Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-08-16

course ltr. 1ulnage represents reugiOn
as n great refreshmeut and invites all
the world to come and receive Il; text.
Genesis xxx. s. I'VE cannot until all
the tiocks be gathered together and till
they roll The stone from the wells
mouth; then we water the sheep"
A scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully
pastoral. a well of water of great
value in that region. The fields around
about II white with three focks Of
sheep lying down waiting for the wa
tering. hear their bleating coming on
the bright air and the laughter Of
young men and maidens INDUCING in
rustic repartee. look of. and see 9th
err fiocks of sheep coming. Meanwhile
Jacob, Il stranger. on an interesting en-
rand of looking for a wife. comes 10 the
well. A beautiful shepherdeSs comes
to the same we'll l see her approach
ing, followed 10y her fathers flock Of
sheen. IL was n memorable meeting.
Jacob married that shepherdess. The
Bible account Cf il is, Jacob kissed
Rachel ard lifted up his voice and
wcpt." 1t has always been i mystery
to me what lie found 10 cry about. But
before That scene occurred Jacob ac-
costs the shepherds and asks them why
they postpone tie shaking of the thirst
of these sheep and why they did not
Immediately proceed TO water them.
The shepherds reply TO the effect: I'VE
are all good ne.glbors. and rs a mat
ter OF courtesy We wait until all the
sheep OF the neighbour hood come up.
Besides that, tbs stone on the wells
mouth is somewhat heavy. and several
Of rs take hold Of /; and push It aside,
and then the buckets and tie troughs
ore filled. AMI the sheep are satisfied.
We cannot uatl ali the flOcks are gath
cred together and til they roll the stone
from the wells mouth: then we water
the saeep."
Oh. this is 4 thirsty world, Hot for
the head and hlstering for the feet ard
parching FOR the tongue The worlds
great wart Is cool, refreshing. salts
flying draft. We wander around. and
we find the cistern erlpty. Long and
tedious drought has dried up the
worlds fountain, but centuries ago
shepherd. with crook in the shape OF
cross and feet cut to the bleeding.
explored the desert passages OF this
world and one day came across 4 well
Thousand fset deep. bubbiing and
bright and opslesccrt. aud looked to
t;Is persh ana shc south and the east
and the west and cTied oct with a
reiSe stfepg and musical that rang
through the ages, ''ao. every one that
tssrstcth. come ye TO the watersr'
Gathering the FIoclsS.
Now. great flock OF sheep today
gather aroand this gospel well. There
are great many thirsty souls. l won
der why the locks OF all nations do not
gather-why SO many stay thlrsty-and
while | am wondering about IL my
text breaks forth I'm the explanation.
saying. I'VE cannot until all the nocss
he gathered together aud til they roll
the steac fros the wells mouth; then
we water the sheep"
III herd OF swine come TO well.
they angriiy jostie each other for the
precedence; IL a drove CT cattle come
to well, they hook each other hack
from the water. but when fock OF
sheep come. though a hundred OF them
shall be disappointed. they only ex-
press II by sad beating. they come to-
Tethcr rcaceahly. We want n great
multitude 10 come around the gospel
wei. l know there are those who do
not Ike crowd: they think u crowd is
vulgar. In they are oppressed for room
In church, II makes them positively inn
patient and belllgcrent. We have had
people permanently leave church be-
cause so many other people come TO IL.
Not so did these oriental shepherds.
They waited until all the Hocks were
gathered, and the more tlocks that
came the better they liked II. And so
we ought 10 be anxious that all the
people should come Go out into the
highways and the hedges and compel
them To come In; go 10 the rich and tell
them they arc INDECENT without the COS
pei or Jesus; 90 TO the poor and tell
them the aiiiuence there Is in Christ
so TO the blind and tell them OF the
touch that gives eternal Illumination:
so TO the lame and tell them or the joy
that viii make the lame man lean ike
hart. Gather oil the sheep Off all the
mountains: none so torn of the dogs
none SO sick. none so worried, so dying.
as To be omitted. Why not gather n
great nockI AL this city in flock
All New York In ilock; all London in
Hook; all the weird In flock.
Wn,cr For the Thirsty.
This well OF the gospe. Is deep enough
10 put out the burning thirst of the
1,Voo.oco.oOO OF the race. Do not le,
The church by spirit Of exclusiveness
Keep the world out Let down all the
bars, swing open ali the gates, scatter
al the Invitations. whatsoever Will. let
him come" Come. white and black.
Come. red mcr or the forest Come.
lapiander oui OF the snow. Come. Pat.
agonian, on; Of the south Come In furs,
Come parting under palm leaves. Come
one. Come all. Come now. AS NJ
this We'll os Mcsopotamia Jacob and
hache! wore betrothed, SO this morn
Ing az THIS well OF salvation Christ. our
Shepherd. VIII meet you coming M
with yeur ierg fiocks of cares ana anx-
ietles. .ns' he will stretch our his hand
In pi'rig,' 80 BIS a affection while all heav.
en- whl cry e;:t: "Eehold the bridegroom
coise;h. 80 " out TO meet him"
leu noi.rH Lat tins well OF Mcsopo.
tamla l@a stone on IT. which must
pe rssnavc.. before the sheep could he
Ms'ercu, and find on the well OF sal.
vatten To-Day impediments and obsta.
eee< which must be removed In order
WAX you may obsniR the refreshrnent
ard hfc CT this gospel. In yo,r ease
tse i'rneSlnaent Is pride OF heart. You
oanAot hesr TO come to 80 dcmocra tic
fountain. You do not want to come
with go many others. It Is as though
you were thirsty and you were invited
70 slske your thirst at the town pumr
instead OF sitting in a parlor slipping
out of chased challce which has Just
heen lifted from silver salver. No,
SO many pu5licans and sinners. YoS
want to get 10 heaven. but you must
be in special car, with your feet on
Turkish ottoman. and band OF mu
sic ON board the train You do not
want 10 be In company with rustic ia.
cob and Rachel and to be drinking ou,
or tie fountain where 10000 sheer
have been drinking before you. You
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