Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-03

wondering why they do not MAKE progress.
How much ROBUSTNESS OF health would q
man have IL he hid himself in dark closet?
A great deal of the piety OF to-day Is too
fresh air, more outdoor exercise. There
are many Christians who are giving their
entire life to seif-examination.
This style OF self-examination Is dam-
age instead of an advantage to their Chris.
tian character. remember when was
boy used to have small piece in the
garden that called my own, and planted
corn there, and every few days I would
pull il up to see how fast 1t was growing.
Now, there are great many Christian peo-
pie in this day whose eself-examination mere
ly amounts to the pulling up OF that which
they only yesterday or the day before
planted oh, my friends, IL you want to
have q stalwart Christian character, plant
It right out Of doors in the great field OF
Christian usefulness, and though storms
may come upon 1t, and though the hot sun
Of trial may try to consume 1t. 1t will
thrive until 1t becomes great tree, In
which the fowls of heaven may have their
habitation. have no patience with these
flower-pot Christians. They keep them
selves under shelter, and all their Chris
tian experience in small, exclusive circle,
when they ought to plant It in the great
garden OF the Lord, SO that the whole at
mosphere could be aromatic with their
Christian usefulness. What we want in
the church OF God is more strength of
piety.
Again, If you want to be qualifledto meet
the duties which this age demands of you,
YOU must on the one hand, avoid reckless
iconoclasm and, on the other hand, not
stick too much to things because they are
old. The air Is full OF new plans, new pro-
iects, new theories of government, new
theologies, and ar amazed to see how 80
many Christians want only novelty In order
to recommend a thing to their condolences;
and SO they yacillate and swing to and fro,
and they are useless and they are unhappy.
New plans-secular. ethical, philosophical,
religious, cis-Atlantic, trans -Atlantic-long
enough to make line reaching from the
German universities to Great Salt Lake
City. All, my brother, do not take hold of
thing merely because 1t is new! Try it by
the Irealities Of the Judgment Day. But
on the other hand do not adhere to any
thing merely becay.se it is old. There is
not single entersfse OF the church OF the
world but has sometime .been scoffed at.
There was time when men derided even
Bible societies, and when q few young men
met in Massachusetts and organized the
first missionary society ever organized In
this country there went laughter and ridi-
All the great enterprises in and out OF
the Church have at times been scolfed at,
and there have been great multitude
who have thought that the chariot of Gods
truth would fall to pieces II it once got out
of the old rut. And so there are those who
have no patience with anything like inn
provement in church architecture, or with
anything like good, hearty, earnest church
singing, and they deride any form Of re-
ligious discussion which goes down walk
ing among everyday men, rather than that
which makes an excursion on rhetorical
stills. Oh, that the Church of God would
wake up to an adaptibility Of work! We
must admit tho simple fact that the
churches of Jesus Christ in this day do not
reach the great masses. There are fifty
thousand people in Edinburgh who never
hear the gospel. There are one million
people in London who never hear the
gospel.
All, my friends, there is work for you to
do and for me to do In order to this grand
accomplishment. have u pulpit. Ipreach
in it, Your pulpit is the bank. Your pull
pit is the store. Your pulpit is the editorial
chair. Your pulpit is the anvil. Your pull
pit is the house scafYolding. Your pulpit is
the mechanics shop. l may stand in my
place and, through cowardice or through
self-seeking, may keep back the word I
up and brow besweated with toll, may utter
the word that will jar the foundations of
heaven with the shout of a great victory.
Oh, that we might all feel that the Lord Al
mighty Is putting upon us the hands of or
dinationl 1 tell you, every one, go forth
right to preach as I have or any man liv-
ing.
/ remark again that in order to be
qualified to meet your duty in this par
ticular age you want unbounded faith in
the triumph of the truth and the over
throw OF wickedneSS. How dare the
Christian Church ever get discouraged?
Have we not the Lord Almighty on our
side? How long did it take God to slay
the hosts OF Sennacherib or burn Sodom
or shake down Jericho? How long will
it take God, when he once arises in his
strength to overthrow all the forces of
iniquity? Between this time and that
there may be long seasons OF darkness, and
the chariot wheels OF Gods Gospel may
seem to drag heavily; but here is the
promise and yonder fs the throne, and
when omniscience has lost its eyesight
and Jehovah is driven from his
throne, then the Church Of Jesus Christ
can afford to be despondent, but never
until then. Despots may plan and armies
may march and the Congresses of the
| nations may seem to think they are ad-
| justing all the affairs of the world. but the
mighty men Of the earth are only the dust
of the chariot wheels Of Gods providence.
| And think before the sun Of the next GEN.
tury shall set the last tyranny win fall, and
| with splendor of demonstration that shall
| be the establishment of the universe God
VIII Sct iortu tilc prlSHtuoSs duu pomp anu
glory and perpetuity OF His eternal govern
ment. Out OF the starry flags and the en-
blazoned insignia of this world God will
make path for His own triumph, and re-
turning from universal conquest He will sit
down, the grandest highest throne of earth
| His footstoo.
! prepare this sermon because want to
encourage all Christian workers in every
| possible department. Hosts OF the living
God. march on! march on! His Spirit will
| bless you. His shield will defend you.
His sword will strike for you. March oni
march on! The despotisms will fail and
paganism will burn its idols, and Mahome-
tanism will give up its false prophet, and
the great walls Of superstition will come