The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-05-09

Of men, in things common and IN things
unusual. You say. Il feel strong nm
pulse 20 do a certain thing. IL Is the an.
gel of the Lord troubling the stagnation OF
your heart. You say that | am impressed
that l ought 10 DO thus and so, when II
is the finger OF God writing His purpose
on your soul. These are but the heavenly
ministers of Jehovah. Look around you
and you will find some opportunity for
service fitting into your impulse or con
viction, and that which yesterday you
wondered at as coincidence his you
say, The Lord was in this place and
knew il not" Life without a religious
Interpretation is little less than trag
edy," while life thus viewed may have
many twists and turns. but ends II heaven
IL.
/ find here a good picture OF real service
When Eleazar was leaving Abraham he
said, "Peradyenture the woman will not
be willing 20 follow me unto this land
must l needs hiring thy son again unto the
land from whence thou camest! And
Abraham said unto him, Beware, thou,
that thou bring not my son thither again
The Lord God OF heaven, which took me
from my fathers house, and from the land
of my kindred, and which spake unto me
and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy
seed will l give this land; He shall send
His angel before thee, and thou shalt take
a wife unto my son from thence. And II
the woman will not be willing TO follow
thee then thou shalt be clear from thu
my oath; only bring not my son thlthei
again Genesis "a: 5-S.
IL u the same figure that we have OF
the watchman upon the walls. Both OF
these appeal strongly To US. We are not
free from responsibility until we have tried
at least To win every soul over whom we
have an influence for Christ. / cannot con
vert even the smallest child, nor can you,
but | can try 10 tell them what | have
been commissioned 10 say, for l am my
brothers keeper. Oh. for the intense de
sire to do our Masters will that Eleaaai
had. His oamels are cared for, he hai
entered the house of Bethuel. He IL
weary with his long journey. the savory
meat prepared for his feast appeals &c
his weakness, but hear him say. And
there was set meat before him TO eat;
told mine errand And he said, speak
on" Genesis -: 80. Is not this like
Paul on his missionary journey In
Journeyings often, IN perils of waters, IN
perils OF robbers, IN perils by mine owp
countrymen, IN perlls by the heather, ~
perils IN the city, IN perlls IN the wilder
ness, in perils in the sea, in perlls among
false brethren; IN WEAKNESS and painful
ness, in watchings often, in hunger and
thirst, in HASTINGS often, IN cold and
nakedness." . Corinthians IL; 1927. And
is II not like Jesus Himself, when He s
weary by the well side, hungry with
much fasting and sends His disciple to
buy meat which He forgot TO eat because
of the woman by His side. | am sure
lsaac's heart. And when they said,
Wilt thou go with this man? She said,
l will 60"
III
Yet there is more 10 the story than
this, | am sure. | know II because
read that what was written afore time
was written for our instruction. The
great object and aim of the Bible is TO
illustrate the operations OF divine grace,
to show the works of Providence IN the
minute things OF life, TO show US that
provision has been made for the fulfill
ment of the great scheme of Redemption.
God speaks in every way; by direct state
ment, by parable, by picture, by types,
by symbols, If by all means He may make
known the riches Of His grace; and here
Is a whole chapter, one OF the longest in
the Pentateuch, taken up with a wedding
story; there must be some reason. The
spirit of God would not use an entire
chapter 10 describe the journey OF Abra.
ham TO Mt. Moriah, and another TO tell
of the death OF Sarah, and another TO
give an account OF wooing and a we'd
be that it IL all TO illustrate the mystery
of the church. In the 22d chapter OF
Genesis, the son is offered up as a sacri'
fee, at least Abraham IA willing 10 Offer
him: in the 23d chapter of Genesis
Sarah is laid aside in the tomb, while in
the oath chapter the servant is sent forth
to win bride for the son. IL is at least
perfect illustration of that New Testa.
ment story where Christ was offered, the
only begotten Son of God, where Israel
was rejected because they would not
come home. The Holy Spirit as serv.
ant of God, is calling forth from the
world a bride for the Son. This is the
work of this generation. The Holy Spirit
is the one of whom Jesus spoke when He
said, But when the Comforter IL come,
whom / will send unto you from the
Father, even the Spirit OF Truth, which
proceeded from the Father, lie shall testi
fy Of Me-" John Is: 26 One day we
shall meet the Bridegroom, our eyes shall
see Him and the wedding feast shall be
spread, and all Heaven shall resound with
the music of that glad day.
| wish in closing to take up the ap
peal of the Holy Spirit and change the
text just a little bit and say 10 you all,
wilt thou 90 with this Man" And
refer to Christ az this Man. He IL the
chiefest among ten thousand / bid you
come 10 Him who walked with men, ate
with sinners, smiled with little children,
wept with weary women and died with
sinful malfactors "Wit thou 20 with this
Man." You who are Christians ask you
the question, for many Of you have not
gone with Him, for How can two walk
together except they are agreed" And
# you will go with Him II must be in
some better way than in other days.
First; You must share HIS opinion ol
men. He was always excusing weakness,
always helping the distressed and al
ways rebuking unllnd criticism. You may
need 10 forgive the man who injured
you yesterday, for He did, and If you
would be like Him YOU must DO the same
Wilt thou 20 with this Man,
Second. He will lead you into the
homes where distress Is tarrying, reliev
Bg embarrassment az when He made the
water into wine. Driving the wolf from
You VIII need 20 give your money az well
az your sympathy. "Wilt thou go With
this Man" / think / see Him treadi1s
the streets of our own city where dis
tress has gone before Him. There il o
child with a heavy heart and He stops
long enough 20 breathe a benedlction oi
peace. Yonder u man upon the verge
Of despair and this matches Savior Of
ours bids him come unto Him that he may
find rest. There il woman whose child
IL dying, whose mother r. on the brink
Of Eternity, and Re wh) spoke as never
man spake bids Der listen as He says,
Il am the resurrection and the life"
There u 4 celebrated picture which rep
Tssents Jesus waking through the multi
tude. Before H.u al the people are de
eased. while back of Hin a. hc trods
they are all perfectly we'll This y Hs
influence alw8yB "Wi.t thou % with
this Man"