Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1906-03-01
THURSDAY, MARCH 1.
PARABLE OF THE FALSE SHEEP
FOLD.


which keeps the sheep within, but
which recognizes no means OF &C.
cess to the fold justified condition.
except Christ the door, faith In
whose sacrifice for sin 10 the only
way into the sheep fold. All climb.
ing up come other way are
thieves and robbers. This 10 the
pasture provided by the Good
Shepherd for his sheep, for whom
He once laid down His kfe.
Into the true fold quite flock OF
sheep have entered. They belong
to the true shepherd, but az we look
at the grassy slopes only a few
sheep seem to be enjoying the lib.
erty wherewith Christ makes free
a little flock indeed. Where were
the others? We look, and see inside
the door, on either side the path.
way, small enclosures. Over each
is written peculiar names, Presby-
terrain, Methodist. Baptist, Second
Adventist, Roman Catholics, Greek
Catholics, Lutherans. etc. Looking
at these pens we see they differ.
Some are built like prisons, with
iron frames and bars and chains,
others less strong, some are merely
marked out dead lines, over which
the sheep understand they must
not 60.
These pens are full Of sheep; they
are weak and sickly and delicate for
want of proper exercise and nour-
ishing food; they are regularly ted
but only upon husks, with a little
milk occasionally. But they eat
without relish, and get no good
from it; many of them are leaner
aud poorer than they were when
they fret went in; and come have
become blind. Strange to say each
seems 10 be perfectly satisfied with
his own pen, and seldom does any
attempt to escape. We also noticed
that under.shepherds had been ap'
pointed to help pasture the sheep
and that they had constructed these
pens, but apparently without the
permission Ct the Chief Shepherd
Perplexed to know why the sheer
submitted to be penned, we watched
to see how the sheep were induced
to enter the enclosures.
AS they entered through the dooi
faith in Christi each under.shep
herd tried TO impress on them the
necessity of getting into one of the
many pens, and the one he repre-
scented in particular.
AS a consequence nearly all thu
sheep got penned that entered thu
fold, for they trusted the shepherds
and followed the majority; and only
few passed on to enjoy the liberty
IF the fold. The under.shepherd'
sought continually to Impress or
their sheep that the free sheep wer'
heretics enroute to destruction.
We watched to see the outcome o
matter, for we learned that som'
were expecting the return OF TIT
Chief Shepherd and we knew tina
His coming would soon demon
strate whether He would approve
the dividing of His flock and thei
imprisoning. Nearly all the under
shepherds claimed that the Chic
Shepherd would not come till the!
had got all the penned. Present.,
we heard great rejoicing.
Some of the tree sheep had heart
the voice OF the Chief Shepherd ant
had recognized His voice. w
looked aud indeed the Chief Shep
herd had come, hence the rejoicing
amongst the free sheep, He hat
come in the night az quietly az
thief, unobserved by any but thos'
who were watching. Some OF tn
imprisoned sheep heard the Chic
Shepherd's voice. They looked ant
listened, yet could scarce believe.
TWAS indeed the voice ofthe Chic
Shepherd as He tended His flock
HE true sheep seemed TO hear Hi
voice condemning the penning pro
cess and saving to all HE sheel
come out" Some leaped the fence
and thus gained liberty, and foo
from the Chief Shepherds haut
while others were 90 weak and fain
lack of nourishmentt that they trem
bled with anticipation, yet woul'
not come out for fear of the under
shepherds. We noticed that outsid
some of the free sheep brough
food to the bare, thus nourishinI
the weak one till they were stronI
enough TO leap the fences. The IN
der-shepherds meanwhile wer'
alert with redoubled vigilance, ant