The record-union., 1897-05-10

and brightest and happiest mortals
can live. Then life becomes a sure
enough success; always the best and
always the happiest.
Fourth-Then it pays, because we are
enabled to do most good. From every
live" Wire there goes out electric pow
er. From every living man there goes
out an influence on others. 1t cannot
be held back; it must go out for good
or evil. We look to ourselves too much
when we think of becoming Christian.
How can it help me?' What benefit
can 1t be to me?'
There is something more that should
have great weight with a thoughtful
man or woman: Am l my brothers 5
keeper" is a question that comes ring
ing down to us from the far away past.
And still the answer must be Yes.
We are responsible for others around
us. And it is a fearful account that
we shall have to make some day for
the loss and ruin of others. We would
like to see others on the high ground
of Christianity: but we cannot lead
them there. Higher than we are our
selves We cannot lead others. We can
not expect to lead others to Christ
when we ourselves are not Christians
And there is no work more sweet than
saving sOuls-winning souls to Christ
How many opportunities we miss by
putting off becoming Christians.
Three things in life we never get
back again-the spoken word, the mis-
spent hour and the lost opportunity
Our influence, so little and so silent that
OF &c ut oil
What an awful surprise viii burst upon
us one day; that will make us call
on the rocks and hills to fall on us and
crush us, when we see the long list we
have kept from becoming Christians by
our infiuence-by our not being Chris
tians!
We may not think of it, but every
one is helping or are keeping back the
coming of Christ's kingdom. And it is
a fearful thing to be in the way of
God. For the good you may do, for
the influence you may have among
men, for the opportunity it gives you
to lead others to Christ, become a
Christian
Fifth - IT pays for the hopes il
sets before you. There is a joy in
knowing that beyond the frettings and
Borrowings and disappontments of this
life there remaineth a rest, a home, a
house not made with hands for the
child of God, the Christian. There is
a land Of pure delight" Not much is
told us about this place, but enough to
make us know that it is bright and
glorious and satisfying-enOugh to
arouse the brightest hopes within us,
and we feel sure that one day these
hopes shall be fully realized Now,
there is just one way to reach heaven;
that is by becoming a Christian. 4
am the way, the truth and the life; by
me if any man enter" mo man COM
eth to the Father but by me-" Christ
knew, and this He said.
Life is not very much, but eternity
is very much. Where will you spend
it? You decide by becoming Christian
or not 1t pays to become Christian. to
win heaven, eternity! How long is that?
Multiply the leaves on every tree by
the sands on every seashore, and that
again by all the blades of grass that
have ever grown on hill and valley,
and you cannot have a product equal
to the years of eternity. Toll here in
this life if you must, suffer pain and
torture every day you live here if you
must; it will pay you infinitely to be a
Christian in the midst of it all to win
heaven in the end.
Have we not said enough to make
you feel the abundant pay in becoming
Christian? You will please God; you
will escape punishment; you will live