The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-04-05

be bowled in.
Now, il the ark Of Christ is s,
grand place to live and die and tri
umph, come into the ark. Know wei
that the door that shut Noah in shu
others out, and though, when the pitt
less storm came pelting on their heads
they beat upon the door, saying: "Let
me in! Let me in:'' the door did not
open. For one hundred and twenty
years they were invited. They expect.
ed to come in, but the antediluvians
said: "We must cultivate these fields
we must be worth more focks of sheep
and herds of cattle; we will wait until
we get little older; we will enjoy our
old farm little longer" But mean
while the storm was brewing. The foun-
tains of Heaven were filing up. The pry
was being placed beneath the founda-
tions of the great deep. The last year
had come, the last month, the last
week, the last day. the last hour, the
last moment. In an awful dash an
ocean dropped from the sky and an
other rolled up from beneath, and God
rolled the earth and sky into one wave
of universal destruction.
So men now put off going into the
ark. They say they will wait 20 years
first. They will have little longer
time with their worldly associates.
They will wait until they get older.
They say: "You can not expect man
of my attachments and of my position
to surrender myself just now. But
before the storm comes I will
go in. Yes, l will. l know what
am about. Trust me! After awhile
one night about twelve o'clock
going home, he passes scaffolding
just as gust of wind strikes it, and
a plank falls Dead, and outside the
ark! Or, riding in the park, reck-
less vehicle crashes into him, and his
horse becomes manageable, and he
shouts, ''Whoa, whoa!' and takes an
other twist in the reins, and plants
his feet against the dashboard and
pulls back. But no use. 1t is not so
much down the avenue that he flies as
On the way to eternity. Out of the
wreck of the crash his body is drawn,
put his soul is not picked up. 1t
led behind swifter courser into the
great future. Dead, and outside the
lrk! Or some night he wakes up with
! distress that momentarily increases
Until he shrielxs out with pain. The
loctors come in, and they give him 20
lrops, but no relief; 40 drops. so drops,
0 drops, but no relief No time for
'rayer. No time to read one of the
No time to get single sin
ardoned. The whole house is aroused
n alarm. The children scream. The
yife faints. The pulses fail. The
cart stops. The soul flies. Dead, and
utside the ark
/ have no doubt that derision kept
lany people out of the ark. The world
iughed to see man 60 in and said:
Here is man starting for the ark.
Why, there will be no deluge. If there
one, that miserable ship will not
leather it. Aha, going into the ark!
Yell, that is too good to keep. Here,
elbows, haye you heard the news? This
ian is going into the ark!" Under this
.tillery of scorn the mans good resolu-
on persisted.
And so there are hundreds kept out
Y the fear of derision. The young man
ks himself: "What would they say at
lie store tomorrow morning if 1 $
lould become a Christian? When /
, down to the club house, they will j.
lout, Here comes that new Christian.
oppose you will not have anything to =
, with US now. Suppose you are
aging now. Get down on your knees
i'd let us hear you pray. Come, now, 9
We us touch. Will not do it, eh?'
,etty Christian, you arer" Is it not I
e fear of being laughed at that Il
,eps you out of the kingdom of :
ID? Which of these scorners will 4
lip you at the last? When you lie v
'wn on dying pillow, which of them P
III be there? In the day of eternity q
III they bail you out? Z
My friends and neighbors, come in a
yht away Come in through Christ,
e wide door-the door that swings D
t toward you. Come in and be p
we'd. Come and be happy. "The u
irit and Bride say. Come" Room in u
e ark! Room in the ark!
But do not come alone. The text a
vites you to bring your family. d
says, "Thou and thy sons and thy II
fe." You can not drive them in. e'
Noah had tried to drive the Il
yeons and the doves into the ark,
would only have scattered them. y
me parents are not wise about dl
ese things. They make iron rules tt
out Sabbaths, and they force the re
techism down the throat as they re
'uld hold the child's nose and force re
wn dose of rhubarb and calomel. tn
u can not drive your children into tn
: ark. You can draw your children w
Christ, but you can not coerce them. al
e cross was lifted, not to drive but ne
draw. "If be lifted up will draw ca