Milford chronicle., 1905-10-20

face. Then smile Of satisfaction
steals over the chief buffers counte
nance as he says: ''Ah, l am glad
have such good friends here! i an
glad I do not have to associate any
longer with those criminals down il
the Jail These are my friends, my
true friends."
Not Real Friends.
But were all the cOurtiers who came
forward and congratulated the chief
butler on his restoration to office his
friends? Five hundred men of Pha.
raohs court already had been plotting
for his Office and wished he might new
er come back In all probability the
! second cupbearer, who congratulated
him, was biting his lips with anger un-
til the blood came. Curse himw hear
i him say. Course him. Why did he not
die and make way for my promotion?
Curse him, curse himw All through
the palace could be heard the words,
Curse him, curse himw from those
who wanted his place. Now, my
friends, can you and I afford to turn
our backs upon old friends and true
friends for those who are merely hon
oring US in our success for what they
get out of us?
But l cannot close without just one
more thought suggested by my text.
The greatest opportunities of gospel
service may come to a man through his
past experience if he renounces his sins
and remembers his faults. have abb
solutely no more respect for this selfish
character of the butler than | have for
Judas or an Iago or for a Lady Mac
beth or Jezebel. He was miserable.
contemplate, despicable hireling with
heart Of stone. He would forget |
any one who had served him. But no |
sooner did Pharaoh dream his dream |
and no one could interpret it than at
once the butler thought of Joseph. You
can see him, with flushed cheek and
CLASSY eye, pushing his way into the
throne room. You can see him with
reverence and sorrow written upon his
face. "Ah," he says, master. | have
done wrong. l have forgotten my
friend Joseph, who is now in prison.
Send for him, and he will interpret thy
dream" Pharaoh sent for Joseph. Jo-
seph came. The chief butler at the
last moment was able and willing to
open the way for the future prime min
ster to save nation from disease and
hunger and death. My friends, at this
he sixth hour the ninth hour, the tenth
lour, the eleventh hour, Of your refusal
o do your duty to the King Of kings
nd Lord Of lords will you not speak l
he right word? VIII you come to Z
lhrist and bring your sinful friends to L
'hrist as the ungratefuI butler brought 8
oseph and Pharaoh face to face? T.
You are the father Of a home. You
ave no nursery, for your boys are al L
eady grown. But they have all grown Il
way from God. Your hair is white. T
our time is short. No one can bring 4
hose boys to God but you. You know
. They idOlize you. They believe you 81
re the one person to lead them. and
ou alone o father confess to God p.
our sins. Confess to your boys your 3
ms. 1t is the eleventh hour. It is ts
tie, but not too late. Bring your bows r
Christ as the butler brought Joseph q
nd Pharaoh face to face You can o
it. Believe me, YOU can do it. p
AS l speak to father, as speak to
other, as speak to wayward friends, y,
us may be speaking to the stranger 70
ithin the gates who thinks he has no a.
lend. Stranger, think not thus any gi
ore. This is not a strange place. This &,
Gods house. Perhaps years ago Pc
ere was some young man or some
'ung woman who might have brought =
~ to Christ if he or she had tried. 4
Mt the opportunity was neglected. GC
1u say you are parted forever Nay. "a
It forever. You are not parted even 4
w. Let me lead you to the King. Let
e utter the words that another neg
ted 10 speak. E.ord Jesus Christ. wilt
on let my lips speak the words that
ose silent lips should have uttered?
ranger thou art now no longer in s
y prison Of sin. Thou art in the pres
ce of my King. This is TIirg Jesus. !
2 bids thee look and live. J
speak unto thee these same words !
iich Peter spake unto the cripple at .
e beautiful gate: "Sllver and gold "a Z
We none, but such as have give 1
to thee. In the name Of Jesus rise So
and walk" Wilt thou rise and I
Tx? Then thou art with my Master.
EN- am the butler who, by the pow I
Of the holy spirit, hath brought Jo- !
1h and Pharaoh into royal and heav- !
" companionship.
copyright, 1905. by Louis Klopsch.l 8
s