Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-09-05


ically unable 10 undertake II. SO IA.
tber said: Mother. you take the two
girls and 20 10 Europe and meet
Frank and myself as we come around
the world. Meet us either at BrindisI
or I'm Paris or London" So mother
set sail from New York and went east.
Father and myself set sail from San
Francisco. going west. We were ali
10 meet by preconcertcd plan at the
French capital.
My brother, as you must take this
long Journey through the valley OF the
shadow OF death with the divine PASS.
port in your hands, how can you ever
expect TO rejoin your loved ones unless
you make previous arrangements with
them where TO mcetf Having a letter
or credit at the Bank Of Grace. YOU
say you expect 10 Journey to the Celes
tai City. Have you ever told your
loved ones about that city? Have YOU
ever told them how To- get to that CEN
ter OF tue universe? Have you ever
told them there is only one way To
reach your destination, and that is for
tbem 10 obtain forgiveness OF their sins
by the blood of the Lamb. SO that their
heavenly advent shall be made pos
sihle2 If il is important for you TO
make spiritual preparations for the
journey of death by being washed in
the Sayiour's k!o0d Is II not Just as
important Tor your loved ones TO he
,leansed by the same blood? You
Should tell your loved ones how they
can he clearsed from sin as surely as
The guide. many years ago. told the
traveller how his body could be cleansed
as he became covered over with n
swarm OF ieeches when he was ford
Ing shallow river ia Burma Ia hor-
ror the foreigner began to pull them
OF. for the vampires were draining
away his Gfe's strength. But the guide
baGe him cease or he would destroy
himself. Then the guide prepared a
bath In which he diluted some herbs,
the juices of which were fatal TO tho
ne OF the leech. Then he directed tho
traveller 10 lie down In the prepared
waters. and Immediately his body was
freed from the vile aquatic worms.
Have you ever told your loved ones
that the only way they can meet you
I'm heaven is by bathing themselves In
the blood of the Lamb. so that the IA
tai worm of sin which is sucking at
their hearts shall fall of and die?
would plead with you. men and
women. who are trying to set your
house in order. to look after the spir-
itual welfare OF your loved ones as
well as your own. because do not un.
derstand how heaven can ever be n
truly and entirely happy place for any
man who has neglected to look after
the spiritual interests Of those who on
earth were near and dear to him.
Know that the Bible distinctly declares
that heaven is to be a bright and
happy place; but. Tor one. think that
even celestial happiness would be mar.
red IL. when we are safely there. we
were conscious that our loved ones
had missed their opportunity OF COM
Ing In through our own neglect TO tell
them the way 70 the great white
throne. l well remember 10 our Jour.
ney around the world how the heart
ached when IN faroG Australia father
and received a cab.egra IN that moth.
or was SICK and had 10 return 10 Amer.
lea aud could rot meet US In Paris.
well remember how arxiously we two.
lZ,OOO miles from home. looked at each
other Then we began 70 worry about
the Illness which some months later
ended my mothers earthly life. And.
oh. II we were disappointed by not
meeting my mother I'm the French can
ital. how much more disappointed viii
some OF US be, when we reach heaven.
II we should feel that our brothers and
sisters and husbands and wives. IA
theirs and mothers and children, should
have been In any way prevented Join
Ing us in heaven and especially if the
obstacle has been one OF our making:
For my owD part. l can sympathizc n
great deal with the prayer n weeping
wife once made by the bedside of her
husband. whom she supposed to be
nsleep. With the tears raining down
her checks she said: 20 God. save NV
husband. Save my dear. dear hus-
band. And, II by any means my own
sinful life has made him turn his back
upon thee. then blot out my name from
the book of life. II thou wilt. Only
save him. My brother and sister.
preparing for the great and eternal
Journey beyond the grave. beg OF you
at this critical time to look after the
spiritual interests OF your loved ones
ana those who are near TO you.
But there is one overwhelming
thought about my text upon which |
love 10 dwell. IL we go to the throne
OF grace In the right spirit OF prayer.
God VIII let every one OF us live as
long as Is necessary to do the work
he wants us to do in his name. When
the prophet Isaiah entered the royal
palace of Jerusalem and said TO the
sick Hezeklah. THUS saith the Lord.
ser thine house in order. for thou shalt
die" the king turned his face toward
The wall and began to weep. Hezekiah |
was not weeping because he had TO die. |
He was not afraid TO die. But he went |
because he could not accomplish for |
God and his people that which seemed |
necessary for him to do. Then. i'm |
answer 10 Hezekiah's prayer, God said |
TO Isaiah the prophet, go and say to |
Hezekiah. Thus saith the Lord the God |
OF David thy father. have heard thy
prayer; have seen thy tears. Behold,
'-'' esN0 HHSN thy YEARS.
So today, IL. like Hezekiah, we will |
pray Ia the right spirit. God will let
most of us live long enough TO carry
the gospel message to ali OF our dear
ones as we'll as TO spiritually prepare
for our own eternal journey. But as
our earthly time is short, In order to
make this spiritual preparation our
selves and 10 help make the spiritual
OF our loved ones by bring
Ing them TO the Saviour. we must con-
secrate ourselves to the Lords service
now. BY the power OF the Holy Spirit
we must consecrate our lives to Gods
work as we have never consecrated
them before. We must so eat and
drink and breathe and talk and pray
hat we shall make Christ the supreme
'uler OF our lives so that In all things
we may do nothing Inconsistent with
bur allegiance TO him. Are you and |
Ike Hezekiah-ready to surrender our
ives entirely to the Divine Masters
vinf
"Christ or DIannw