Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-02-02

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OF wheat, still he would remain poor.
chief care on one acre and has raised
splendid men and women i'm that small
Enclosure. But the field is the world.
That means Europe. Asia, Africa.
North and South America and all the
islands of the sea.
have TO remark that the Heavenly
shepherd will find many sheep amid
the nonehurchgoers. There are CON
gregations where they are ali Chris
tians, and they seem 10 be completely
finished, and they remind one OF the
skeleton leaves which by chemica!
preparation have had all the crcennsss
and vdrdure taken Oft them and arc
left cold and white and delicate. moth
ing wanting but a glass case TO pu,
over them. The minister of Christ has
nothing 20 DO with such Christians bu,
20 comy once week and with Ostrich
feather. dust off the accumulation OF
the last six days, leaving them bright
and crystalline as before. But the
other Kind of church is an armory.
with perpetual sound of drum and fife.
gathering recruits for the Lord OF
Hosts and saying TO every applicant:
DO you want TO be on Gods side, the
safe side and the happy side7 II SC.
come in the arircry and get equipped.
Here is a bath in which TO be cieansed
Here are sandals TO put on your feet.
Here is a helmet for your brow. Her,
is a breastplate for your heart. Here
is n sword for your right arm. ano
- 80. L
selves like men"
remark again the Heavenly Shep-
herd is going 10 find a great many Of
his sheep among those who are now re-
jecters Of Christianity. Some Of the
mightiest advocates of the Gospel were
once skeptics. Thomas Chalmers once
a skeptic Robert Hall skeptic
Christmas Evans skeptic. Charles G..
finney skeptic. Paul. the apostle.
once skeptic. But when once with
strong hand they laid hold OF the Cos
pei chariot they rolled IL on with what
momentum, I do not know how YOU
came 10 reject Christianity. II may
have beVn through the infidei talk OF
some Young man in the store or shop OF
factory. IL may have been through the
trickery OF some professed Christian
man who Gisgustsd YOU with religion
Il may be that 30 years ago YOU lost
all faith by what happened in an OF,
company which was formed amid the
petroleum excitement. The com
pany owned 70 land. or IL they die
mere was no sign OF oil produced. But
the president Of the company was a
Presbyterian elder and the treasurer
an Episcopaiian vetryman. and one
director was a Methodist class leader
AND the other officers prominent mem
oers OF Baptist and Congrc gationa.
churches. Circulars were got out tell
ing what fabulous prospects opened
before this com panN. The circular haC
all the hueS 81 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 n lit
tie money 10 invest. and that little their
az, said: Il do not know ANYTHING
ABOUT this company. but 80 many good
men are at the head Of il that il must
be excellent and taking stock in Il
must be almost as good as Joining the
church 50 they bought their stock
keep them still. But after awhile they
found that the company had reorgan-
i<ed and had a different president. a
olnerent treasurer and different di-
rcctors. Other engagements or an
Overcoming modesiy had caused the
former officers OF the company. with
many regrets, 20 resign, and all that
the subscribers FOR the stock had 10
SHOW Tor their investment was a beau
TRULY oTnamented certificate. Some
times that man, looking over his old
papers comes across that certificate,
and IL is 50 suggestive that he VOWS he
wanls none OF the religion that the
president and directors OF that oil com
pany profeSSed.
Or you may have become skeptica!
from the fact that YOU grew up in a
home where religion was overdone.
sunday was the most awful day in the
week. You had religion driven into
You with trip hammer. You were
surteited with prayer meetings. You
1ere stuffed and choked with cate
chisms, You were often told that you
were the worst boy your parents ever
knew because you liked 60 ride down
Hill better than to read Bunyan's Pill
grim's Progress" Whenever your
father and mother talked religion they
drew down the corners of their mouths
and rolled up their eyes. If any one
thing will send a boy TO ruin sooner
than another, that is il,
But 90 not stop now to know how
you came into rejection Of Christian.
ity. You frankly tell me that you do
reject II, You do not believe that Christ
is Divine being. although you admit
that He was very good man. You
do not believe that the Billie ,xaa In.