Year: 1878

puts out his hand to some young man, membe


of one Of the churches, and the young man re


spends by giving him the tip ends OF the long fin


gers OF the left hand, which consider an nsul


equal to striking one in the face. There Is moth


ing 10 helpful as an honest hearty shake of tn


hand. | have had, in coming down from th
pulpit, man take hold of my hand In such


way that felt the moral magnetism thrill thro


me. Sirs II you know anything about this vol
| know that II man wishes TO return TO RICH
paths after sinful course he runs against repul


sions innumerable, Just for the reason that Chris
| tian people don't understand the matter. We say


man lives three or four blocks off from church


There are people in New York and Brooklyn who


live thousand miles from church. In othe,
| words there are vast articles between them ant


all religious influence. But we must keep ON
dignity then, though ten thousand times ten


thousand Of the tempted go to destruction, and


we must look out for our respectabilitv. Jesu,


Christ sat with publicans and sinners; but, in


some churches, If man unkempt in his appear


ance, indicating that he is morally disordered


enters the building, PEOPLE almost hold up their
| hands and say, rs 1t not shockingw These


dainty punctilious Christians are in all our


churches. l don't know how they will get to
| Heaven, unless there can somehow be managed


special train of cars elegantly cushioned and


tapestried, and each one can have car all To


himself They can't go with the vulgar herd OF


publicans and sinners. o. ye who curl your lips


with scorn In the presence Of those who have


fallen, tell you plainly thatif you had been sub.
jept to the same class of evil influences that de-
| stroyed them instead OF standing to-day among
the foremost for reRpectability you would prOba.
| bly, have been Grouchiug wretch lying down in
ditch or stable all covered with filth and abon1in.
alton. II iB not because you are no better natur.
| ally but because the mercy Of God has protected
| you. Who are you that with pious ancestry and
| with all beDefcent surroundings you should he


80 hard In your behavior against the fallen and
| the lostl


think we often repel the prodigal who would


return, by our anxiety to bring them into this or
| that denomination of Christians. Don't 20 to
| talking about Presbyterian Catechism and EpiE.
copalian liturgy and Methodist love feagts To A


man who wants to know how to be emancipated
II we want to help those who have strayed, we


must take higher grounds, and instead OF being


anxious for the welfare of this or that church or


denomination, persuade him II is the soul we
seek, and not our OWE denominRtiopal advance.


ment, 1t Is absurd when men are drowning in


sin, before we get them ashore 10 ask them what


church they intend to go to. That is as senselesS


as though man were drowning and you put out


In life-boat for him, and before you gave him


help shou say If you ever get out Ia what street


do you propose to take up your residence?" Oh!


have warm side and hearty grasp and ilumin-


ed face for him who would come back to the right


way. Let him taite hold the other side of your


hymn book though 1t shake violently with his


designations. Remember that he who converts a


sinner from The error OF his ways, shall save q


sonl from death and hide multitude of sins.


But come now to the chief point of my dis.


course. have said thus much only that may


persuade the wayward that know what their


dtmculties are Now am ready to tell them how


Hannibal may scale the Alps how shackles may


be unrtveted, and how the path of rectitude, for.


saken may be regained. The first thing to do is


TO throw their self on God. Go to Him frankly


and earnestly and justly. Tell Him how YOU


have these habits on you, and that If in all the
resources of 0mnipotent love there Is any help
long rigmarole o. obs and abs, but cry for help
lfyou can't speak word Of prayer you can look
heavenward, and that will do Just as well, went
into the hospital at Antietam duringthe war and
asked man where he was hurt and he put out


his hand, splintered and swollen. There was no
need that he say any more. All we have to do ia
TO go before God, and hold up In his sight for his
pity and compassion, our wounded souls It Is
no small thing when q man wishes to come out
Of a sinful course Of conduct Nervous, weak
fearful and sick Of soul, he can feel that God has
both OF his omnipOtent arms about him, saying to
him, Young man, l will stand by you.h The
mountains may depart, and the hills be removed,
but my grace shall not fail you. And the soul
looks round and says, ",Dost thou really mean
meT' God lifts His hand and swears faithfully,
LAS l live" Saith the Lord God, II have no
pleasure In the death OF him that dieth." In
destitute household, when a father at the table
was cutting the bread, the mother said, Cut the
slices thin or there will not be enough to 90 all
around, !" but the loaf that the Lord offers the re
turning prodiga is large loaf like those In the
miracle, which got larger the more there was
broken Off from them. remember the first day
when the hospital in Master street. Philadelphia
hn Tka
brought In suffering from the battle field--.sO-
dierS from Maine and Minnesota and Oregon and |
Their rags were torn off and
bandaees were put on them without any question |
as to what State they came from. If out of this |
audience there are a thousand souls wounded |
and dying, God does not ak where you came |
from nor what you have been doing. He only |
orders balm on your wound, and ring on your |
finger, and place at the table of supply The |
shall crack apart, rock from rock in |
the grip of great couvulsons, and the sea boil |
Ike pot In the fires Of the last day, and stars |
rain into dust ard the universe fly apart at the |
blast OF Gods nOstrils, but the Lord will expend |
all the strength OF His onnnipOenCe and exhaust
all the wealth OF His compassion, and Himself 20
beGgared through infinite spaces rather than 1t |
shall be told in heaven or hell that the DrOnige
iailed, or that one day soul cried out for rescue
and God would not help him. Don't think that
your reformation is impossible Justice Edwards
In his day recorded the salvation of 10000
drunkardS God loves to take hold OF a case like
you. An engineer Is not so much interested In q
bridge to be built across small stream, but here
is great railway tO be constructed, tremendous
chaSms TO be bndged, and high mountains to be
unneled or dug down. He feels that is some
hing worthy his genius and care. The greater
he obstacle the more intense the anxiety to over.
'0me II. To man whose soul has been cleft of
Lwful chasms of sin and piled high, with noun.
aims OF iniquiy, God comes, and He says, "GO to,
low; will illustrate the might and glory of my
race. Let all the nations attend while level |
his mountain and bridge this chasm." You
must also give up bad association.


You can't maintain evil companlOnship and re-
cover however strong your resolution. They will
make you drink. They will make you swear. They
viii drag you down with them to bOttOmless per.
Iltion. 60 home to-day open your writing desk,
no take your letter-paper, envelopes and city
'ostage stamps and write this litter:


Ny old companions to day start for Heaven
ntil am persuaded that you are willing to 70
ne latter way must say farewell. Yours respect
ully,


One intimacy maintained with corrupt com.
anion will ill you with moral distemper Seek
'hristian counsel. II you find no other human
ar willing TO listen to the story Of your conflict
nen come to and with every power Of my heart
nd every toll OF my hand, and every sympathy
I my nature will stand by you In your attempt
I reform, and as hope at last for pardon of nv
Wn sins and iBiquity In the great day, l will not
etray you. Grace Omnipotent alone ia sufficient
"a yOuA SOuli pub theEe ~ great Joy III O0rbLlaQ
ouneil. Gather up all your energies Of body,
lind and SOU, and make an appeal to heaven for
lccess; proclaim to-day everlasting war against
rinking habits all gaming tables, all houses OF
n. Your struggle will be Waterloo that will
ecide tremendous destinies. Shrink back now
nd you ere lost push on and you are saved. A
partan soldier fell In the hour of battle but din.
ed his finger in his own blood and wrote on lie
'oks the words Sparta has conquered" And
lough the efforts you make for deliyerance
death mo r.,witn L.,
Our blood the glorious announcement OF Victory
rough Our Lord Jesus Christ Oh, what good ]
eWs It would be to send home to your old father
10 molner Tor the holidays They are going ev- !
y day or two snxiOusly to the postoffice to hear
ON you You might send them a handsome
OK nom our best publishing house, or the rich
ould not please them half as much as the news '
u mad started on the path Of heaven, Oh, | 4
low how 1t is the Eight comes on in the country,
= catle stand under the rack, through which n
rst the presses of hay the horses lust little
lile ago frisking up from the watering at the