Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-02-01
Men

tian association, Men
Only"
He went in, hardly knowing why he
did so, and sat down by the door, and a
young man was in broken voice and
poor grammar telling how the Lord had
saved him from a dissipated life, and
the man back by the door said to him
self, "Why cannot have the Lord do the
same thing for r1e?" and he put his
hands, all a. tremble, over his bloated face
and said; 80 God, Iwant thatl must
have thatp' and God said, "You shall
have it, and you have itnowr" And the
man came out and went home a changed
man, and though the children at first
shrank back and looked to the mother
and began to cry with fright they soon
SAW that the father was changed man.
That home has turned from Paradise
Lost" to Paradise Regained. " The
wife sings all day long at her work, for
she is so happy, and the children rush
ont into the hall at the first rattle of the
fathers key in the door latch to welcome
him with caresses and questions Of,
"What have you brought me?" They
have family prayers. They are altogeth-
er on the road to heaven, and when the
journey Of life is over they will live for
ever in each others companionship.
Two of their darling children are there
already, waiting for father and mother
to come up. What changed that man?
What reconstructed that home? What
took that wife, who was a slave of fear
and drudgery, and made her queen on
a throne of affection? hear a whisper
ing all through this assemblage. know
what you are saying: That's religion!
Yes, that's religionl" My Lord and my
God, give US more Of It'll
Why, my hearers from all parts Of the
earth, do you not get this bright and
beautiful and radiant and blissful and
triumphant thing for yourselves, then
go home telling all your neighbors on
the Pacific, or in Nova Scotia, or in Lou
isiana, or Maine, or Brazil, or England,
or Italy, or any part of the round world,
that they may have it too. Have 1t for
the askingl Have it now! Mind you,
do not start from the pessimistic stand
point that David did, when he got mad
and said in his haste, "All men are
liarsp' or from the creed Of others that
every man is as bad as he can be. Irath-
er think from your looks that you are
doing about as we'll as you can in the
1, i,ob MI
| want to invite you up into heights Of
safety and satisfaction and holiness, as
much higher than those which the world
affords as Everest, the highest mountain
in all the earth, is higher than your
front doorstep.
The Redeemer.
Here he comes now Who is it? |
might be alarmed and afraid if | had
not seen him before and heard his voice.
| thought he would come before | got
through with this sermon. Stand back
and make way for him. He comes with
scars all around his forehead; scars in
the center Of both hands stretched out
to greet you; scars on the instep Of both
the feet with which he advances; scars
on the breast under which throbs the
great heart of sympathy which feels for
you. announce him. introduce him
to you Jesus Of Bethlehem and Olivet
and Golgotha. Why contest thou hither
this winter day. thou of the springtime
and summary heavens! He answers: To
give all this audience pardon for guilt,
coincidence for grief, whole regiments
of help for day Of battle and eternal
life for the dead! What response shall l
give him? In your behalf and in my own
behalf l hail him with the Inscriptions
Unto him who hath loved US, and
washed us from our sins in his own
blood, and hath made us kings and
priests unto God and his Father; to him
be glory and dominion forever and ever.
Amen.