Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-01-12

the ensuing year is to be a happy year
for you. 1t Is to be year when you
shall quaff a chalice filed with the
sweetest nectar. You shall drink here
after cut of the golden goblet filed by
those whose sorrows you have allevi-
ated and whose sobs you have turned
into songs of eternal rapture.
The One Great Condition.
But all these deductions hinge upon
is to be a happy year for you because
from now on you are to depend entirely
upon divine strength to triumph over
your besetting temptations. Last
Wednesday night was not the first
New Years eve when you started forth
with good resolutions. Again and again
have you attended solemn and over
whelming watch night services. While
these meetings were progressing in in
terest you began to feel how mean and
contemplate your life had been. You
then and there said to yourself: Il will
quit my sins. l will stop drinking and
swearing and Sabbath breaking and all
my evil thoughts and deeds. Yes, I
will, even If l have to cut off my right
arm"
Each January we all make fresh reso-
lutions. Some years ago l preached a
sermon called New Years Resolu-
tons" l made up that sermon from the
answers l received from friends whom
1 met. Every one 1 would accost with
this same sentence, What is your New
Years resolution?' Some would say
this, some that and some the other
thing. But many answered me thus: Il
have not got any. l have made so many
New Years resolutions in the past and
broken them that / do not intend to
make any more" But l did not then
and do not now believe they were tell
ing the truth. I do not believe there Is
a man or woman or child who now ap-
proaches New Years day who does not
make some new resolution. But the
trouble is after you have made your
New Years resolutions you go out in
your own strength and try to battle
with your old temptations, and then
you are flung again and again. But,
my brother. this year is going to be
different year from all others. You
know your weaknesses and failures.
You know you cannot win a spiritual
success in your own strength. There
fore you are ready to conscientiously
ask God to help you in the struggle Of
life. He will do it. Yes, he will give
you the divine strength which will new
er, never fail. Cling to him, my brother.
Cling to him as Jacob wrestled with the
angel in prayer, and he will bless you
and never let you fall.
But I bethink myself that there is
something for which to congratulate
the praying band of Christian workers
who surround me and also for the re-
pentant man and repentant woman.
You came into this church today in
different to the Lord Jesus Christ.
You have now surrendered your heart
to him. You came into this room prac-
tically an enemy of the cross. You
| are now buckling on the armor to join
our gospel ranks and to become one Of
our Christian comrades. We have read
| how the French king sent forth Mar
| shall Ney with the royal troops to cap
| ture Napoleon after his escape from
| the island of Elba. When the soldiers
came in sight of the unarmed and de-
| throned ruler, Napoleon, instead of
| running, turned and threw back the
| lapel of his coat as he cried, Men,
| will you shoot your emperor" With
| that Marshal Ney threw down his
| sword at Napoleon's feet, and all the
| soldiers began to weep and cry, Long
| live the EMPEROR And the soldiers
who went forth to capture a pretender
| to the throne returned to Paris to drive
Louis Philippe out of the Tuileries.
| That was dramatic. But today more
dramatic scene is taking place within
| the walls of this church. You came
here an enemy of Jesus Christ. You
| today are going to join with us and
| fight for the Divine Master. Oh, shall
we not cheer? Shall we not praise
Shall we not look upon your REINFORCE
ment as a presage for us of happy
new year?
Brother and sister in Christ, the work
before the church Is stupendous. This
gospel battle is to be no child's play.
We have welcomed you into our ranks
In the name Of Jesus. Now close up
the ranks. Now kneel, and make one
earnest, intense prayer before we start
ON our new gospel campaign. Now,
are you ready? Forward in the name
Of our Captain! Forward against the
citadel of sin! Forward for the re-
demption of our loved ones! Forward
to capture Chicago for Christ! For
ward, march! Forward, march!
Copyright, 1905. by Louis Klopsch-l
! CASTORIA