
do not single out this and that man an this
and that woman. But l say all may come.
The sacrifice is so great ali may be saved.
Does it not seem TO you rs il heaven was
| very near? | can feel its breath on my