Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1915-10-07

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He is poor enough excuse when he
gets across the Red Sea. No sir, you
couldn't get Moses to accept a fool
compromise like that, so he went out
from Pharaoh's presence and God sent
down more plaques. Presently
Pharaoh made another proposition,
and here we have the second COM
promise.
III. NOT VERY FAR AWAY
Pharaoh sand. "I'll let you go, that
you may sacrifice to the Lord our God
in the wilderness; only we shall not
go very far away; Entreat for me-"
That is, pray the Lord to take away
these plaques. Can you see any diff
ference between this proposition of
Pharaoh and the first one? Well,
there is a great difference. Before
he demanded that they worship the
Lord lin the land" right there in
Egypt, where he could see the whole
thing, and be the biggest duck in the
puddle, but now he says, you may
worship the Lord in the wilderness
only We shall not go very far away"
The old fellow has made a little
greater concession hasn't he? The
devil will give you clearance if you
rise up and show yourself a man.
Here he is going to let them cross
the Red Sea into the wilderness, but
he does not want them to go very far
away | suppose some of our liberal
theologians would have said, well
now, look here Moses, if you can't
get the whole loaf, it is better to take
half than to get none at ALL" But
brother, | tell you on authority of
God, that if we prove ourselves every
inch men. He will give us the whole
loaf. He will open the windows of
heaven and pour out blessing such
as we can not contain, II we worship
according to the instructions given
in this old book.
| You will. not catch Moses accept
ing any such compromise. If he
had done so there would have been
as many backsliders in Egypt in
about year as there are in the
churches of this town. We call some
people backslidders who did not go
far enough in religious things to slide
back. They just took one reverse
step and were back to the old life.
Such people remind me of the story
OF an old colored preacher who when
making his annual report, said,
"Brudders, durin' de past yeah dun
had twenty addages to de church, an
had twenty one quitouts So de
quitouts done mo- an equal the ad-
Idages." We certainly have our share
of the quitouts.
Don't go very far away" So the
devil in dealing with twentieth cent
ury sinners reasons something like
this: Now If you are determined to
be religious and can not be contented
to worship God here in the land, and
let nobody know it, you may go for
ward and give the preacher your
hand, but | would not read the Bible,
for there are some people who do not
believe all of it and you do not want
to get your mind confused
wouldn't pray much nor would
testify of what God has done for you
until you see how the thing works.
Don't think OF such thing as unit
ing with the church and breaking
from old associates and running with
real Christians. You know if child
rem play in the water il is a good idea
to keep close TO the shore. Don't go
very far away. Away with such reas-
oning. Be out and out for God. You
get nowhere by being a half-hearted
Christian. Brother, come out of the
Egypt of sin, and when you get out,
stay out. Come over into Gods land
and dwell in Caanan and you will be
happy.
The devil tried this compromise
on me and it came very nearly work.
ing, to my spiritual defeat. / was
converted on Sunday night between
Christmas and New Years, in little
country church six miles from my
home. On the following Thursday
evening | went to another church
lonly mile and a half away from
my home in the hope of attending a
prayer meeting. 1t was an open
winter night, very dark with muddy
roads and heavy fog. l walked
from my home to the church and
came very nearly turning back when
| was within a hundred yards of the
church for il was getting late and
could see no light but went around
| to the front of the church and enter
ed. found a dim oil lamp burning
but no one present except the sexton.
After little, about two dozen people
lgathered. This was New Years Eve.
and having previously decided to
hold watch meeting, 1t was agreed
that they would begin the meeting at
a later hour than usual None of
those who came had heard that had
been converted and they seemed sur
prised TO see me in the prayer meet
| ing, for ! was the only young man in
the number. We all gathered in a
corner, near the organ and one of
he elders led the meeting. The
pastor was away conducting revival
in another church On the circuit.
THIS was the first prayer meeting |
ever attended in my life.
| AS nearly all had taken part in the
meeting and We were again on our
knees i'll prayer the brother leading
the service asked that a number vol
unteer TO lead ia prayer and / ven
tured TO pray. 1t was a surprise to
all present to hear my voice in prayer
knowing | had previously made no
profession of religion, and / guess
the question of all was, rs Saul also
among the prophets?" You can
imagine how the prayer of newly
converted young man, however feeble
the effort would put new life into
the meeting. At the close of that
prayer we had an old fashioned hand
shaking time. All present came and
gave me their hand expressing their
10y at my having become a Christian.
The midnight hour quickly came
land rainica6 IN kunW tbaf fha q OF