The Washington times., 1901-12-16

Intentions Must Be Declared.
Mrs. Maud Ballington Booth, wife Of
aud co-worker with Brigadier General
Ballington Booth commanding the Vol
unteers OF America. delivered an address
at the Columbia Theatre yesterday after.
noon. under the auspices OF the Young
Mems Christian Association. The address
was made to men only. The audience that
greeted Mrs. Booth taxed the seating
capacity and the standing room Of the
theatre.
Message From Heaven.
Il am glad to face such an audience as
this said Mrs. Booth. in opening. and
to be able TO realize more fully than ever
before that / am not to utter my own
words or speak my own thoughts and
theories. but to bring you a message from
on High that has meant everything to
me, and has brought joy, strength. power.
and life to thousands. IL is a message
that the angels OF Heaven would gladly
deliver. a message of Christ's love- power.
and wonderful friendship TO the sons OF
men. 1t is both yours and mine, if We
Will but claim it.
Last Sunday my audience was made
up of the 1.400 inmates OF the Kansas
State prison. an assemblage OF persons
whose libert.r was gone, and whose cppor
tunities and chances in this world were
behind them; men whose despair, iegra-
dation and disgrace were to be seen in
the garb they wore and the place in shisl
they were incarcerated.
No Room for Doubt.
Amid such shadows and misfortunes,
utter hopelessness and despair. had
ever doubted the truth of Gods message.
or been tempted to question that Christ
was a reality, could never have had the
shadow of a doubt after what / wit
messed behind the walls of that State
prison.
Bound by chains OF sin. crime. and
vice-mcn whose lives were empty and
barren. and who say life is not worth
living-drawn as they were from the paths
OF rectitude and purity-yet the power OF
God. and the hand OF God. can snap the
fetters that bind these poor unfortunates.
Their faces can be gladdened and bright
ened by his never-failing power. For
Gods power is the essence OF all Chris
tianity.
Christianity l. Life.
christianity is life itself. The man
who has not found that life is dead. What
God wants is Christians who will be
Christ followers. in whose business and
work the imprints OF Christ can be seen
Under such conditions as these infidelity
would be lost in the shadows
I remember that as a child 1 saw
picture which depicted as a foreground
scenery. rocks, and trees, and In the dis
tance the ocean. Amid the rocks was a
humble grave, marked by cross. On the
cross was the inscription: The grave of
Napoleon. Where is :he Emperor A
shadow formed in the twigs and branches
OF the trees portrayed the specter of a
man in uniform-the Emperor.
Christ a Fact.
There are many who look upon Christ
as shadow. They say: L don't believe in
the fables of the Bible. or in Christ, be-
cause / see so little OF him. You are
Christians, but where is Christi We do
not want shadow pictures OF his truth,
but Christians whose lives are so truly
Christian that Christ is written all over
them. Christ is not an IDEAL not a the
ory, but a fact at all times.
Life. life life, is at the bottom OF the
hole question Of the new life. You can
net enter the human family without being
born into H. Growth follows birth Why
q
new life. When We become citizens we |
declare cur intentions, and have to do |
50 before We are naturallzs1. So It is |
with Christianity. II is ridiculous to talk |
about drifting into IL. There is no sense !
in becoming geou by degrees. To become |
& citizen OF the new world yog must de-
clare your intentions. cut old ties and 1
owe no further allegiance to the old 1
power. but consecTate your lives TO the |
40.
Christ died TO d. for us what 1t was i'm |
possible for Us to do for ourselves.
The Sunshine of Gods Love.
There is no greater joy in life than to |
fring blessing. health and strength to |
others. Everyone can accept the message |
Of truth By living it. We may not have |
any brilliant life Of cur own We may no. |
lc brilliant stars and SUNS But by keep |
Ing our hearts, souls. and lives lean and 4
rure y-e can catch The sunshine Of lis |
love a.I reject Il 20 these In The 5i.a dow
What are you 10 do with the ruth q |
tie Cbfisi lfe2 The Christ speaks nov |
Tire message frGm the God Of I8ea zen is. |
''iy Han give me thine heart E5e vans |
D.. I5e truly loves it, His appeal is to |
e.efy hc-r;.
Tho measure Of Christ's love was His |
death On the cross. 10 bring you freedom, /
'loDe aad Heaven. Our Christianity Is too 1
easy. man eau saw ne Is q Christian. |
when feiig Gus poIEe sutiou IS DO mere. /
and give q d ii,.le oi his life and -tat (
is all. But Geo wants to be The rl1r Of I
Cur lives
orr Hundred Converts
''wtat VII you 10 with the oEer he
Christ makes you? At The Kanaaz state |
prison last sunday over 100 OF the con
vlcts stood zap and accepted Christianity |
nmid the scofiing and ieers OF those who |
did ret believe IN God. These conyic,s J
declared themselves for God in a place |
where il IS hard 10 be Christian.
I'm this audience OF the free how many 1
viii declare themselves for him IN pre- |
scntiLg 10 you this testimony OF tho neH
life / have not appealed to yoHr sonti- !
faents. but have brought ycu a message /
and now, not emotionally. 1 ask you 10 /
take the stand for Christ
Mrs. Booth then requested that all Join 1
in singing the wonderfully con sec-a.cd \
words. "Ncarur, Ny Ccd. TO 'Tkee" a. 4 /
sing IL as psayrr. thar the cross might /
Le sanctihed TO all present A number J
took the stand for Christ during The sing /
iHg Of the hymn. aft- which the exercises |
closed with the rendition OF the doxology
PICTURFc OF CHRIST