The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-05-16

ucs we udTt not preach unless we nave
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 a
hat not sanctioned by custom When
will the day of deliverance come to the
church of God when. instead Of a dead
religion, laid out in state on a catafalque
OF pomp and insincerity, we shall have
living. bounding, sympathetic, glowing
Christianity?
4 Joyful Religion.
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.
brightest. happiest thing in all the uni
verse 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
il TO them. Let the church of Jesus
Christ be the most cheerful spot on
earth. Let me say that ! do not want
anybody 10 come whining around me
about the Christian religion. l have no
faith in a religion ms de up of equal
parts of NORWOOD. vinegar and red
pepper If the religion that is presented
to be a depression. We will get along
better without it. II it be JOY, let IL
shine out from your face and from your
converse ton. II a man comes to my
house to talk Of religion with lugubrious
countenance and manner full Of snifiie
and dolorousness. I fell like saying to
my wife. You had better lock up the
silver before he steals something. L
have found il an invariable rule that
men who profess faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ priding themselves at the same
time on their sanctimoniOusness, always
turn out badly-I never knew an eXcep-
tion-while those who are the most con-
SiStent. the most useful and the most
consecrated have perfume in their con-
versatiOn and heaven in their face.
The Eternal GIadness.
The happiest Christians that I have
ever known have been persons from sixty
to eighty years of age. BY that time
people get over the shams and pretenses
Of society and have no longer any pa
thence with anything like imposture in
religion. Christian. how dare you be
gloomy? Is not God your father? Is not
Jesus Christ your Savior? Has not
your path all through life been strewn
with mercies? Are YOU insensible to the
fact that there are glories awaiting you
in the better land ?-dOxOlogies of ce-
lestial worship, eternal chOrals, fearless
eyes. songs that resound under arches
OF strength and hOsannas that clap their
hands at the foot of the throne? Is ii
nothing TO you that all the hills of heav-
en- are radiant with the faces of those
XVhn have from 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 day of
your espOuSali Plant no more of the
flowers of heaven where there ought to
be nothing but nettles and nightshade,
We try to make this church a cheerful
church. a man on Saturday afternoon
stands in his store and says: How
shall l meet these obligations? How can
I endure this new disaster that is COM
ing upon me?" He goes home. Sabbath
morning finds him in the house of God.
Through the song, the Lord Jesus Christ
SAYS to that man: 20 man, l have
watched theei l have seen all thy strug-
giles. 1t is enough. I will see thee
through / will stand between thee and
thy creditors. l will make up in heaven
ly treasures what you lost in earthly
treasures. Courage, man! Courage. An
gels of God / 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 bust
ness man is strengthened. He goes to
the store next day feeling that God is
with him and ready to deliver
a triumphant Church.
That same Sunday there is a poor old
woman 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 of date!
She sits and listens as well as she can.
Her eyes are so dim she cannot see half
way across the church. Her ear is so i'm
perfect that she can only catch OCCASION
ally a note of the psalm or a word of the
preacher. Some one sitting next 10 her
gives her a book and finds the place for
her. She says. Thank you, miss; thank
your' She holds the book close up to
her eyes and With a voice all full of
tremor 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, my Savior, 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, Eyes. Jesus,
/ am very tired" Jesus says, Mother
are YOU pOor2" And she says, Yes, /
am very poor. ] cannot sew any more;
/ cannot knit any more. L am very
poor" Jesus says to her. Mother.
would you like to rest?" She says. Yes
Lord; that is what 1 want-rest."
Courage mother" says Jesus. Il 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 an
swer. The door is opened. She is deadi
The night before the chariOts of God
kept his promise. He said that he would
give her rest and he has given her rest.
Glory be TO God for the hight, the
depth, the length and the breadth of
such Christian comfort oh. that we
might have such joy as that which in
spired the men at the battle Of Leuthen.
They were singing a Christian song
they went into battle. A general said
to the king. shall | stop these people
singing?'' NO" said the king. Men
that can sing like that can fight" /
would that we had a singing church, a
joyful church. a jubilant church. a COM
forting church. for then we would have
a triumphant church.
l remark, further, that we have here
tried to build a church abreast of the
times. 1t is all folly for us TO try to do
things the way the did fifty or one hun
dred years ago. We might as well be