The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-03-07

circle" Some man rises in the audi
cnCa and he looks over on the opposite
side Of the house and says: "There
is a blasphemer; and | understand how
he has gone astray. And there in an
other part Of the house is defaulter,
and he has gone astray. And there Is
an impure person, and he has gone
astray.' Sit down, my brother. and
look at home. My next text takes us
all in It starts behind the pulpit,
sweeps the circuit OF the room, and
comes back to the point where it start
ed, when it says, All we, like sheep,
have gone astray. ! can very easily
understand why Martin Luther threw
up his hands after he had found the
Bible and cried out, "Oh. my sins, my
sins" and why the publican, according
to the custom to this day in the east,
when they have any great grief, began
TO beat himself and cry, as he smote
upon his breast, God be merCiful to
me, sinner" | was, like many OF
you, brought up in the country, and |
know some of the habits Of sheep, and
how they get astray. and what my text
means when 1t says: "All we, like
sheep. have gone astray." Sheep get
astray in two ways: either by trying to
get into other pasture, or from being
scared by the dogs. In the former way
some Of us get astray. We thought the
religion of Jesus Christ put us on short
commons. We thought there was bet
ter pasturage somewhere else. We
thought If we could only lie down on
tho banks Of distant stream, or under
great oaks on the other side OF some
hill, we might be better fed. We want
ed other pasturage than that which
God, through Jesus Christ, gave our
soul, and we wandered on, and we wan
dered on, and we were lost We wanted
bread, ana we found garbage. The
farther we wandered, instead Of find
ing rich paSturage, we found blasted
heath and sharper rocks and more
singing nettles. No pasture. How
was it in the club house when you lost
your child? Did they come around and
help you very much? Did your worldly
associates console you very much?
Did not the plain Christian man who
came into your house and sat up with
your darling child give you more COM
fort than all worldly associates? Did
all the convivial songs you ever heard
comfort you in that day of bereave-
ment 50 much as the song they sang
to you-perhaps the very song that was
sung by your little child the last Sab
bath afternoon Of her life.
There Is a happy land
Far. far away,
Where saints immortal reign.
Bright. bright az day.
Did your business associates in that
day Of darkness and trouble give you
any especial coincidence? Business eX-
asperated you, business wore you out
business left you limp as rag, bust
ness made you mad You got dollars,
but you got no peace. God have mercy
on the man who has nothing but bust
ness to comfort him! The world afford
ed you no luxuriant pasturage. A IA
nous English actor stood on the stage
impersonating, and thunders of ap-
plause came down from the galleries.
asd many thought it was the proudest
moment Of all his life; but there was
man asleep just in front Of him, and
the fact that that man was Indifferent
and somnolent spoiled all the occasion
for him, and he cried: wake up, wake
up" So one little annoyance in life
has been more pervading to your mind
than all the brilliant congratulations
and success. Poor pasturage for your
soul you find in the world. The world
has cheated you, the world has belied
you, the world has misinterpreted you,
the world has prosecuted you. 1t never
comforted you. Oh! this world is a
good rack from which a horse may
pick his food; it is good trough from
which the swine may crunch their mess:
but 1t gives but little food to a soul
bloOd-bought and immortal What is a
soul? 1t is hope high as the throne
OF God. What is man? You say, 1T
Is only man." 1t is only man gone
overheard in sin. 1t is only a man gone
overheard in business life. What is q
man? The battle ground of three
worlds, with his hands taking hold Of
destinies of light or darkness. A man,
No line can measure him. No limit can
bound him. The archangel before the
throne cannot outlive him. The stars
shall die, but he will watch their ex-
tingushment The world will burn.
but he will gaze at the conflagration.
Endless ages will march on; he will
watch the procession. A mani The
masterpiece Of God Almighty. Yet you
say, 1T is only man." Can a nature
like that be fed on husks OF the wilder
ness?
Substantial comfort will not grow
On Natures barren soil;
All We can boast till Christ we know
Is vanity and toll.
Some OF you got astray by looking