The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-01-04

GOOD news, and my text says 1t is
glorious news, and we must tell 1t in
our churches and over our dry goods
counters and in our factories and over
our threshirg machines and behind our
plows and on our ships decks and in
our parlors, our nurseries and kitchens,
as though it were glorious good news,
and not with a dismal drawl in our
voice and dismal look in our faces,
as though religion were a rheumatic
twinge or a dyspeptic pang or a ma
larial chill or an attack of nervous
prostration. With nine "blesseds'' or
"happys," Christ began his sermon on
the mount: Blessed are the poor,
blessed the mourner blessed the meek,
blessed the hungry, blessed the merci
full, blessed the pure, blessed the peace
makers, blessed the prosecuted, blessed
the reviled, blessed, blessed, blessed;
happy, happy, happy. Glorious good
news for the young as through Christ
they may have their coming years en-
nobled, and for life time all the an
gels of God their coadjutors and all the
armies of heaven their allies. Glori-
GUS good news for the middle aged, as
through Christ they may have their
perpiexities disentangled and their cour-
age rallied, and their victory over all
obstacles and hindrances made forever
sure. Glorious good news for the aged,
as they may have the sympathy Of him
of whom st. John wrote: His head
and his hairs were white like wool, as
white as snow" and the defense of the
everlasting arms. Glorious good news
for the dying. as they may have minis
ing gates to receive them and sweep
of eternal glories to encircle them and
the welcome of loving God to en-
bosom them.
Oh, my text is right when it speaks
Of the glorious gospel. 1t is an invi-
tation from the most radient being
that ever trod the earth or assembled
the heavens, to you and to me, to
come and be made happy, and then
take after that royal castle for ever
lasting residence, the angels of God our
cupbearers. The price paid for all of
this OF the cliff of limestone about as
high as this house, about seven min
utes' walk from the wall of Jerusalem,
where with an agony that with one
hand tore down the rocks and with the
other drew down midnight blackness
over the heavens, our Lord set us for
ever free. Making no apology for any
one of the million sins of our life, but
confessing all of them, we can point
to that cliff of limestone and say.
There was paid our indebtedness and
God never collects bill twice. Glad
am that all the Christian poets have
exerted their pen in extolling the
matchless one Of this gospel. Isaac
Watts, how do you feel concerning
him? And he writes. II am not
ashamed to own my Lord" Newton.
what do you think OF this gospel?
And he writes, Amazing grace, how
sweet the sound" Cowper, what do
you think of him? And the answer
comes, There is fountain filled with
blood" Charles Wesley, what do you
think of him? And he answers, Jesus,
lover o. my soul" Horatius Bonar,
what do you think of him? And he re-
spends, 81 lay my sins on Jesus" Ray
Palmer, what do you Hss2f him
and he writes, Ny faith sBoKl 's.iSs5 Il
thee" Fannie Crosby, what do yo,
thin.. OF him? And she writes. 'BlesseS
assurance, Jesus is mine." Bit take
higher testimony: Solomon, what do
you think of him? And the answer is.
Lilly of the valley" Ezekiel, What do
you think of him? And the aRwer is.
PLANT of renown." David, 6aa do
you think of him? And the a1wer\is.
MY shepherd" St. John, h.. No
rou think of him? And the a,wer is, /!
Bright and morning star" ). Paul. |
what do you think of him? nd the
answer comes, Christ is all ALL"
Do you think as well of him, man.
o woman, of the blood-bought MINOR
tai spirit? Yes, Paul was RICH when
he styled it THE Glorious Gspel."
And then as druggist. while yu are
waiting for him to make up tn doc
tors prescription. puts into a .ottle
SO many grains of this and SO uany
grains of that. and SO many dros OF
this and SO many drops of that, and
the intermixture taken, though ;our
and bitter, restores the health, so
Christ, the Divine Physician, prep,res
this trouble of our life time and saat
disappointment and this persecuA IN.
and that hardship and that tear. Ind
we must take the intermixture. ke,
though it be bitter draught, unle,
the divine prescription it administ| re
to our restoration and spiritual heaith
'all things working together for good
Glorious gospel!
And then the royal castle into whicy
we step out of this life without 81
much as soiling our foot with the up
turned earth of the grave. The,
shall reign forever and ever" Doe,
not that mean that you are, if saved
to be kings and queens, and do no
kings and queens have castles? Blu,
the. one that you are offered was fo,
thirty-three years an abandoned cas-
tie, though now gloriously Inhabited
There is an abandoned royal castle a
Amber, India. One hundred and sew
enty years ago king moved out Of i
never to return. But the castle still
stands in indescribable grandeur. am
you go through brazen doorway afte,
brazen doorway, and carved room afte,
carved room, and under embellishec
ceiling after embellished ceiling, anc
through precious-stoned into widey
halls precious-stoned, and on that hill
are payilions deeply dyed and tasselec
and arched the fire of co1orod <r,na...