Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-09-20

you the best argument in behalfo
our holy Christianity: it is good
man. "A good woman. a life all con-
secrated TO Christ No in iidel can an
swer it Oh. let us by 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 h, ard a voice beneath him
say, Father, look ont for the safe
Iaih. i am following" and he looked
back and he saw that he was climbing
not only for himself, but climbing for
his boy. o. let MS be sure and take
the safe path! Our children are fol-
lowing. our partners in business are
following, our neigh bors are follow
ing. n great multitude stepping right
on in our steps o. be sure and take
the right path! Exhibit Christian
example. and so by your godly walk
compel the people To come in.
! think there Is also work in the
way of kindly admontion. / do not
believe there is u person in this house
who. if approached in a kindly and
brotherly manner would refuse to
listen If you are rebuGed, it is be-
cause you lack in tact and common
sense. But oh. how much effective
work there is in the way of kindly
adomnition! There are thousands of
men all round 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 ac-
cept it.
l tell you to day. my friends. of
great salvation. Do you unl erstand
what it is TO have Saviour? He took
sour place. He bore your sins. lie
wept your sorrows He is here now to
save your soul A soldier, worn out
in his country's service took to the
violin as "a mode of earning his living
lie was found in the streets OF Vienna
playing his violin, but after a while
his band became feeble and tire mulous,
and he could no more make music
One day, while he sat there wee ping
a man passed along and said, "My
friend. you are too old and too fee BILE;
give me your VIOLIN" and he took the
mans violin and began to dicourse
most exquisite music, and the
people gathered around in larger and
larger multitudes, and the aged man
held his hat, and the coin poured in
and poured in until the hat was full
Now" said the man who played the
violin. put that coin in your peck.
cts" The coin was put in the old
mans pockets Their he held his hat
again, and the violinist played more
sweetly than ever, and played until
some of the people wept and some
shouted. And again the hat was
filled with coin. Then the viollnist
dropped the instrument and passed
off, and the whisper went. "Who is
it? who is it?" and some one
just entering the crowd said,
why. that is Bucher. the great vio-
linist known all through the aim;
yes, that is the great vfolinist" The
TACT was, he had just tanen that mans
place and assumed his poverty, and
borne his burden, and played his
music, and earned his livelihood. and
made sacrifice for the poor old man.
So the Lord Jesus Christ comes down.
and he finds us in our spiritual penury,
and across the strings of his own
broken heart he strikes a strain of
infinite music, which wins the atten.
ton of earth and heaven. He takes
our poverty. He PLAYS oar music. lie
weeps our sorrow. lie dies our death.
A sacrifice for you. A sacrifice for
me.
Oh, will you accept this sacrifice
now? l do not single out this and
that man. and this and that woman.
But l say all may come. The sacri-
fee is so great all may be saved.
Does it not seem to you as if heaven
was very near? ! can feel it's breath
on my cheek. God is near. Christ is
near The Holy Spirit is near. Min
istering angels are near. Your glori-
fed kindred in heaven near. Your
gloritied mother near. Your departed
children near Your redemption is
near.