Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-01-21

tian parents who have already Won
the palm. And all that grand and
glorious history begins today. "Other
sheep L have which are not Of this
fold.'
Huntins; For Lost Sheep.
I remark again the heavenly Shep-
herd is going to find a great many of
his sheep among those who are now
rejecters Of Christianity. Some of the
mightiest advocates of the gospel were
once skeptics. Thomas Chalmers once
a skeptic, Robert Hall q skeptic,
Christmas Evans a skeptic, Charles G.
Finney a skeptie, Paul, the apostle,
once a skeptic. But when once with
strong hand they laid hold of the Cos
pei chariot they rolled it on with what
momentum! [ do not know how you
came to reject Christianity. It may
have been through the infidel talk of
some young man in the store or shop
or factory. It may have been through
the trickery of SOME prOfessed Chris
tan man, who Disguised you with re-
igion. 1t may be that 80 years ago
you lost all faith by what happened
in an oil company which was formed
amid the petroleum excitement. The
company owned no land, or, if they
did, there was no sign Of oil produced
But the president Of the company was
a Presbyterian elder and the treasurer
an Episcopal vestryman and one di-
rector was a Methodist class leader
and the other officers prominent mem
bers of Baptist and Congregational
churches. Circulars were got out tell
ing what fabulous prospects opened
before this company. The circular had
all the hues Of earth and sea and sky
The letters famed with all the beauty
of gold and jasper and amethyst. In
nocent men and women who had a lit
tie money to invest and that little
about this company, but so many
good men are at the head of it that it
must be excellent, and taking stock in
it must be almost as good as joining
the church." So they bought their
stock and perhaps received one divi-
dend to keep them still. But after
awhile they found that the company
had reorganized and had a different
president, q different treasurer and
different directors. Other engagements
or an overcoming modesty had caused
the former officers of the company,
with many regrets, to resign, and all
that the subscribers of that stock had
to show for their investment was a
beautifully ornamented certificate,
that man, looking over his
old papers, comes across that certii-
cate, and it is so suggestive that he
vows he wants none of the religion
that the president and directors of that
oil company professed.
ForsaLe the Desert of UnbeIief.
But 1 do not stop now to know how
you came into rejection Of Christianity.
You frankly tell me that you do reject
t. You do not believe that Christ is
1ivine being, although you admit that
he was a very good man. You do not
believe that the Bible was inspired of
Sod, although you think there are some
very fine things in it. You believe that
he Scriptural description of Eden was
only an aIlegory. There are so things
hat I believe that you do not believe,
nan. Everybody that knows you says
hat of you If | should ask you to do
| kindness for me, or if any one else
should ask of you a kindness, you
would do it. If when you are i'll l
should come to you with a phial of
Medicine and say: ''This kind of medi-
zine has cured 80 people who were
ust as badly off as you are Take it,"
md you replied: Il do not want to take
t. have no confidence in it," I would
say, "Take it to oblige me-" and you
would say, "Well, if it will accommO-
late you 1 will take it." Now, you have
'ound that this world is insufficient
md you are sick Of sin. come to you
With a gospel medicine. 1t has cured
hundreds and thousands and millions.
VIII you take it? NO" you say, Il
lave no confidence in it." Take it, then,
o oblige me. l tell you of a physician
who has cured more blind eyes and
pound up more broken hearts and heal
ID more CHASTITY wounds than all the
lOctOrS since the time Of HSculapiuS.
Be obliging, and just make the expert
nent. If you are not acquainted with
uc IHOUcS VI Ssly III
substance: ooh, Lord Jesus, this is a
strange thing for me to do. I know
lothing about the formulas Of religion.
These Christian people have been talk
ng so long about what thou canst do
or me, I am ready to do whatever
hou commandest me. If there be any
,ower in religion, as these people say,
ct me have the advantage Of it." Will
-ou not try that experiment?
do not now say there is anything in
'eligion. Do not take my counsel or
he counsel of any clergyman, for you
nay dislike clergymen. Perhaps we
nay talk professionally. Perhaps we
nay be prejudiced in the matter. Per