The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-17

preaching temperance and the gospel 10
a group OF boys and men, went home
with a chill and congestion set In. and
they told her she was very dangerously
sick Il thought so,- she said, 'sbut It
Is really too good 70 be true that / am
going. Doctor, do you really think I am
going| Yes" "Today?v Probably"
She said Beautiful. splendid, 20 be so
near the gate of heaven" Then after a
spasra of pain she nestled down in the
pillows and said. There. now. it is all
over-hlessed rest" Then she tried 10
sing, and she struck one glad note, high
note OF praise TO Christ. but could sing
only one word. He" and then al was
still She finished it in heaven.
On, fellow Christian workers, what is
the use Of our being stale and obsolete
and ancient when all around US are these
evidences Of Gods grace, Gods deliver
ance, Gods mercy and Gods wisdom?
we have got to freshen up in our ser
mons, freshen Cp in our songs, freshen
up in our zeal, freshen up in our CEN
secration, and if we do 1t, my brethren
and sisters, we will no more have to
coax people to come TO church than il
you throw corn or the ground you have
to coax pigeons to come and eat it, no
more than you would have to coax a
tired horse TO eat oats you throw in his
manger. Yes, we must freshen up in our
Sunday schools and in our prayer meet
ings and in our pulpits.
No Need For Apologies.
1t is high time that the church Of God
stopped writing apologies for the church.
Let the men who are on the outside, who
despise religion, write the apologies. If
any people do not want the church, they
need not have it. 1t is a free country. If
any man does not a the gospel, he
need not have it. 1t is q free country.
But you go out, 0 people of God, and
give the gospel to the millions of America
who do want it! 1t is high time to stop
sklrmishing and bring on q general en-
gagement. l want to live to see the Ar
mageddon, all the armies of heaven and
hell in battle array, for I know our con-
queror on the white horse will gain the
day. Let the church of God be devoted
to nothing else, but go right on to this
conquest.
When Moses with his army was trying
to conquer the Philippians, profane his
tory says, it was expected that be would
go In a roundabout way and come by the
banks of the river, as other armies had
done, because the straight route was in
ISSteu Will SudheS, anu no army ana no
man had dared to go across this serpent
infested region. But Moses surprised
them. He sent his men out to gather up
ibises. The ibis is a bird celebrated for
serpent Staying, and these ibises were
gathered into crates and into baskets,
and they were carried at the head of the
army Of Moses, and, coming up to the
serpent infested region, the crates were
opened, and the ibises flew forth, and the
way was cleared, and the army Of Moses
marched right on and came so unexpect-
edly On the Philippians that they few in
wild dismay. 0 church of God, you are
not TO march in a roundabout way, but
to go straight forward, depending upon
winged influences to clear the way.
Hosts Of the living God, march on,
march on! Church attendance, large
now, is going to be larger yet. The sky
is frightening in every direction. I am
glad for the boy and girl five years Did.
l think they may see the millennium.
The wheel Of Christian progress has new
er made one revolution backward. The
world moves, the kingdom advances. All
nations will yet salute the standards of
Prince Emmanuel. To him be glory in
the church throughout all ages! Amen.
copyright, 1901, Louis Klopsch. N. VI