Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-07-21

The little girl asked NO: he Is dying"
was the answer. oh" she said. why
did not God take me aud leave him
am Of so little usc In the world. and
he H. OF 80 much use" Aye. when the
Kings banquet Is ~ he spread Gods
messenger will come aud get thee
weak. invalid grandchild. as well as
grandmother You have been praying
enough In that dark room. Cod has
heard your prayer. Gods mes enger
will come soon. and when h, .omes
you will not have To go into the banquet
hall on crutch You shall not have
to he carried there OH litter You
will walk there; you will leap there
even as the lame man whom Peter
spoke to nj the beautiful gate went in
TO the temple leaping and singing and
praising God The banquet the ban.
quet of the King. is spread for God 5
suffering ones of the sick chambers
But as we come out into the sunlight
from the sick chamber the messenger
OF the King turns down into dark
street. | clutch him by the arm as I
say: Don't go there You are EVIL.
IDENTIFY not acquainted with this city.
Ii may be all right 10 ask the poor TO
the Kings banquet. Poor people may
be- just as honorable rs the rich But
do not ask the criminals. Why those
people living here belong TO what are
called the outcast classes You are
now going into the dcpraved districts
of our city. You would not have u
harlot or thief or Il drunkard or Il
libertine attend the marriage of the
Kings SON" Yes, | would. II they
repent OF their sins. answers the mes.
senger. "p0 you not remember the
royal command Go We therefore. into
the highways and hedges, and as many
as We shall find bid 10 the marraget' "
Then ! look aud find these words In
the Bible: so the servants went forth
out Into the highways aud the hedges
and gathered together all rs many as
they found both bad aud good" The
bad. the depraved. the Outcasts, were
Invited MS we'll as those who had never
been behind the prison bars and had
never done anything for which they
ought 10 have been there II they had
received their just dues
Criminals We're Asked.
Thus us ! 70 10 that banquet door
and push 1t little open | mud the
strongest assortment OF people You
would not believe those people are
there unless you come and look for
yourself. But as We are today FOL.
lowing the Kings messenger around
and us we hear him saying 10 this man
aud 10 that Come 10 the marriage.
come 10 the Divine wedding feast. "
methinks he suddenly turns TO us and
says. Friends. Will you come also 10
the marriage banquet OF the Kings
SOM "Oh." some OF us answer. do
not worry about me. ! am all right.
know what II Is TO lie a Christian. |
was born In Il Christian home. In a
few years ! will come. but not now
| expect 10 he saved but. like the
thief ON the cross. | expect To- be ga we'd
ut the last moment. All that have
10 say on my deathbed IL. Lord, save
INV anu ~ IN De hi TlSuL.
IL that 80. my brother? doubt that
! believe II you and l. who have grown
VI In Christian homes. are not willing
to be saved now In all probability we
shall never be saved at all. | like the
Interpretation which an old minister
gave to gentleman he was visiting
He said: MY friend. you expect TO be
saved. like the thief on the cross or
like the man who was asked 10 20 10
work In Gods vineyard at the eleventh
hour, but did you ever stop To think
that when those men were asked TO 20
to work al the eleventh hour In all
probability that was the first invita-
ton they had ever received 70 go 10
work for Christ; Did you ever stop to
think that in all probability the thief
upon the cross had spent whole life
time with thieves and robbers and had
never before been asked To come To
Christ until he was on his own dying
bed Of cross oh. yes: at the elev
enth hour men can be saved who hive
never heard the gospel invitation be
fore. but for the most part those men
who. like ourselves. have been born in
Christian homes and who In their
youth and young manhood have heard
the invitation TO come to the marriage
banquet Of the Kings Son and have
refused will in all probability never
come at the eleventh hour.
Dare we refuse the Kings Invitation
which the messenger is giving 10 us
now
copyright. 1896 by Louis Klopschl