The chronicle=news., 1913-04-01

countennncs vet In spite OF his nain
and sorrow and in spite OF the in
difference Of the occupant Of III"
palace. he continues to kn0cK ana
wait.
"The pictured canvass is true to
lif'>nnd In hui another version e! tn"
text In which Jesus declares. he
hold ! stand nj the door aud knock.
The closed door. closed by sin.
lit is true that God command
men TO seek the Lord and TO ask for
and to strive to enter in aud 10 hcek
first tho kingdom. hut H. is also tue
that hc seeks men. Let this then IL
our first thought that.
Il. Christ seeks TO save the sim
ner. This was true In the experience
of the first sinner. when man Ind
forfeited all claim upon divine l6v"
and when as n consequence OF ais re-
beliIon against God he should have
been crying out In sorrow Ny God.
where art thou he hides himself
" Hing to let hin, go and taking the
seekers place. he searches and calls
for the trnnsgressor until he II nbla
to convince him that the mercy and
iovc of God are nor withdrawn from
Him.
THE gospels represent Jesus as
tho good shepherd leaving the line
~ AMI nine and searching through
desert and wilderness. through
mountain and plain. through hard
ship and 'dange: and suffering and
death. even the death on the cross
rnd all. that lie might find and rrs-
cue md save III. Wanderer from the
fold Of loving mercy.
I'll. himself declared. The ron al
man IL come to seek and save the
lost This IL u general truth Gnd
| the statement which follows. II any
man will open the door, shows that
the application may become unircr-
sal
Il need no: urge further iss
broadncss OF this proposition. II Is
enough to say that God wants all
men 10 he saved from sin.
II turn rather to the individual
application Of tho glorious truth.
aaarre you upon the authority of
Gods Word that Jesus Chris: Gomez
TO every sinner here tonight and TO
every one In this cntir" city witr
th,s sam. declaration OF his interest
| saying. Behold I stand n, the door
/ of your heart and knock Tor ainis-
sion. lie IL not mockinE vour SINFUL
ness and hclplcssncss. 6r' rs hr Ia
the light OF the world he let's the
nigh, shin. upon you that some ct
It's rays may pcrchance penetrate
into your soul and 80 arouse YOU that
you may he induced to open the door
and let him come into your I.ir.
1T will help us II va no.. the
long continued patience 6f our Lord.
| I stand at the door. When Mnn
has been inaulted by . fcli0wa!an.
he turns from the door. perhaps ncv-
or to return. but Christ ocItinucs to
stand and seek to come in. lie has
followed some OF YOU ,hr"uyi many
! weary years. during whs.h YOU have
rejected him and YOU nare forfeited
every claim TO his love. IN: s'ilt he
stands Mt the door of your heart and
seeks admission. Some Of yon have
| filed your hearts with sin and ir'-
purity. YOU have welcomed III. fal-
lowship OF the foul fiends Of hell. hu;
yet he comes again and stands nt the
door. Do YOU ask me why Christ
prcserverx in his offer Of salvation In
spite OF the impcnitence Of 'hc sim
ncr: answer. I do not know. ]: .s
too deep for my comDrahension: y
only know that II In his nature 10
| love. even the enemy who would
| nail him to the cross and then ari
persuaded that there are other. rea-
sons. The Christian people are pray
ing for you and IL may he hat some
where, possibly In some IA: away
| home. there is some one praying for
YOU tonight. a sad faced. brotcn-'
hearted mother is praying God spare
1 N - my nh hn10ytn
God will do his best 10 answer the
prayers OF that Christian mother.
God Ia knocking at ,he door Of
human hearts In so many waya.
Through the teaching Of his word
the proclamation OF the gospel.
through the reprovings Of the con-
science and the longing Of the heart
for that which the wor'l can never
give. through the influences brought
to bear upon you in the daily affairs
of life, and sometimes. through tn"
Icalamitics and sorrows which over
take you. tell you frieni. God Will
not let you go so long as there re-
mains n ghost OF a show % save ro'i
from your sins. But. and | say this
rcverently. even God canrot save a
man against his will. and this brings
lus to the consideration of the next
proposition.
| III. God appeals to the will Of the
individual. II any man WILL OPEN
the door The offer of salvation Is
made upon conditions. Jesus teaches
this same lesson ih his approach to
the parylitic in the porch of the
temple when he asked, wilt thou be
made wholc'' The same truth is em-
phasiaed In the story OF the prodigai
son when he said. will arise and
go to my father.
| 'Whosoever will means You and
all others who will receive Christ.
He calls as we'll as knocks. saying,
Turn ye turn ye. why will We die.
am sure that nothing hinders the
salvation of any man in all this
universe of God. hut his own willful
l rejection OF Jesus Christ as savior