Gilpin observer., 1912-02-29
SUNDAYS SERMON

Following is the sermon of Rev.
S. A. Webber at the NJ. E. church,
last Sunday evening:
Joel 3-14, Multitudes, multitudes
in the valley of decision"
There is hardly man in this, COM
munity, but has knowledge enough,
that if he will fellow it he can find
eternal life. There is hardly man
but has heard enough about the life
and the religion of Jesus Christ that
he is already convinced that Christ
was God, and the way that he by
his life and death opened; is the
way to salvation and heaven. Most
men of our land and time expect
sooner or later to accept salvation
and gain heaven. The people have
had line upon line, precept upon
precept, here a little and there a
little" until sometimes wonder if
they have not come to believe that
it would be doing God great favor,
if they would come into His king
dom. Forgetting entirely that if they
do not come, and come soon, they
are everlastingly lost.
have had men in this city say
to me, "The old way is past now,
and you no longer depend upon re-
vivals and conviction for sin to Sc
cure members for the church. You
just 60 to men and talk with them
and ask them if they will not per-
init their names to be used and
placed upon the church rolls as men,
bers, and that is the way you get
members now. The old way is past"
am led to wonder if this is the
reason that there are in our churches
multitude of men and women, who
never help any one into the kingdom.
Who think if they give something
for bazaar or supper and then help
to enjoy it they have done their
full duty. Hear me while l say, "He
that taketh not his cross and fol-
low,eth after me is not worthy Of
me. Whosoever will save his life
shall lose it. Whosoever shall lose
his life for my sake and the gospels,
the same shall save it." And again,
| "Whosoever therefore shall be asham
ed of me and my words in this adult
erous and sinful generation, of him
shall the son of man be ashamed
when he cometh in the glory of his
father with the holy angels"
If there has ever been need of
preaching the old doctrines of total
depravity and everlasting loss through
sin, there is need of this today.
have no patience with this wishy
washy, any scheme, to get names for
the church record. and l am afraid
OF the man who seeks names, and
not souls.
There is but one way into the king
dom of God. 1t is the way of re-
pentance for our sins; seeking an
entrance with such earnestness that
we had rather give up our treasure
and our position, and everything than
not to find Him. With such earnest
ness that VIC would go barefooted
and ragged and hungry through
earth, rather than not to find Him.
Oh. that men might understand what
it means to find God.
Now then have said all this to
bring you to the solemn fact that
you stand today among that multi
tude that the Prophet Joel saw in
his vision. and to bring to you the
best ] can the great responsibility
that rests upon you while you are
there. The first thing that l want
to say, is: 1t is great privilege to
be in the valley Of decision, where
We have the opportunity to decide
for Christ. 1t is blessed place to
be. But we have no right to tarry
there. When we are convinced, when
We have knowledge enough to start
Us in the way to life and heaven,
we ought to get out Of the valley on
the heaven side. and do what We can
to help others into the way that
leads to glory. Indeed we cannot
tarry very long in this valley. !
think i hear behind ME the tramp
of countless millions. Tomorrow they
will stand where We stand today and
we will have gone on out Of the val
ley. Our days Of decision will be
past. Our destiny for heaven or for
eternal separation from God and all
that is holy, will be fixed. One OF
the most solemn lessons Of all this
book is that which teaches that We
are all approaching fixedness Of char,
acter, and the time will come when
the thunders in the skies, and the
earth will be saying. HE that is un-
just let him be unjust still. and he
l II.