The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-05-25

heart stops. The soul flies Dead, and
outside the ark!
/ have no doubt that derision kept
many people out of the ark. The world
laughed to see man go in and said
Here is man starting for the ark.
Why, there will be no deluge. 1t there
i is one, that miserable ship will not
weather it. Aha, going into the ark!
! Well, that is too good to keep. Here,
fellows, have you heard the news? This
man is going into the ark!'' Under this
artillery of scorn the mans good resolu
/, ton persisted.
And so there are hundreds kept out
by the fear of derision. The young man
asks himself: ssWhat would they say al
the store tomorrow morning if !
should become a Christian? When |
! go down to the club house, they will
shout. Here comes that new Christian
Suppose you will not have anything tn
do with us now. Suppose you ara
praying now Get down on your knees
and let us hear you pray. Come, now.
give us touch. VIII not do it, eh?'
| Pretty Christian, you arer" Is it not
the fear of being laughed at that
keeps you out of the kingdom OF
God? Which of these scorners will
help you at the last? When you lie
down on dying pillow, which of them
will be there? In the day of eternity
will they bail you out?
My friends and neighbors, come in
right away. Come in through Christ.
! the wide door-the door that swings
! out toward you. Come in and be
saved. Come and be happy. 1.-THE
| Spirit and Bride say. Come" Room in
the ark! Room in the ark!
But do not come alone. The text
invites you to bring your family.
1t says, Thou and thy sons and thy
wife" You can not drive them in.
If Noah had tried to drive the
pigeons and the doves into the ark.
he would only have scattered them
Some parents are not wise about
these things. They make iron rules
about Sabbaths, and they force the
catechism down the throat as they
would hold the child's nose and force
down a dose of rhubarb and calomel.
You can not drive your children into
the ark You can draw your children
to Christ, but you can not coerce them.
The cross was lifted, not to drive but
to draw. IF be lifted up will draw
all men unto me-" As the sun draws
up the drops OF the morning dew, SC
the sun of righteousness exhales tho
tears of repentance.
Be sure that you bring your husband
and wife with you. How would Noah
have felt if, when he heard the rain
pattering on the roof of the ark, he
knew that his wife was outside in the
storm? No; she went with him. And
yet some of you are on the ship out
ward bound" for Heaven. But your
companion is unsheltered. You re-
member the day when the marriage
ring was set. Nothing has yet been
able to break it. Sickness came, and
the finger shrank, but the ring staid
on. The twain stood alone above tho
child's grave, and the dark mouth of the
tomb swallowed up thousand hopes
but the ring dropped not into the open
grave. Days of poverty came, and the
hand did many hard days work, but
the rubbing of the work against the
ring only made it shine brighter.
Shall that ring ever be lost? Will the
iron clnng of the sepulcher gate crush
it forever? 1 pray God that you who
have been married on earth may be to-
gether in Heaven. Oh, by the quiet
bliss of your earthly home, by the
babes cradle. by all the vows of that
day when you started life together,
beg you to see to it that you both get
into the ark.
Come in, and bring your wife or your
husband with you-not by fretting
about religion or dingdonging them
about religion, but by a consistent life
and by compelling prayer that shall
bring the throne of God down into
your room. Go home and take up the
Bible and read it together, and then
kneel down and commend your souls
to Him who has watched you all these
years, and before you rise there win
be fiuttering of wings over your
head. angel crying to angel, Behold.
they pray!'
But this does not include all your
family. Bring the children too. God
bless the dear children! What would
our homes be without them? We may
have done much for them. They havo
done more for us. What salve for
wounded heart there is in the soft palm
of child"s handl Did harp or huto
ever have such music as there is in a
child's good nightg' From our coarse,
rough life the angels of God are often
driven back. But who comes into the
nursery without feeling that angels
are lowering around? They who die
in infancy go straight into glory, but
you are expecting your children. TO
grow up in this world. Is it not a
question, then, which rings through
all the corridors and windings and
heights and depths of your soul, what
is to become of your sons and daugh-
tiers for time and for eternity?
"Oh,"' you say, 81 mean to see that
they have good manners" Very we'll
81 mean to dress them we'll, if have
myself to go shabby. Very good. 81
shall give them an education; shall
leave them fortune" Very well.
But is that all? Don't You mean to
take them into the ark? Don't you
know that the storm is coming, and
that out of Christ there is no safety,
no pardon, no hope, no Heaven?
A WAR generally makes as well as
L