Milford chronicle., 1903-01-09

She slums? Yes, my repentant friend
tie ensuing year is TO be a happy Yea,
for you. 1t is to lie a year when yo,
shall quaff a chalice filled with tht
sweetest nectar. You shall drink here
after out of the golden go;,let filed b,
those whose sorrows yoB have alleyi
ated and whose sobs you have turnel
into songs of eternal raptgre.
The One Great Condition.
But all these deductions hinge upor
enc great condition. The ensuing yeal
is to be Il happy year for you beoaus.
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
( contemptitsS 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. 1
will, even if 1 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-
( tions." I made up that sermon from the
answers l received from friends whom
met. Every one I would accost with
this same sentence, ''What is your New
Years resolution?" Some would say
tlis. some that and some the other
thing. But many answered me thus: Il
have not got any. 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. l do not believe there is
a man or woman or child who now an
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
cr, never fail. Cling to him. my brother.
Cling to him as Jacob wrestled with the
angel in prayer and he will bless you
AID 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- I
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 f.
our Christian comrades We have read /.
how the French king sent forth Mar
shal 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 unarrned and de-
thrOned ruler, Napoleon. instead of .
turned and threw back the .
lapel of his coat as he cried, "NIen, /
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 emperOrv And the soldiers
who went forth to capture a pretender
10 the throne returned to Paris to drive
Louis Philippe out of the Tuileries.
That was dramatic. But today Il more
lramatic scene is taking place within
he walls Of this church. You came
lere an enemy of Jesus Christ. You
oday are going to join with us and
light for the Divine Master. Oh, shall
We not cheer? Shall we not praise
iod for your advent to our company?
Shall we not look upon your reinforce
nent as a presage for us of a happy
lew year?
Brother and sister in Christ, the work
'efore the church is stupendous. This
.ospel battle is to be no child's play.
We have welcomed you into our ranks
a the name of Jesus. Now close up
he ranks. Now kneel, and make one
arnest, intense prayer before we start
Il our new gospel campaign. Now,
re you ready? Forward in the name
our Captain! Forward against the
itadel of sin! Forward for the re-
emption of our loved onesl Forward
} capture Chicago fer Christ! For
ard, march! Forward, march!
copyright. 1903 by Louis Klopsch.l