The record-union., 1895-02-18
WORKING IN THE LORDS VINEYARD.
EVANGELIST Shepard's Exhortations to
Sinners.
Yesterdays Sermon on Working Chris
tians-To-night He VIII Tell OF
the disappointed Dude"

At the Sixth-street Methodist Church
w. Z. Shepard addressed large and at
tentive congregation yesterday morning.
lie took for his text John tx, 4: 81 must
work the works of Him that sent Me,
while it is Gay; the night cometh, when
no man can work."
These. he said, are the words of Jesus.
When we ask, "What is a Christian ?"
we do not begin to think that he is a fol-
lower of Mohammed. or Confucius, or
Zoroaster. We quickly understand that
he is follower OF Christ. And when we
ask, "Where do we find laid down the
rule for Christian?" we do not expect
to find it in the Koran, or the Book Of
Mormon, or any other man-made or
woman-made book. We naturally eX-
pect to find it in the Bible. When Jesus
says, II must work the works of Him
that sent Me-" He expects us to be fol-
lowers OF Him.
AS God sent Jesus into the world to
work, so Jesus sent His disciples TO work.
AS Jesus came to do the works of His
Father, SO are we here to do the works of
Tim who sent us. Some think their
business is their secular work. We make
mistake when we put anything before
the service of the Lord. We should be
Ike the shoemaker who was asked,
What is your business ?' He replied,
Serving the Lord" We'll. but what is
your Calling-your vocation?' My call
ing is 10 serve the Lord, and l make
shoes to pay expenses"
God is depending upon the Christian
people to save the world. If our minds
are so taken up with secular business
that we neglect the work Of saving souls,
1t seems to me that we are a great disap-
pointment to God.
Take all the Christians out of the
world, and oh, how dark would its con-
dition be! The first thing we know the
Christians will be taken out OF the world
1.-The one shall be taken and the other
left" We are the light of the world; so
Jesus said. We are the only ones on
whom Jesus can depend to shine as He
shone. L believe that every Christian
should be lighthouse. The people are
watching you and me. We are the bible
that the world is reading. Has your
light gone out? You don't know how
many have persisted because your light
went out. Oh, come to the Lord Tor
fresh oil. Set your light to burning
again.
There is an awful word in the bible.
1T is the dark concentrated tincture OF
the wrath OF GOD. 1t is the word "woe."
That awful word God prOnounces upon
those who ARE at ease in Zion''-this
tiers. We don't do this in secular mat
tiers. A man sees a house on fire and a
person inside about to perish. He doesn' t
say, Pm very sorry for that person, but
it's not my affair. The fire department
Is paid To do that work-let them attend
To IT," Oh, let US be as sensible in re-
ligious matters! Here are people perish
ing all around US! Don't leave the work
Tor the preacher, for he may not know of
the case. Don't shift the responsibility.
What pow r there is in an active, holy
life! One day foreigner, who spoke our
language very impertectly, was converted
III my meeting at Glendale. Some time
alter L met him in Los Angeles. and
learned that thlrty-nve had been con-
verted In his house since he was con-
yerted. Not a tramp called at his door
without an effort being made to lead him
to Christ. This man was a marvel in the
community.
Why is there so much backsliding?
because those who backslide are not
working Christians. Why are so many
uubelevers? Because the world sees
such difference between the Bible
which Is the representation OF the Chris
tan hfe-and Christians who are the
representatives thereof. And as the
world is not likely to 60 back on human
nature, it concludes the mistake is in the
Bible. Every Christian should be a SAM
pie of the Christian lille.
The night cometh, when no man can
work" Let US be up, and doing! The
highest complement ever paid to any
one was given by Jesus when he said:
"She hath done what she could" The
Lord help US TO do what we can TO save
the perishng.
At the conclusion of the sermon four
teen persons united with the church.
Mr.. Shepard will continue services
through the week. Tonight his theme
viii be The Disappointed Dude"