St. Tammany farmer., 1904-06-25

precious blood of Christ. AS to outward
we'll and favorably with Gods children,
perhaps, but they are not journeying
the same way They belong back there
in the world. And another thing about
Hobab. His relationship to so good and
great a man as Moses could not give
him an inheritance in the Promised
Land, any more than human ties and
relationships to-day can become pass
port to Heaven. The Coolest man who
ever lived cannot bring into Heaven I'm
der his cloak the unregenerate loved
one of his household. Each soul must
stand by itself. Each soul must decide
for itself its destiny
WHAT great privilege and oppor-
w tunity were Hobab's. Long as
sociation with Gods people and the
opportunity of going into the Prom
ised Land with them. During those
months of sojourn in the wilderness
he became familiar with the history
of Gods wonderful dealings with Is
rael, he became conscious of the near
approach of God in the smoking
mountain, and the cloudy pillar, he
heard the law and observed the sug-
gestive tabernacle service, he knew
Gods promises, and beheld Moses
confident trust in them, and what a
weight of responsibility rested upon
him because of all this. If he had
never come from his home in indian,
it would have been different; but now
that he had. and had beheld the glory
and majesty and purpose of God. how
could he escape if he neglected so
great opportunity. And the Hobabs
of to-day are in the same perilous po-
sition. Think of your privilege of as
sociation with Gods people. Consider
how you have heard Gods Word read,
how you have shared in the worship
and service, how you have beheld the
saving power of Gods Son manifested
in other lives, how lives have been
transformed and you have marked the
change that has been wrought and
have marveled thereat. Consider all
this, and then remember how Jesus
spoke His strongest denunciations OF
judgment against those placss--~Wh1ch
had seen His greatest works, which
had had the largest opportunities OF
knowing Him. Hobab had great priv
ilege and opportunity in his sojourn
with Gods people, and he came under
the greater condemnation for that
very reason. And so it is with you,
who mingle day after day with Gods
people and come under Christian influ-
ence, and hear and know the truth OF
God as it is in Christ Jesus. Yours
is the privilege of knowing and un-
derstanding Gods purpose for you;
yours is the opportunity of joining
Gods people and journeying with
them to Heaven. Great privilege and
opportunity, surely, and they will not
always be yours. Some day your
privilege will have been lost and your
opportunity gone forever.
nECISION day came for Hobab,
IL and it comes to every soul. One
memorable day Moses came to his
brother-in-law, and putting his arms
around him and looking into his eyes
with earnest, loving gaze, he said:
Come, Hobab; come with us. Don't
20 back to the place concerning which
God has given no promise OF blessing,
but go with us to the place God has
promised to give us and where He has
promised to bless u.s. Come with us
and we will do thee good And
Hobab was brought face to face with
the crisis in his life He must decide
whether he will go forward or back
ward, whether he will follow God and
walk with Gods people, or whether he
will turn his back upon God and re-
fuse longer to continue with Gods
people. Decision day comes to every
soul. There comes time when the
earnestly spoken invitation brings
the soul to the parting OF the ways
There must be decision for Christ or
for self There must be going back
to the self-land and to the numerous
kinsmen of the world, the flesh and
the Devil, or a going forward with
Christ as Saviour, and Guide and
Leader. Moses faithfulness to God
and to his brother-in-law brought the
crisis in the latter's life, and the
faithfulness with which Christians
deliver the message and the invita-
ton determines how many precious
souls will be brought to. decide for
Christ. Jesus said: Come and see"
to those two disciples of John who
followed Him, and it brought decision
day to them, for they followed and
found the Christ. And then in turn
they went out and gave the invitation
and brought decision day to others.
Andrew finds Peter, and John finds
James. Philip goes after Nathaniel
and begs him to come and see. And
so it goes. The invitation brings the
crisis in the life. 1t is either Hobab's
answer: 81 will not 60" or 1t is de-
cision for the Christ.
THERE were reasons why Hobab
thought he could not accept Moses
invitation. There were barriers in the
way. "My land and my kindred he
said when Moses gave him Gods offer OF
a better land and an everlasting fellow
ship with Gods people. His land could
NOT compare with the land to which God
was leading His people. His friends in
indian could not be as helpful and
desirable as companions and associates
&c tho neople who were walking with