Connecticut western news., 1894-05-17

calllngS all the week, fe2u1ny pungent, sharp writings, cannot be expected to come and hear our ecclesiastical hum. drum.
 If man stays at home on Sundays and reads the newspapers, it is because the newspapers 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 insprer of the age. It is all folly for us to be discussing old issues-arraigning Nero, hanging Absa- lom, striking the Philistines with Sham gar's OK goad-when all around about us are iniquities to be slain. Did say that the church ought to be abreast of the times? I take that back The church of God ought to be ahead of the times-as far in advance as the cross of Christ is ahead of all human in- vention. Paul was 1000 years ahead of the day in which he lived. The swift footed years that have passed since Lu- ther died have not yet come up to Lu- ther's grave. Give iniquity 4,000 years the start, and the feet of Christianity are so nimble that if you will but give it full swing it will catch up and pass it in two bounds. The church of God ought to be ahead of the times.
 Church That Converts. I remark, further, that we have tried here, in the love and fear of God, to build a church that would be characterized by | conversions. have heard of very good | people who could preach on for 15 or 20 years and see no conversions, but yet | have faith. It takes very good man to | do that do not know how a man can | keep his faith up if 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 a failure. l care not how fine the building, or how sweet the music, or how eloquent the | preaching, or how elegant the surround | ings-it is failure. The church of God l was made for just one thing-to get men | out of the world into the kingdom of | heaven.
 | The tendency in churches is to spend their time in giving fine touches to Chris tians already polished. We keep our re- 1 ligion too much indoors and under shel- ter, when it ought to be climbing the rocks or hewing in the forests. Then il would be stalwart religion, a robust religion, . religion able to digest the strong meat of the word, instead of be- ing kept on the pap and gruel of spiritual invaidism. It is high time that we threw | off the Sunday clothes of sickly senti- mentality and put on the workday dress of an earnest, active Christianity. | Here is Brooklyn, here is New York, | here are the United States, here is the | whole woxld, to be converted. It is ,S94 | years since Christ came, and yet Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America are still unevangelized. More people born every year into the world than are born into the kingdom of God. At that | rate I ask any one who can do simple sum in arithmetic to calculate when this world will be brought to Jesus. At that ratio, never, never, neveri And yet we | know that it is to be brought to Christ. But the church will have to change its | tack and take wider sweep with the | gospel net than any it has yet taken. believe that the great masses of the peo- | pie are now ready to receive the gospel | if we give them chance.
 | A boy goes along the street at night and sees a fine house beautifully lighted up and hears music, and he says, I wish was in there. but I have not been in- vited," and so he passes on. Here is the church of God, lighted up with festivity and holy mirth, and the world passes l ------ -----~.-
 along outside, hears the music and some times wishes it was inside, but says 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 in the Hartley colhery of England. The | queen of England from her throne tele- graphed, "Is there any hope for the | men?' After awhile the answer came over the wires: No hope. They are dead" Here is a whole race buried in sin and darkness and woe. The question that thrills up to the throne of God today is, "Is there any hope for the menY' An swering intelligence comes back from the throne of God, thrilling through the worlds darkness, thrilling through the worlds woe: "Yes. Hope for one, hope for all Whosoever will let him come. And the spirit and the bride say, Come And let him that is athirst come"
 A Message From the Almighty.
 We have had conventions all over the country discussing the subject, "How Shall the Great Masses Be Brought to Christi" They have passed splendid res olutions at the close of the meeting-a long list of 8, 10 or 15 have been read, and then the presiding officer has said, | i,,f nf fha 11,,t. fo, the conversion of the world, purifying the cities and redeeming the masses and making everything all right say aye" "Aye, ayew say thousand voices. "All opposed-no." 1.-The ayes have it." There, the whole world is convertedi An, we do not seem to get along by such proc ess.
 If this world is ever to be brought to God, it will not be by the handful of ministers we have in this country. twill be by the great masses of Christian men and women discharging their duty. If the private church membership of this country would but put on their armor and go forth, believe that in 15 years this whole land would be redeemed for Christ. Would God that all the people were prophets! lam never afraid to hear man say that he is going to preach. If he cannot preach, people will not go to hear him. If he can, he has a message
 from the Almighty, and I would have him deliver it. Look out how you inter fere with him.
 Since we have been together as pastor and people how many have been pro- noted to the glories of heaven? They died sweetly, calmly. as only Christians can die. They have put down the staff of their pilgrimage. They have taken up the palm of the victor. The Lord Jesus has swung his arm through this church a good many times. He has been up and down all these aisles. He has taken the little children-the dear little children. He came down into the gar den to gather the lilies and the aged as | nx,a -,,l&