The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-11-15

saved, and there is hope for YOU" You
do not know anything about this I'M
less you have learned that when a
man tries to return from evil courses
OF conduct he runs against repulsions
innumerable.
We say OF some man, "He lives
block or two from the church, or half
a mile from the church. In all our
great cities there are men who are
5000 miles from church--vast deserts
of Indifference between them and the
house of God. The fact is we must
keep our responsibility though thou
sands perish. Christ sat with publ
cans and sinners, but If there come to
the house of God a man with marks
of dissipation upon him people are al
most sure to put up their hands IN
horror, as much as to say, us 1t not
shocking?"
How these dainty, fastidious Christ
ians in all our churches are going to
get into heaven do not know, unless
they have an especial train OF cars
cushioned and upholstered, each one a
car to himself. They cannot go with
the great herd of publicans and SIN
ners. Oh, we who curl your lip of
scorn on the fallen. l tell you plainly
that if you had been surrounded by
the same influences instead Of sitting
today among the cultured, and the re-
fined, and the Christian, you might
have been a crouching wretch in a
stable or ditch covered with filth and
abomination. 1t is not because we are
naturally any better, but because the
mercy of God has protected us. Those
that are brought up in Christian cir
| cles and watched by Christian parent
age should not be so hard on the
| fallen.
First Get Ashore.
Why it reminds me of a man
drowning in the sea- and lifeboat
puts out for him, and the man in the
boat says to the man in the water
"Now, if | get you ashore, are you
going to live in my street," First get
him ashore and then talk to him about
the nonessentials of religion. Who
cares what church he joins if he only
joins Christ and starts for heaven?
Oh, you, my brother of illumined face
and hearty grip for every one that
tries to turn from his evil way, take
hold of the same hymnbook with him
though his dissipation shake the book
remembering that he that "converteth
sinner from the error of his ways
shall save soul from death and hide
a multitude of sins"
Now, l have shown you these OBJ
stacles because I want you to under
stand know all the difficulties in the
way But l am now going to tell you
how Hannibal may scale the Alps and
how the shackles may be unriveted
and how the paths of virtue forsaker
may be regained. First Of all, throw
yourself on God. Go to him frankly
and earnestly and tell him these habits
you have and ask him, if there is any
help in all the resources of omnipo
tent love, to give it to you. Do not e
on with a long rigmarole, which some
people call prayer, made up of obs anc
abs and forever and forever amens! CT
to God and cry for help.
Healing Balm for Wounds.
I remember that while living in Phil
adelphia, at the time l spoke of
minute ago, the Master Street hospita
was opened, and a telegram was re
ceived saying: There will be 3O
wounded men tonight. Please TAX
care of them" From my church Their,
went out twenty or thirty men ant
women. AS the poor wounded mel
were brought III no one asked of then
from what state they came or wha
was their parentage. There was ;
wounded soldier and the only question
was how to take off the rags mos
gently and put on the cool bandag'
and administer the cordial. And wheI
soul comes to God he does not asl
where you came from or what you
ancestry was. Healing balm for al
your wounds; pardon for all you
guilt; comfort for all your troubles!
Then, also, counsel you, if you wan
to get back, quit all your bad asso
ciates. One unholy intimacy will fiji
your soul with moral distemper. Ii
all the ages of the church there has no
been an instance where a man KEEP
one evil associate and was reformed
among the 6OO,OOO,O 900 of the race, no
one instance. Give up your bad com
panions or give up heaven. 1t is no
ten bad companions that destroy
man nor five bad companions nor thre,
but one.
What chance is there for the young
man | saw along the street. four O
five young men with him, in front of ;
grogshop, urging him to go in, he re
sisting, violently resisting. until afte
awhile they forced him to go in?
was summer night, and the door wa
left open. and l saw the process. The!
held him fast, and they put the cup t
his lips. and they forced down thu
\ strong drink. What chance is there
for such young man?