Norwich bulletin., 1914-04-22
SPEAKER AT MEETING
 AT EVANSVILLE SHOP Rev. 6. H. Strouse Before Information al Silver Go. Employees.

At the regular shop meeting held at the International Silver company un- der the auspices of the Y. M C. A. Tuesday, Rev. George H. Strouse spoke on the Cost of Unbelief.
 Some men have a lot to say about how much it costs to be a Christian he said. It does cost something to be a Christian. We may call it a tremendous price. To be a Christian
 means to surrender fully to Jesus Christ as Master and Lord and paying such a price is the best evidence of its worth. Buc the Christians testimony is that 1t pays. It pays to be Christian from a commercial polnt
 of view Money invested to promote the cause of righteousness will yield large returns A Christian is a son of God and therefore rich, even in ma teriaI things We haven't yet come in to possession of all these riches but we are heirs of God and joint heirs through Christ. The time and thought invested by Christian go into moral fibre and character. All this pays if there were nothing beyond this lie.
 For right living and loving service are rewarded here and now.
 But men, it isn't simply case of gaining. It's a game of losing. Did you ever figure out how much it cost you from being a Christian? That's presenting the whole subject perhaps from a new viewpoint. Let's not how much does it cost to be a Chris tian. But rather how much does it cost me by not being a Christian. Do you think the Christian is paying a big price? Let me suggest what un- belief costs.
 Then you are paying for your un- belief a wasted life.
 Influence.
 Now you may dispute this state | ment but if a man loses his soul, the ] best part Of him. the only thing that | is lasting he certainly isn't a success. But remember, men, a man never goes I up or down without taking some one along with him. We are all so in l terreIated There is an intimate rela- i tionship between us all. You influence | me and I influence you. Success will
 be determined for us, not necessarily I by the high place we may attain but 1 the goal for which we strive. When | the days work is over, we're glad for | the boss to say: "A good days work. " I When life is over we shall be glad to | hear the King say: Well done," Live a life of unbelief and you will surely 1 forfeit that pleasure Then again the | unbeIiever walks through life with a l blurred vision. Your eyes have never been. opened to see the relative values | of theings. The things you think are worth while after all have little value. l Now you can't see that it pays oservo | Christ. This is a big price to pay for 1 unbeief.
 You are spending your life in dis l cord with God. We dread to hear the l discord note. How hard to go 1 through life always shy Of somebody we can't help meeting First ther eis a discord between two men and then l a fight. Discord in a family and then l husband and wife separate. Discord | between two nations and then war l Looks like war now in Mexico. Dis 1 cord between God and man because oi sin and then at last, if there is no re- 1 Concilliation, man is baniShed from i God There isn't the least indication 1 that if there is discord between God
 1 and man all through a mans life that 1 in the next world the discord will give
 way to harmony. If you are an up-
 1 believer, you and God are not on the 1 best of terms. That discord will reach 1 an awful crisis some day. There is 9 i picture of war to come betwee nthe 1 forces of right and evil with Christ 3
 | certain victor. Get on good terms with God through Jesus.
 1 Fellowship With God
 | man pays for his hnbelief never
 ! satisfying soul. There is something
 more than normal about man. Wher
 I God made man there was put on .
 i finishing touch that was not true o1
 1 the beast God made man so noble
 that He intended to have fellowship
 i with him. God still desires that fel-
 lowship and if we have no desire fol
 it, something is surely wrong. The
 | lion doesn't want hay but flesh. Int
 l horse doesn't want fish but had. I'm
 soul can't feed on husks. Moral deatf
 1 would inevitably result. The rich mar
 spoken of in the Bible made a sac
 mistake He ina gined a, barn full O.
 l crops would satisfy him. Jesus is th'
 l true Bred who came down ron
 7! heaven to give life unto the world. The
 1 prodigai son found there was plenty il
 his fathers house. Why Starve? Goo
 1 has full and plenty for all who vii
 come Why live in unbeiief. It cost.
 l a supendouS price.