Show by REV JAMES M CRAY D D deu 0 feodr TEXT so those vante went out into the highway and fathered sa together all as many as they found both bad and good matthew 22 10 these words are in the parable of the marriage of the king s eon intended by our lord to announce the forfeiture of the mes kingdom temporarily at least by the jewish people and the proclamation of the gospel of grace to the gentiles one wishes there were to go into the details of the parable and apply L j its precious teach JL il ings but there Is time only to cm one point and that Is the duty and privilege of highway gathering by this is meant the preaching of the gospel not merely by the ordained ministry but by laymen as well who know by expert ence the redemption which is in christ jesus our lord these beautiful summer days and evenings afford unusual opportunity tor this in the utilizing of our parks and vacant lots and church steps and street corners tor reaching multitudes with the bread of life the prophets of the old testament were open air preachers jesus christ and his apos ties were open air preachers some of the greatest evangelists in all the days were open air preachers how could whitefield and the besles have reached the masses when church doors were closed against them unless they had taken to the open air ahat an open air was gen william booth today many of the ablest christian laymen of great britain as well as the clergy are found standing on improvised plat forms at the street corners telling out the gospel of salvation and urging their fellow men to accept the offer of atonement through jesus christ 1 this is enjoined upon you chris tian brethren as a duty to god and to your neighbor remember the words go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature ye shall be witnesses unto me these commands are not to ecclesiastics merely but to all the disciples of christ and then what shall we say of the command thou love thy neighbor as thyself have we ever felt or shown that love until we have actively interested ourselves in the salvation of our neighbor t to teed him when he is hungry or clothe him when he Is naked or visit him in sick ness or comfort him in his affliction Is not enough except as we try to save him for eternity 2 it Is enjoined upon you as a personal advantage in the sense of level and in sense of reward it we want to grow in the spiritual life we want to exercise ourselves in its min latry it we would know more of the love and the power of god towards ourselves we must experiment with what we now have in dealing with others in this as in that which is more material the principle holds good give and it shall be given unto you and then what about our re ward in the future as well as in the present T at the final reckoning of redeemed souls the same rank and glory will not be given to the indolent and unfruitful as to the earnest and self denying the same scripture which says in one place look unto me and be ye bavei says in another look unto yourselves that ye receive a full re wardi they who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever 3 it Is enjoined upon you as a political necessity this may be regard ed as the weakest and most selfish of the ar gumer and for that reason should have come first rather than last but there are special reasons for stating it at the last what political and social problems are pressing upon the attention of thoughtful citizens and especially christian citizens at this aimel in all our great cities the needy classes are multiplying ever year and with them those who represent the ignorance immorality and crime of all great population the conflict between capital and labor and employers and employees is losing none of its intensity now rumbling ominously like some far off earth quake and now breaking out into the volcanic eruption of the disastrous strike at the other extremity look at the luxury and extravagance th heartless worldliness and the grasping selfishness of many of the so called upper classes these things threaten the life of oui nation the peace and prosperity oi our homes and are a startling chal lenac to the christian church wf must go forth on a new crusade we must go out into the highways an gather together all as many as we find both bad and good we must give our selves enthusiastically to the work b prayer by money by personal eu leaver |