Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-04-01

the last dav. the last hour, the last mo-
ment. In an awful dash an ocean drop
ned from the sky and another rolled up
from beneath, and COG rolled the earth
and sky into one wave OF universal de-
EtructiOn.
Outside the Ark.
So men now put off going into the
ark. They say they will wait 90 years
first They will have little longer time
with their worldly associates. They will
wait until they get older. They say:
"You cannot expect q man of my at
tainments and Of my position to sur
render myself just now. But before the
storm comes will go in. Yes, Twill. I
know what am about. Trust mel! Aft
er awhile, one night about IL, O'Clock,
going home, he passes scaffelding just
as a gust of wind strikes it, and a plank
falls Dead, and outside the ark! Or.
riding in the park, a reckless vehicle
crashes into him, and his horse becomes
unmanageable, and he shouts, "Whoa,
whoan' and takes another twist in the
reins and plants his feet against the
dashboard and pulls back But no use.
Tt 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, but his soul is not picked up. It
fed behind a sWifter cOurser into the
great future. Dead, and outside the ark !!
Or some night he wakes up with a dis
tress that momentarily increases until
he shrieks out with pain. The doctors
come in, and they give him 20 drops, but
no relief; 40 drops, so drops, 60 drops,
but no relief. No time for prayer. No
time to read one of the promises. No
time to get a single sin pardoned. The
whole house is aroused in alarm. The
children scream. The wife faints. The
pulses fail. The heart stops. The soul
flies Dead, and outside the ak!
I 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. IF there
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 resoIu-
tion persisted.
And SO there are hundreds kept out
by the fear of derision. The young man
asks himself: "What would they say at
the store tomorrow morning if | should
become Christian? When | go down
to the clubhouse, they will shout, Here
comes that new Christian. Suppose you
will not have anything to do with us
now. Suppose you are praying now.
Get down on your knees, and let us hear
you pray. Come, now, give us touch.
Will not do it, eh? Pretty Christian, you
are! Is it not the fear of being laugh
ed 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 a dying pillow, which of them will be
there? In the day Of eternit1 will they
bail you out?
An Invitation.
My friends and neighbors, come in
right away. Come in through Christ,
the wide door-the door that swings
1ut toward you. Come in, and be saved.
Come and be happy. ''The Spirit and
5he Bride say, Come" Room III the arki
Room in the ark!
But do not come alone. The text in
7ites you to bring your family. It says,
Thou and thy sons and thy wife > You
cannot drive them in. IF Noah had tried
20 drive the pigeons and the doves into
he ark, he would only have scattered
hem. Some parents are not wise about
hese things. They make iron rules
about Sabbaths, and they force the cate
,hism down the throat as they would
lold the child's nose and force down 4
lose OF rhubarb and calomel. You can
lOt drive your children into the ark
on can draw your children to Christ
put you cannot coerce them. The cross
vas lifted not to drive, but to draw.
If be lifted up, will draw all men
into me. As the sun draws up the
lrops of the morning dew so the sun OF
'ighteousn ess eXhales the tears of re-
)entance.
Be sure that you bring your husband
md wife with you. How would Noah
AVE felt if, when he heard the rain pat
ering on the roof Of the ark, he knew |
hat his wife was outside in the storm? |
No; she went with him. And yet some
# you are OH the ship outward bound''
or heaven. But your companion is I'M
heltered. You remember the day when |
he marriage ring was set. Nothing has
-et been able to break it. Sickness came,
nd the finger shrank, but the ring staid
N. The twain stood alone above the
hild's grave, and the dark mouth of the
omb swallowed up a thousand hopes,
'ut the ring dropped not into the open
rave. Days of poverty came, and tho
land did many hard days work, but
he rubbing of the work against the ring
My made it shine brighter. Shall that
ing ever be lost? Will the iron clang
f the sepulcher gate crush it forever?
pray God that you who have been mar
led on earth may be together in heav-
n. Oh, by the quiet bliss of your earth