The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-01-10

million souls to attempt the destruc-
ton of your soul to-day. No peace out
of God, but here is the fountain that
can Stake the thirst Here is toe har-
Dor where you can drop safe anchorage.
Would you not like, l ask you-not
perfunctorily, but as one brother might
talk to another-would you not like to
have pillow of rest to put your head
on? And would you not like, when
you retire at night, to feel that ell is
well, whether you wake up tomorrow
morning at o'clock, or sleep the sleep
that knows no waking? Would you
not like to change this awful uDcer-
tainty about the future for a glorious
assurance of Heaven? Accept of the
Lord Jesus to-day, and all is well. If
on your way home some peril should
cross the street and dash your life out,
it would not hurt you. You would rise
up Immediately. You would stand in
the celestial streets. You would be-
amid the great throng that forever
worship and are forever happy. IL
this night some sudden disease should
come upon you, it would not frighteu
you. If you knew you were going you
could give a calm farewell to your
beautiful home on earth, and know
that you are going right into the COM
partnership of those who have already
got beyond the toiling and weeping.
You feel on Saturday night different
from the way you feel any other night
of the week. You come home from
bank, or the store, or the office, and
you say: 'Well, now my weeks work
is done, and tomorrow is Sunday" 1t
is a pleasant thought. There is re-
freshment and reconstruction in the
very idea. Oh, how pleasant it will
be. when we get through the day of
our life, and we go and lie down in
our bed of dust, we can realize: well,
now the work is done and tomorrow
is Sunday-an everlasting Sunday"
Oh, when, thou city of my God, -
Shall thy courts ascend?
Where congregations ne'er break up.
And Sabbaths have no end.
There are people in this house to-
day who are very near the eternal
world. If you are Christians, bid you
be of good cheer. Bear with you our
congratulations to the bright city.
Aged men, who will soon be gone, take
with you our love for our kindred in
the better land, and when you see
them, tell them that we are soon
preach and hear. Only a few more
heartaches. Only a few more. tolls.
Only a few more tears. And then
what an enhancing spectacle will open
before usl \
Beautiful Heaven, where all is light,
Beautiful angels, clothed in white,
Beautiful strains. that never tire.
Beautiful harps through all the choir;
There shall join the chorus sweet.
Worshiping at the Saviours feet.
And so l approach you now with a
general invitation, not picking out
here and there man, or here and
there woman, or Eere and there a
child, but giving You an unlimited in
vitatiOn, saying: Come, for all things
are now ready" We invite you to
the warm heart of Christ, and the in
closure of the Christian church. /
know a great many think that the
church does not amount to much-that
it is obsolete; that it dii its work and
is gone now, so far Is all usefulness is
concerned 1t is the happiest place 1
have ever been in except my own
home.
| know there are some people who
say they are Christians, who seem to
get along without any help from 9TH
ers, and who culture solitary Diety.
They do not want any ordinances. I
do not belong to that class. L cannot
get along without them. There are so
many things in this world that take
my attention from God and Christ and
Heaven, that want all the help, of all
the symbols and all of the Christian
associations, and l want around me a
solid phalanx of men who love God
and keep His commandments. Are
there any here who would like to enter
into that association? Then by simple,
child-like faith. apply for admission
into the visible church, and you will
be received. No questions asked about
your past history or present surround
ings. Only one test-do you love
Jesus?
Baptism does not amount to any
thing, say great many people, but
the Lord Jesus declared. "he that be-
putting baptism and faith side by side.
And an apostle declares: Repent and
be baptized, every one of you" / do
not sickle for any particular mode of
baptism, but put great emphasis on
the fact that you ought to be baptized
Y ct no more emphasis than the Lord
Jesus Christ, the great head of the
church, puts upon it.
Some of you have been thinking on
this subject year after year. You have
found out that this world is poor
portion. You want to be Christians.
You have come almost into the king
dom of God, but there you stop, for
getful of the fact that to be almost
saved is not to be saved at all. Oh, my
brother, after having come so near to
the door of mercy, if you turn back,
you will never come at all. After all
you have heard of the goodness of God,
if you turn away and die, it will not
be because you did not have a good
offer.
Gods spirit will not always strive
With hardened. self-deStrOying man;