The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-23

were sent to other colleges and universi ties and also to villages and towns. These plain young men, by consecrated Chris tian lives, not only moved Edinburgh. but also all Scotland and all England and all Wales and, to some extent, religiously in- huenced the whole world. Mark you, my brother, that religious influence was not started by a Jonathan Edwards or a Robert McCheyne or a Frederick Robert son, but by plain, humble individuals, who were consecrating their lives to Jesus Christ. If God can and did bless those modern Joshuas will He not bless us as in- dividuals if we here and now consecrate our lives to His service and pray and plead and work as we ought to pray and plead and work. He will, my Christian brother. He will, He will. He will, even though we may be physically and men, tally weddings. He will if we will only throw ourselves upon His divine and om- nipotent strength
 God will bless the old as well as the young. Oh, how often in religious work I have heard this excuse given: q believe that I ought to give myself up to religious work, but the trouble Is, I am too old. have wasted the best part of my life I am too old to start life over again" Some peo"le may think you are right in your decision; l do not. Even now there may be a glorious time for you, oh, man, oh, woman, if you will start in Christian work just at the present time. l do not believe it is too late for you to start to serve Jesus Onrist: not too late even though for you the hour hand of the clock of time may be pointing to the twelfth hour and the minute hand to five minutes of 12 o'clock.
 Never Too Old For the Lords Work.
 How old was Moses when he began to lead forth the children of Israel into the wilderness? Was he a young man? No. His hair must have been white. His skin must have been wrinkled. Michael An gelo's wonderful chisel has cut him in stone as a giant There Moses sits in the Roman capital today, with arms and back knotted in muscles, with beard tossed of a tempest. with features swarthy enough to frown down any mob and with fists like a sledge hammer. But with all of Michael Angelos genius he could not change the facts. His chisel had to make Moses an old man. He had almost passed his eightieth milestone of life when he went forth to liberate the children of Is- rael from Egyptian slavery. How old was Joshua when the mantle of the dead Moses fell upon his shoulders? He had already passed his fourscore years and five. He was already pressing on toward his nine tieth milestone. So God has for you and me. if we only throw ourselves upon His mercy, a mission of Christian usefulness. He has it even though we may be old men and women. with many years of wasted opportunities to our discredit
 By an ex-member of my church I can prove how God can bless redeemed life which has been cursed by many years of sin. Some time ago poor wo- man attended the services of the church of which I was pastor She wished to join, but the members of the session were very much in doubt about letting her in She had been for fifteen years a absolute character. Her face was scared and scanned with her past de- baucheries. She had by her side a drunken husband and two filthily dressed children. The session talked about her and at last decided to place her on pro- bation for six months. At the end of six months she again wanted to join the church, and of course we admitted her A short time after that woman moved away and left our church. A couple of years ago that woman called upon me- At first I did not know her. Not only had the grace of God cleansed her face, but the marks of dissipation had almost entirely left her countenance Though she had not what the average artist might call a beautiful face. She cer- tain1y had a good, honest. noble, Holy Spirit inspired face. Her whole life was changed. It was now a Christian life of consecrated usefulness. Oh, my brother and sister, no matter how old you may be and how many wasted years are be- hind, shall not God inspire you and lift you up as he changed that woman's life? Shall not the divine power guard your remaining days as Moses and Joshua's lives were protected?
 Nearly every royal order has royal insignia. In Germany one of the most honorable of orders was that started by King William called "the Order of the Iron Cross" Would that today the Heavenly King, instead of an earthly potentate, might place over your heart 'the sign of the Iron Cross" May 1t prove that in his name you have worked and will continue to work divine won ders. Saved by grace, may you always continue to spiritually bless the lives of our fellow men.