Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-10-27

him who have been trying to follow
him for years. Why are you q Chris
tian? Why do you go TO church and
always contribute TO the church and
have your name enrolled upon the
church booiSs2 "For two reasons" you
may answer when I was a little
chap. mother started me TO church and
TO Sunday school. For years and years
she took me. Churchgoing is an old
habit. end old habits are hard TO break.
Then, I'm the next place. though l do
not profess 10 love Christ very much.
yet fear the results IL do not follow
him. Adoniram Judson was started In
the Christian ministry by the death of
one OF his worldly college mates. AS
soon as be heard be was dead this
sentence sprang to his lips Dead and
lost, Dead and LOST So. because I
fear death without Christ, that is the
reason l am following him" Now.
my friends. your answer is the answer
many are ready to give. They worship
ana follow him because they are afraid
not to do 1t. Their God is a God or
fear and not God or love. Now
comes the practical question. What
are you to do with Christ In reference
to your hearts affections?
We Must Love.
You must love somebody or some
thing. You cannot help il. The ten
urls OF the heart viii climb up and
reach out for an object to love. just as
the roots OF n tree will reach out to
clutch hoid OF the rocks or will sink
themselves into the earth. AS we
must love. cannot you and learn to
love Christi Cannot we begin to study
aud TO learn what he has done for us !?
In the record of that beautiful life can
not we learn TO love him as we learned
hrst 10 love our mothers on account OF
the SACRIFICES they have made for us I?
Then. having realized what the divine
love means. cannot we learn to do
something for his loves sake? Gods
love can change our actions toward
him IL we Will only let it. What are
you going to do with Christ i'm refer
snce to the hearts loving capabilities
But ] cannot close this subject with.
out asking You one more question.
What are you going TO have your loved
ones do with Jesus? You have almost
as much influence over some OF your
loved ones actions as you have over
your own. II Plate had turned to
Christ and said: Lord Jesus thou art
my Master; will yield my heart and
life TO thee" 40 you not believe bis own
wife would have also accepted Christ |
Why, she was already almost per.
suaded. Furthermore. do you not DE.
lieve that IL you should give your heart
TO Christ today your actions would be
the means OF making some of your
loved ones surrender their hearts TO
Jesusf
Often have we read how men and
women have rescued their dear ones
from physical dangers. Shall we not
by the help OF Christ save our dear
ones from spiritual peril? There is a
beautiful story told that during chivsl-
ric times knight was captured and
imprisoned In castle. The wife, who
had been left behind during the cru
| SADIE. knew not where her husband
was incarcerated. So she took string.
ed instrument. and. dressed as page.
she wandered from court 20 court and
from country TO country. singing under
the great fortresses the old love songs
with which she had been wooed In her
fathers castle. One day. as the IA
mtsiar notes OF the minstrel lifted
themselves TO a frowning fortress, there
came back an answering song Then
the wife knew where her husband
lover was imprisoned. BY means OF
her fathers friends she was able TO
rescue her dear one. So shall It be
with Us. n we Eft our voices in re-
demptiOn songs. we shall hear our
songs echoed back in the redemption
songs OF our loved ones. As PLATE. In
all probability, decided the eternal des-
tiny OF his wife as we'll as his own
when he condemned Christ, SO our nc.
tons may decide the eternal destinies
OF our friends as well as our own.
May we weigh carefully the impor-
lance OF the question which am about
TO put. May we weigh it carefully In
reference TO our homes, our business
associates and our friends ut large.
What shall we do then with Jesus
who is called ChristT' ! am not ask
ing this question. but Jesus himself Is
asking ii. What Will ye then do with
me?" Answer must be given. Then
Christ shall give 10 us an answer
which shall affect the eternIties. Then.
instead of having Christ before Pi.
late" we shall have "Pilate before
Christ" oh. what shall Jesus then
say unto Us; VIII he say. ''Come, ye
blessed OF my Father: Inherit the king
dom prepared for you" or shall he say,
Depart from me; depart from me7"
God forbid. God forbid!
copyright. 1895. by Louis KIopsch.l