Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-10-25
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WASHINGTON. Oct. 20.-In this dis
course DR.. ralmase calls oil people to
giadness and opens all the doors Of ex-
pectancy; texts, Genesis vi. IS, Gomez
Revelation xii, II, Come"
Imperial, tender and all persuasive is
the word "come." Six hundred and
seventy-eight times is ii found IN the
Scriptures. II stands at the front gate
OF the Bible, as in my first text, invit-
Ing antediluvisns into Noah's ark, and
II stands at the other gate of the Pible,
rs in my second text, inviting the post
diluvians Of all later ages into the ark
Of a S0viour's mercy. Come" is only
q word Of four letters, bet II is the
queen Of words. and nearly the entire
nation OF English vocabulary bows to
Its Scepter. II IS an ocean into which
empties ten thousand rivers of mean
ing. Other words drive. but this beck
ons. All moods of feeling hath that
word come" Sometimes IL wecps and
sometimes IL LAUGHS. Sometimes it
prays, sometimes it temDts, and some
times il destroys. IL sounds from the
door OF the church and from the Sc
raglios of sin, from the gates Of heaven
and the gates OF hell. IL is continent
and accreSceDt of all power. II is the
heiresS Of most of the past and the al
moner of most of the future. Gomez
You may pronounce it so that all the
heavens will be heard in it's cadences
or pronounce IL so that all the woes OF
time and eternity shall reverberate in
its one syllable. 1t is on the lip of saint
fo o t. h., m
sollcitants either for good or bad.
Today weigh anchor and haul In the
planks and set sail on that great word,
although | am sure J win not be able
to reach the farther shore. 1 will let
4. down the fathoming line into this sea
and try to measure its depths, and,
though l tie together all the cables and
cordage l have on board, L will not be
able to touch bottom. All the power of
the Christian religion is In that word
come" The dictatoral and commend
atory In religion are OF no avail. The
imperative mood is not the appropriate
mood when we would have people saw
inGly impressed. They may be coaxed,
but they cannot be driven. Our hearts
are like our homes-at friendly knock
the door will be opened, but an at
tempt TO force open our door would
land the asSailant in prison. Our theo-
logical seminaries, which keep young
men three years in their curriculum be-
fore launching them into the ministry,
VIII do wei if In so short n time they
can teach the candidates for the holy
office how 10 say with right emphasis
and intonation and power that one
IN h. h,.
efficiency In Christian work and that
woman who has such power to per-
suede people 60 quit the wrong and be-
sin the right went through n series of
losses, bereavements, prosecutions and
the trials OF twenty or thirty years be-
fore they could make II n triumph OF
grace every time they uttered the word
''come."
The Persuasive Word.
You must remember that I'm many
cases our come" has a miChtier "come''
TO conquer before IL has any effect Mt all.
Just give me the accurate census. the
statistics OF how many are down In
fraud. In drunkenness. In gambling. in
impurity or In vice OF any sort. and L
VIII give you the accurate census or
statistics OF how many have been slain
ny the word come" Come and click
wlueSlaSses with me at this ivory bar"
Come and see what we can win at this
gaming table" Come, enter with me
this doubtful speculation" "Come with
me and read those Inhdel tracts on
Christianity" Come with me TO n
place OF bad amusement" "Come with
me IN gay bout through the under
ground Tie Of the city.n IL In this city
ulsre are twenty thousand who are
Gown IN moral character. then twenty
Thousand tell under the power of the
word come" ] was reading OF wife
whose husband had been overthrown
by strong drink. and she went 10 the
saloon where he was ruined. and she
said, Give me back my husband" And
the bartender. pointing to n maudlln
ana battered man browsing I'm the cor
ner Of the barroom, said: There he Is.
jim. wake up. Here's your wife come
Tor you" And the woman said: DO
you call that my husband? What have
you been doing with him? Is that the
manly brow, Is that the clear eve. ia
that the noble heart, that | married?
what vile drug have you given him
that has turned him into q fiend? Take
your tiger claws Off OF him. Uncoil
those serpent folds of evil habit that
are crushing him. Give me back my
husband. the one with whom stood at
the altar ten years ago. Give him back
to me-" Victim was he, as millions of
others have been, OF the word "come"
NOW. we want ell the world over to
harness this word for good as others !
have harnessed 1t for evil, and 1t viii |
draw the i've continents and the seas
between them-yea. 1t will draw the |
whole earth back to the God from |
whom II has wandered. 1t is that WOO |
ing and persuasive word that will lead |
mon TO give up their sins. Was skepti- |
cisip ever brought into love OF the truth |
by Tin ebnlliiion OF hot words against |
fnfidelty! Was ever the blasphemer
stopped In his oaths by denuncia ton |
or biasphemyt Was ever n drunkard |
wennsd from his cups by the temper
ance lecturers mimicry or staggering
step ana hiccough? No. 1t was, Come
with me 10 church today and hear our
singing; Come and let me introduce
you TO Christian man whom you will
be sure 10 Admire" Come with me In
W associatlonS tnat are cheerful and
good and inspiring" "Come with me
into JOY such as you never before ex-
perienced."
Unhonored Herocs.
With that word which has done SO
much for others 1 approach you today.
Are you all right with God? NO." you
say, Il think not. 1 am sometimes
aiarDed when l think OF him. 1 fear 1
VIII not be ready to meet him in the
last day. My heart is not right with
God" Come, then, and have il made
right Through the Christ who died to
save you, come! What is the use i'm
waitingf The longer you wait the
FARTHER or you are and the deeper you
are down. Strike out for heaven! You
remember that n few years ago a
steamer called the Princess Alice. with