Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-09-28

they ma Things angular and cold and still,
and they 90 away, never again to come,
| when the church ought to be a great home
| circle, everybody having ahymrbook, giving
half OF 1t to the ono next him every one
| who has hand to shake hands shaking
| hands-the church architecture and tho
| church surroundings saying TO the people,
! como IN and be Mt home" Instead of that,
| think all these surroundings often compel
| the people to stay out. Now, let 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 God compel the poople TO come tn.
| 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-
| ligion. l tell you the best argument in be-
half Of our holy Christianity. 1t Is n good
| man. a good woman, a life all consecrated
| to ""r'st. No inhdel can answer It. Oh,
| let ny n holy example compel the people
! to come in
| l read OF minlsf r OF the gospel who was
very fond OF climbing among tho Swiss
/ mountains. One day he was climbing among
| very dangerous places and thought himself
! all alone when he heard a 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, letus be
! sure and take the safe path Our children
| are following our partners in business are
! following our neighbore are following
| great multitude stepping right on In our
steps. Oh, be sure and take the right path
Exhibit a Christian example, and 80 by your
| gOdly walk compel the people to come In.
think there is work also in the way OF
| kindly admonition. do not believe there is
| O person In this house who, If approached
In e kindly and brotherIy manner, would
refuse to listen. If you are rehu11Gd, Ii IS
| because YOU lack In tact and common sense.
| But, oh, how much effective work there Is
In the way ofkindly admoLition! There arc
| thousands of men all around about you who
! have never had one personal invitation 10
/ the cross. Give that one invitation, ana you
would be surprised at the alacr1ty with
which they would accept it.
I have q friend, n Christian physician,
! who one day became very anxious about tho
| salvation of a brother physician, and SO he
left his office, went down to bis mans otico
| and said, "Is the doctor in?' "No," replied
tho young man waiting. "The doctor Is
not In "Wel, said this physician, ''whon
he comes in, tell him l called and give him
my Christian love-" This worldly doctor
came home after awhile, and tho message
was given to him, and he said within him
self, ''What does he moan 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 moan my soul, and he went into his
back Office, knelt down and began to pray,
| Then he took his hat and went ont to the
Office of this Christian physician and said,
"What can do to be savod?" and the two
doctors knelt In the office and commended
their souls to God. All tho 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 1t DOW? Com
pei them to come III.
think there is q great work also to be
done In the way of prayer. II Wo had faith
enough to-day we could go before God and
ask for the salvation of all tho people In our
churches, and they would all be saved thoro
and then without single exception. There
might be professional mon there, political
men there, worldly men there, men who had
not heard the gospel for twenty years, mon
who are preiudiced against tho preachers,
men who are prejudiced against tho music,
men who are prejudtced against the church,
men who are prejudced against God-l do
not care-they might bo 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 tho horns of the altar
now and supplicate the salvation of all those
who sit In the same pew with yOu-yea, the
redemption of all who sit in your churches.
tell you to-day, my friends OF II great sal
walton. Do you understand what 1t Is to
have SaviOur2 He took your place. He
bore your sins. He wept your sorrows. He
Is here now to save your soul. A soldier,
/ worn out IN his country service, took to the
violin q 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 moro
make music. One day, wht!e he sat there
weeping, man passed along and 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 multttudes and tho 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 pockets The
coin was put in the old mans pockets.
Then he held his hat again, and the violin.
ist played moro sweetiy than ever and piayoo
until some of the people Wept and some shout
ed. And again tho hat was filled with coin
Then the violintst dropped the instrument
! and passed off, and the whisper went, "WhC
Is 1t, who Is it?" and some one just entering
, the crowd said ''Why, that IS Bucher, thu
great violinist known oil through the realm
Yes, that is the great vlolintst." The tac
was he had just taken that mans place
and assumed his poverty, and borne his bur
, den, and played his music, and earnod HI!
! livelihood, and made sacrifice Tor tho poo
old man. So the Lord Jesus Christ comes
down. and He finds us in our spiritual pen
ury, and across the broken strings Of Hi
own broken heart He strikes strain of in
finite music which wins the attention o
earth and heaven. He takes our poverty
He plays our music. Ho weeps our sorrow
; He dies our death. A sacrifice for you,
sacrifice for me.
Oh. will you accept this sacrifice now?
do not single out this and that man ana thl
, and that woman. But l say all may come
The sacrifice is 80 great all may bo saved
|, Does it not seom to you as If heaven wa
very nearf 1 can feel its breath on m
9 cheek. God is near. Christ Is near. In
), Holy Spirit is near. Ministering angels ar
0 near, YOUR glorihod kindred in heaven neal
YOUR Christian father near, your glorifle
: mother near, your departed children neal
> Your redemption is near.