Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-02-15

the Pedo- Baptist fold, the only differ
ence between these last two being the
mode of sheep washing, and SO they are
scattered all over, and we come with
our statistics and say there are so many
thousands of the Lord S sheep, but Christ
responds: mo, no. You have not seen
more than one out Of 1000 Of my flock.
They are scattered all over the earth.
Other sheep | have which are not Of
this fold.
Christ in my text was prophesying the
conversion of the gentiles with as much
confidence as though they were already
converted, and he is now. in the words
of my text, prophesying the coming OF
q great multitude Of outsiders that you
never supposed would come in, saying
to you and saying to me, "Other sheep
| have which are not of this fold. "
Stray Sheep.
In the first place, | remark that the
heavenly shepherd will find many Of his
sheep among the nonchurchgoers There
are congregations where they are all
Christians, and they seem to be COM
pletely finished, and they remind one Of
the skeleton leaves which by chemical
preparation have had all the greenness
and verdure taken off them and are left
cold and white and delicate, nothing
wanting but a glass case to put over
them. The minister of Christ has moth
ing to do with such Christians but to
come once a week and with ostrich
feather dust off the accumulation Of the
last six days, leaving them bright and
crystalline as before. But the other
kind of a church is an armory, with
perpetual sound of drum and fife, gath
ering recruits for the Lord Of Hosts We
say to every applicant: "Do you want
to be on Gods side-the safe side and
the happy side? If so, come in the ar
mory and get equipped. Here is a bath
in which to be cleansed. Here are san
dals to put upon your feet Here is a
helmet for your brow. Here is breast
plate for your heart. Here is a sword
for your right arm, and yonder is the
battlefield. Quit yourselves like men.
There are some here who say, 81
stopped going to church 10 or 20 years
ago" " My brother, is it not strange that
you should be the first man | should
talk to today? | know all your case. !
know it very we'll You have not been
accustomed to come into religious as
semblage, but / have a surprising an
nouncement to make to you-you are
going to become one Of the Lords
sheep. "Ah," you say, lit is impos'
sible. You don't know how far l am
from anything Of that kind. " | know
all about it. l have wandered up and
down the world, and understand your
ease. | have a still more startling an
uouncement to make in regard to you
you are not only going TO become one OF
the Lords sheep, but you will become
one today. You will stay after this sery'
ice TO be talked with about your soul.
People of God, pray for that man. That
is the only use for you here. shall not
break off so much as a crumb for you,
Christians, i'll this sermon, for l am
going to give it all to the outsiders.
HOther sheep l have which are not OF
,Iis fold"
When the Atlantic went to pieces on
Mars rock, and the people clambered
apon the beach, why did not that heroic
minister of the gospel of whom we have
all read sit down and take care Of those
men on the beach, wrapping them IN
aannels, kindling fire for them, seeing
that they got plenty Of food? All, he
knew that there were others who would
do that He says: "Yonder are men
and women freezing in the rigging OF
that wreck. Boys, launch the boat.
And now | see the oar blades bend un-
der the strong pull, but before they
reached the rigging a woman was frozen
and dead. She was washed OIL, poor
thing. But he says, There is man to
save, T" and he cries out: Hold on five
minutes longer, and l will save you.
Steady; steady. Give me your hand
Leap into the lifeboat Thank God, he
is savedV'
So there are those here today who are
safe on the shore of Gods mercy. l
will not spend any time with them at
all. but l see there are some who are
freezing in the rigging Of sin and sur
rounded by perilous storms. Pull away
nv lads! Let US reach them. Alas, one
is washed off and gone. There is one
more to be saved. Let US push out for
that one. Clutch the rope. Oh, dying
man. clutch it as with death grip.
Steady, now, on the slippery places.
Steady. There-saved, saved! just as i
thought. For Christ has declared that
there are some still in the breakers who
shall come ashore "Other sheep have
which are not Of this fold. "
Searching For Stray Sheep.
Christ commands his ministers to be
fishermen. and when | 60 fishing do not
want to 60 among other churches, but
into the wide world, not sitting along
Hohokus creek, where eight or ten 9th
or persons are sitting with hook and
line. but. like the fishermen OF New
foundland, sailing off and dropping net
away outside, 40 or 90 miles from
shore. Yes, there are nonchurchgoers
here who will come in. Next Sabbath
they will be here again or III some
better church. They are this moment
being swept into Christian associations.
Their voice will be heard in public
PRAYER. They will die in peace. their
bed surrounded by Christian sym
pathies and TO be carried out by devout
men TO be buried and on their grave be
ohiseled the words, Precious in the
sight of the Lord is the death OF his
saints" And Oh resurrection day you
will get up with the dear children you
have already buried and with your
Christian parents who have already wor
the palm. And all that grand and glo
rious history begins this hour. "Othei
sheep l have which are not OF thi'
fold"
remark again, the heavenly shep
herd is going to find a great many o.
his sheep among those who are positive
reiectors Of Christianity. do not know
how you came to reject Christianity. 1
NAV have been through hearing Theo
dore Parker preach, or through reading