The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-01-16
INVITATION TO
THE WORLD.
A Sermon Preached by
the Rev. John Shape,
January IL, 1902.

Iof0 natn spoken boou Co'eeThi"S
Israel" Numbers 1929.
!, Paran comprised about ore third of
the whole peninsula OF Sinai, and
was itself the Eastern half OF the
limestone plateau constituting it's
centre, At the northeastern end
was the wilderness OF lin. Toward
This wilderness the Israe!ites now ad-
yanced on their march from Sinai to
Canaan little dreaming that the next
forty years Of their existence would
be spent OIL it's wastes The taber-
nacle is taken down, and with those
who bear it, set forward, tho stand
ards are set in motion, tho various
tribes arranged In the order Of their
rank, and all things are ready for
the Journey, when Moses turns to
Hobab and addresses him with the
words of Invitation found in tile text
4 We are travelling 10 the Heavenly
Canaan from this wilderness Of sin.
,.ye are now ready for fresh start
bu this all important journey. But
ne are not selfish. We do not wish
to share the blcssin ings of Canaan
among ourselves. We invite you to
accompany US and we feel like saying
In the spirit of Christian ho'dness
Just what Moses said to his brotcer-
fn-law: "Come thou with US and we
will do thee good, for the Lord had
spoken good concerning Israel. " But
before you accept our invitation or
even make preparation for the jour
hey, there are some things we wo''ld
like to say in kindness and in plain
ness. They may best be said by
grouping under three heads the in
Structive suggestions of the evenings
text, which we will see by even Il
cursorv examination to contain 4
Challenge, an Invitation and d
Promise. -->.-
l. TIE CHALLENGE We fling
ont this statement at the outset,
namely, The world is going in the
wrong direction. This is true be-
cause the world itself conteSseS II.
Ask nine men out of every ten that
are out of the church and out OF
Christ TODAY whether they are quite
convinced that they arc facing toward
Caraan and they will answer every
one, we fear we are wandering IN tlle
wilderness. The world is going in
the wrong direction because it is go
Ing contrary to the tcach'ng OF the
only safe guide book-the Word OF
God. THIS book Is against the man
who is not for it, It's maXims are
his condemnation. its truth reve'S
The lie he lives. The world Is going
In the wrong direction because it's
end Is only shame and death
/ The world Is not receiving the
good that God intended and it is not
the fault of God. Everything in
thls world was created for the glory
pfGod and much OF il forthe pleasure
Of man. II he does not enjoy it to
thc full 1t Is his own fau't. II he
takes God into account in the reckon
Ing for Iife's journey, God will reveal
his glory to him in the way. what
sistas Of glory lie before the man
whose eyes the Lord has opened.
What realms OF eternal good are open
10 the good man. What Kingdoms
Of patience and honor and truth be-
long to him who recognizes the
claims Of the king Of kings and Lord
bf Lords. The man of the world who
prefers Paran to Canaan is DENYING
bimselr of all this and by so doing
tobs God and beggars himself
H. THE INVITATION. The
ehurc, is facing in the right direction
and because it Is, it invites tho
world to come along The world
waits to be invited. Like llobab 1t
makes no preparation for the great
tourney and too often like him says
5I wllinot 90. ''rhe world is continu-
ally being invited to join the ranks of
christian travellers and to march to
The aspiration OF Heavens music.
Every meeting house standing boldly
before the e-cs of man is a standing
Invitation to him to'come.
Every time these lights are lighted
they do but flash out their invitation
10 the world to come to the Light OF
The world. Every time these doors
swing open the hinges sing their gos-
bel invitation. The music Of God s
house is constantly reminding the
Indifferent world Of the fond hope of
Christians and tie desire Of God But
general invitations are not sufficient
Moses did not count this enonsh.
Hobab had general invitation In
The very preparations Of the lined up
tribes, He knew he was welcome
He saw the travellers preparing 4or
Che journey. lie sees the standards
erranged in order, but Moses gave IN
addition to all this just what the
world hhs right to expect today. a
personal atfecticnate earnest direct
Invitation to come. 1t is not enough
Sor men to build fine meeting houses,
and pay for fine cholrs, and secure an
eloquent preacher, and cultivate
hociability that lasts while the church
floors are open and held revival meet
lpgs. 1t is only enough when not only
The leaders, but all Gods laborers gt
but into the busy world OF men and
bay "Come thou with us and we vii
DO thee good for the Lord has spoken
good concerning Israel.'
We lose nothing Of our blessing by
Iharlng 1t with others. The fact is
khat We lose 1t, II we do not share l
he who keeps his Christianity al
for himself, will soon have very little
to keep. 1t will speedily evaporate
and the heart that held 1t will grow
hard and dry.
How filled with tho true spirltof the
gospel invitation is this invitation o
Moses to H0bab. 1t sounds almos
dke the New Testament. 1t reminns
us OF the gracious words "Come un.