Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-11-23

prayer has accomplished! Have you
ever tried it? In the days when the
Scotch Covenanters we're prosecuted,
and the enemies were after them, one
of the head men among the Covenant
ers prayed: 'Oh, Lord. we be as dead
men unless thou shalt help us! oh,
Lord, throw the lap OF thy cloak over
these poor things!" And instantly
Scotch mist enveloped and hid the
prosecuted from their persecutors-the
promise literally fulfilled: While
they are yet speaking I will hear"
Have you ever tried the power OF
prayer? God says: HE is loving. and
faithful and patient" Do you believe
that? You are told that Christ came
to save sinners. Do you believe that?
You are told that all you have to do to
get the pardon Of the gospel is to ask
for it. Do you believe that? Then
come to him and say: ooh, Lord, /
know thou canst not lie. Thou hast
told me to come for pardon, and
could get it. / come, Lord. Keep thy
promise and liberate my captive soul"
Oh, that you might have an altar
in the parlor, in the kitchen, In the
store, in the barn, for Christ will be
willing to come again to the manger
to hear prayer. He would come to
your place OF business, as he confront
ed Matthew, the tax commissioner. II
measure should come before con-
gress that you thought would ruin the
nation, how you would send in petit
tons and remonstrances! And yet
there has been enough sin In your
heart to ruin it forever, and you have
never demonstrated or petitioned
against it. II your physical health
failed, and you had the means, you
would go and spend the summer In
Germany, and the winter In Italy. ana
you would think 1t very cheap outlay
II you had to go all round the earth
to get back your physical health. Have
you made any effort. any expenditure,
any exertion for your immortal and
spiritual health?
Oh, that you might begin to seek
after God with earnest prayer. Some
Of you have been working for years
and years for the support Of your fami-
lies. Have you given one half day to
the working out of your salvation with
fear and trembling? You came here
with an earnest purpose, take it, as
I have come hither with an earnest
purpose, and we meet face to face, and
7 tol 90 oil 20 m
find the Lord you must pray, and pray,
and pray.
I remark again, you must seek the
Lord through Bible study. The Bible
is the newest book in the world. Oh,
you say. st was made hundreds OF
years ago, and the learned men Of
King James translated it hundreds OF
years ago." l confute that idea by
telling you it Is not five minutes old.
when God, by his blessed spirit, re-
translates it into the heart. If you
will, in the seeking of the way of life
through scripture study, implore Gods
light to fall upon the page. you will
find that these promises are not one
second old, and that they drop straight
from the throne of God into your
heart.
Oh, my friends, If you merely want
to study the laws Of language, do not
go to the Bible. 1t was not made for
that. Take "Howe's Elements of Criti-
cism"-it will be better than the Bible
for that. If you want to study meta
physics, better than the Bible will be
the writings of William Hamilton.
But if you want to know how to have
sin pardoned, and at last to gain the
blessedness of heaven, search the
scriptures, for in them we have eternal
life"
When people are anxious about their
souls, there are those who recommend
good books. That is all right. But I
want to tell you that the Bible is the
best book under such circumstances.
Baxter wrote "A Call to the Unconvert-
ed" but the Bible is the best call to
the unconverted. Phillip Dodridge
wrote THE Rise and Progress of Re-
ligion in the Soul" but the Bible is
the best rise and progress. John Angel
James wrote advice to the Anxious
Inquirer" but the Bible is the best ad-
vice to the anxious inquirer.
Oh, the Bible is the very book you
need, anxious and inquiring soul! A
dying soldier said to his mate: Com
rade, give me a drop" The comrade
shook up the canteen and said: There
isn't drop Of water in the canteen."
"Oh," said the dying soldier, that's
not what I want; feel in my KNAPP
sack for my Bible" and his comrade
found the Bible and read him few OF
the gracious promises. and the dying
soldier said: "Ah, that's what l want
There isn't anything like the Bible
for a dying soldier, is there, my COM
rade?" Oh, blessed book while we
live! Blessed book when we die!
Sin is an awful disease. 1 hear peo-
pie say with a toss of the head and
with trivial manner: "Oh, yes, I'm
a sinner" Sin is an awful disease.
1t is leprosy. 1t is dropsy. 1t is
consumption. It. is all moral
disorders in one. Now you know
there Is crisis in disease.
Perhaps you have had some illustra-
ton of it in your family. Sometimes
the physician has called, and he has
looked at the patient and said: THAT
case was simple enough; but the
crisis has passed. If you had called
me yesterday, or this morning. l could
have cured the patient. 1t is too late
now: the crisis has passed." lust so