Milford chronicle., 1903-06-12

results might be. Suppose I were a
poor farmer elected to the state legis-
lature. Suppose the lobbyists wanted
to purchase the right Of way for a rail-
road franchise and offered me q $1,000
bribe Would I take itl I do not say 1
would, but I thank God Satan has new
er been able to tempt me with the
chance. Suppose I We're a Chicago po-
/ lice captai. on a small salary, living
every day in fear that my official head
would be decapitated Suppose that by
| shutting my eyes upon q few houses OF
evil resort | could have an income Of
/ $4,000 a year Would 1 take itt do
not say that ! would. but | thank God
] have never been placed 10 such po-
sitoa of temptation where I had the
chance. Suppose | wanted to become a
| physician. Suppose had to enter one
of on; modern medical schools ia which
are crowded among many students the
ilhdel. the blasphemous and the iewd
II should take such q medical course
would ! come out as pure morally as
did after I had lived for three years in
Christian semiuaryY My young
ffiaud ( God calls you 20 be a lawyer
%. doctor OF legislator or police captain
OF merchant 90 ahead and be what he
intends Won to be-. He viii give you
strength 20 resist any temptations that
may come ia your way if you will only
ask him But If he calls You to be a
Christian minister and you deliberately
turn a deaf ear TO that call tremhle in
reference to your future. tremble for
your spiritual life when you have to
face the temptations that beset the av-
eraee man in the outside world
troRble when you shall not have the
guarding. guiding protecting influence
OF praving men about you such as snr-
rounds the average life OF the Christian
minister.
An Appeal 20 Young Men.
have preached this sermon. show.
ing the joys. the spiritual safeguards
and the Infinite Usefulness of the gos.
pei ministry for two distinct reasons.
The hrst there never was greater
need than at the present time tor
young men to enter The gospel pulpit
few years ago the capitalist the
statesman the merchant prince and
leading lawyers considered it an honor
to At In the nidermanic chairs OF our
great cities. Now, for the most part
these positions are despIsed by the in
tellectual and financial leaders ana are
filed with professional politicians and
men who are weaklings and often dis
honest Once there was a time when
the greatest honor that could come to
a family was the honor of a son dedi-
eating his life to the gospel ministry
Now the current of popular opinion
is running counter TO this line of noble
service. Our strong young men. in
stead Of entering the pulpit, are giving
their lives to law. TO merchandise to
railroads. to electrical sciences. Who
are to fill the future pu.pi;s Of Amer
lea? Give Us mon" cry our theolog-
ical professors. Their classes are grow
ing smaller year by year "Give US
menr' e-y the churches we cannot
get the right kind Of men for our pull
pits" Give US men." cry the synodicI /
missionaries. The harvest is ripe, but
the labOrers are TOO few" 1t is all /
nonsense for some Of our religious |
writer's to declare that the reason our /
theological students are becoming less /
and less in number year by year IS be- |
cause we are now getting quality in |
stead of quantity. The reason our /
seminaries are becoming depleted is .
because the young men who ought to .
enter the ministry refuse to come. /
Men! Men, We want men. We need /
men for the gospel pulpits, to save the
sinful world
The second reason for preaching this .
sermon is that l would appeal to those
young men to enter the gospel ministry
who nany years ago heard the call
and who have stihed it by an inGileer.
ent. wayward life. Whom my uncle. the
devoted missionary. Rev. John Tai
mage Of Annoy, China. was a boy Of
twelve he read the life Of David Brain
erd. After closing the book be went to
my grandmother and said, Mother. l
am going to be n missionary" Time
passed on, and he entered college He
lost his high ideal and led an indifrer-
ent life. He never mentioned the word
from that day until toward
the end of his college career. Then the
old pledge came back. Then and there
on the night before his graduation
from Rutgers college, he gave himself
Up anew to his glorious life promise.
Young mon vOu who hova hpnrd This
call to the Christian ministry years
ago, viii you not hear the call now?
viii you not be brave enough. noble
enough, Christian enough to do what
Christ bids you do? The church needs
you. Christ calls you Come, offer your
life and consecrate it at the altar Of
Christian ministry.
Copyright 1908. by Louis Klopsch.l