Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-01-10

hurt you. You would rise up imme-
diately. You would stand in the ce-
lestial streets. You would be amid the
great throng that forever worship and
are forever happy. If this night some
sudden disease should como upon you,
it would not frighten 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 companionship Of those who
have already got beyond the toiling and
the weeping.
You feel Oh Saturday night different
from the way you feel any other night
Of the week. You come home from the
bank, or the store, or the office, and you
say, well, now my weeks work is
done, and tomorrow is Sunday" 1t is
pleasant thought. There are refreshment
and reconstruction in the very idea Oh.
how pleasant it will be if, 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 all
done, and tomorrow is Sunday-an
everlasting Sunday"
Oh, when. thou city Of my God,
Shall thy courts ascend,
Where congregations nser break up
And Sabbaths have no endl
There are people in this house today
who are very near the eternal world. If
you are Christians, bid you be Of good
cheer. Bear with you our congratula-
tions 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 coming. Only few more
sermons to preach and hear. Only a few
more heartaches. Only a few more tolls.
Only few more tears. And then
what an enhancing spectacle will open
before Us
Beautiful heaven, where all IS light
Beautiful sngels, clothed in white;
Beautiful strains that never tire,
Beautiful harps through all the choir
There shall Join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping at the Saviour feet.
And so 1 approach you now with a
general invitation, not picking out here
and there a man, or here and there a
woman, or here and there a child, but
giving you an unlimited invitation, say
ing, Come, for all things are now
ready" We invite you to the warm
heart OF Christ and the inclosure Of the
Christian church know great many
think that the church does not amount
to much-that it is obsolete; that it did
its work and is gone now, SO far as all
usefulness is concerned. 1t is the happi-
est place have ever been in except my
own home.
The One Thing Needful.
know there are some people who say
they are Christians who seem to get
along without any help from others, and
who culture solitary piety. They do not
want any ordinances. do not belong
to that class cannot get along with
out them. There are so many things III
this world that take my attention from
God and Christ and heaven that want
all the helps of all the symbols and Of
all the Christian associations, and
want around about me solid phalanx
Of men who love God and keep his COM
mandments. Are there any here who
would like to enter into that associa-
tion? Then by simple, childlike faith
apply for admission into the visible
church, and you will be received. No
questions asked about your past history
or present surroundings. Only one test
do you love Jesus?
BAPTISM does not amount to anything,
say a great many people, but the Lord
Jesus declared, HE that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved" putting
baptism and faith side by side. And an
apostle declares, Repent and be bap-
tized every one of you" Idon sickle
for any particular mode Of baptism, but
put great emphasis on the fact that
you ought to be baptized, yet 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 a poor por-
tion. You want to be Christians. You
have come almost into the kingdom Of
God, but there you stop, forgetful Of the
fact that TO be almost saved is not to be
saved at all Oh my brother, after hay-
ing 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 otter.
Gods spirit will not always strive
With hardened, self destroying man.
Ye who persist his love 20 gricye
May never hear his voice again.
May God Almighty this hour move
upon your soul and bring you back from
the husks Of the wilderness to the Fa-
theirs house, and set you at the banquet,
and Hnnt a ring on yOur hand.