Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-09-15
II Is not a monetary esn.

conditional. 1t is not a monetary esn-
dition. II we come to the door OF an
exquisite concert we are not surprised
that We must pay fee, for We know
that fine earthly music is expensive;
but all the oratorios Of heaven cost
nothing. Heaven pays nothing for it's
music. 1t is all free. There is moth
ing to be paid at that door for en-
trance; but the condition of getting
into heaven is our bringing our di
vine Benjamin along with us. Do you
notice how often dying people call up
on Jesus? 1t is the usual prayer Of
fered-the prayer offered more than
all the other prayers put together
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit One
of our congregation, when asked in
the closing moments Of his life, do
you know u.s." said, 20, yes, l know
you. God bless you. GOod-by. Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit" and he was
gone. o, yes, in the closing moments
Of our life we must have a Christ to
call upon. II Jacobs sons had gone
up toward Egypt. and had gone with
the very finest equipage, and had not
taken Benjamin along with them, and
to the question they should have been
obliged to answer, "Sir, we didn't bring
him, as father could not let him go;
we didn't want to be bothered with
him." voice from within would have
said, go away from us. You shall
not have any of this supply. You
shall not see my face because your
brother is not with you" And if we
come up toward the door of heaven
at last, though we come from all lux
uriance and brilliancy Of surround
ings. and knock for admittance and
it is found that Christ is not with us,
the police of heaven will beat us back
from the bread-house, saying, Depart,
l never knew you"
If Jacobs sons, coming toward
Egypt, had lost everything on the
way; if they had expended their last
shekel if they had come up utterly
exhausted to the corn-cribs Of Egypt,
and it had been found that Benjamin
was with them, all the store-houses
would have swung open before them.
And so, though by fatal casualty We
may be ushered into the eternal world;
though we may be weak and exhaust
ed by protracted sickness-if, in that
last moment, We can only just stagger
and faint and fall into the gate OF
heaven-it seems that all the corn
cribs of heaven will open for our need
and all the palaces will open for our
reception; and the Lord OF that place.
seated at his table, and all the angels
Of God seated at their table, and the
martyrs seated ar their table, and all
our glorified kindred seated at our ia
BILE, the King shall pass portion from
his table to ours, and then, while we
think of the fact that it was Jesus
who started us on the road, and Jesus
who kept us on the way, and Jesus
who at last gained admittance for our
soul. we shall be glad if he has seen
of the travail of his soul and been sat-
isfied, and not be at all jealous ii it be
found that our divine Benjamin's mess
is five times larger than all the rest.
worthy.
NY friends. you see it is either
Christ or famine. If there were two
banquets spread. and to one of them
only, you might go, you might stand
and think for good while as to which
invitation you had better accept; but
here is feasting or starvation. II there
were two mansions offered, and you
might have only one, You might think
for long while. saying. Perhaps |
had better accept this gift, and per-
haps / had better accept that gift"
but here it is a choice between palaces
of light and novels of despair. II it
might say, II prefer the Creation
or, Il prefer the Messiah" but here
it is a choice between eternal harmony
and everlasting discord. o, will you
live or die? Will you sail into the har-
Dor or drive on the rocks? VIII you
start for the Egyptian corn-crib, or
will you perish amid the empty barns
of the Canaanitish famine?