St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-09-27

the right road. Aall1ng traveller
passing in the other direction I asked
if l was on the right road to Holmes
Vile. "You are" he said, and on
sped. over the easy and broad road,
which descended before me. Being
anxious to make doubly sure that I
was on the right road, mile or so
farther on accosted an elderly man
who, much to my dismay, informed mo
that was all wrong and that the road
to Holmesville lay back the other way,
up hill and over difficult way. "Are
YOU sure?" asked, telling him that q
considerable ways back I had passed
a man who told me was going all
right. "Well," said the old man before
me, 81 ought to know. l used to live
near Holmesville and have been over
the road hundreds of times" He then
proceeded to give me instructions and
describe landmarks along the way
which 1 afterwards found were cor
rect and made the way perfectly GER
tain before me. Roads look a good
deal alike sometimes, and it is hard to
strike the right one unless we secure
directions from reliable guide-ons
who has been over the road we are
travelling and knows to what point 1t
leads. We have Guide Book furnished
US, but we need a Leader. The day l
got on the wrong road to Holmesville
I had my guide book with me, but l
found needed some one who knew the
way to help me use it. So it is with the
one travelling the Narrow Way. Not
only does he need a Guide Book but a
Leader. In order to enter the Mar
row Way one has to seek for the Strait
Gate. 1t is easy to get on one of tho
many paths of the Broad Way and
imagine one is going safely on tho
Narrow Way. To really get on the
Narrow Way one has to pass through
the Strait Gate, and to do this one
must needs meet the great Leader,
Christ, who will assure the heart that
it is on the right road and point out
the way, every inch of which He has
been over.
Chance never takes one through the
Strait Gate into the Narrow Way
When one is about to start upon q
journey, the road is selected and the
time of the starting of the train
learned. 1t is not mere chance that
takes you to the right depot and
places you aboard the train going to
the point you wish to reach. With
definite purpose you lay all your
plans and so successfully reach the
destination desired. So is it with one
who travels the Narrow Way. The
soul believes the declaration of the
Guide Book that it il the only road
eternal life. Thought is then taker
how to enter the right road, and the
Guide Book again faithfully directs
the soul to the Straight Gate. AS one
cannot travel over a railroad without
ticket or pass, so one seeking to pass
over the Narrow Way must obtain
properly accredited credential ais. These
consist of full and free pass signed
with the precious blood of Jesu:
Christ and certified to by God the Fa
Their. To pass through the Strait Gate
and obtain one of these precious
passes, which insures for one a SAFE
Journey and certainty of eternal life
one must come as penitent and have
the travel-stained garments. OF sin re
moved and be clothed upon with thu
Righteousness of Jesus Christ. For ou1
Guide Book declares that call oul
righteousness are as filthy rags,
and that only the blood of Jesus Chris
is efficacious to cleanse from all sin
In addition to this, the human viii
must be surrendered and the Divir1
will of God accepted as the ruling fac
tor in the life.
The Bypaths.-God wants to contro
entirely in the life of the one wh'
has entered the Strait Gate ane
started upon the Narrow Way.
But very few yield perfect obedience
to the will of God, and al
result the soul gets of
into the many bypaths which
are met with in the way. These by
paths seem at first to parallel the Mar
row Way and appear pleasant t.
| travel. One feels freer and the roa'
smoother sometimes when seekin.
ones own will and not exactly fol
| lowing Christ Jesus, the Leader, owe
the hard and rougher portions OF tn
Narrow Way. But the smooth an
pleasant bypath which seems to Skin
the difficult places in the road is blu
a snare, and before long leads tn
soul into darkness and Doubling Cas-
tie. Then it is hard work to get bac]
to the Narrow Way again. But GU
Guide Book comes to our relief, an
we read: eff we confess our sins, H
is faithful and just to forgive us GU
sins and cleanse US from all upright
eousness."
Sometimes the Broad Way winds it
way as near to the Narrow Way a
it can, and by its worldly attraction
tries to lure the soul from the RICH
path. All kinds of assurances ar
given that the soul can enjoy tn
fruits of sin for season and get bac
upon the right road at last. But on
Guide Book declares that she tina
nutteth his hand to the pillow and look
9th back is not fit for the Kingdom
of Heaven" And on the other hanc
we hear Jesus say: "Those that Tho
payest me 1 have kept, and none o
them is lost" If we really belong t
Him He follows US into the bypath
1T sin. and when we have come to our
selves, as did the prodigal son, H
leads us back to the Narrow Way
Dear friend, have you wandered from
the Narrow Way in which you starte
months or years ago? Have bushes
cares or domestic trials taken yo
from your Leaders side? Have sell
Indulgence and love of ease caused yo