more heart-aches. Only a few
more toils. Only a few more tears. And then--what an entrancing
spectacle will open before us!

"Beautiful heaven, where all is light,
Beautiful angels clothed in white,
Beautiful strains that never tire,
Beautiful harps through all the choir;
There shall I join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping at the Saviour's feet."

I stand before you on this Sabbath, the last Sabbath preceding the
great feast-day in this Church. On the next Lord's-day the door of
communion will be open, and you will all be invited to come in. And so
I approach you now with a general invitation, not picking out here and
there a man, or here and there a woman, or here and there a child; but
giving you an unlimited invitation, saying: "Come, for all things are
now ready." We invite you to the warm heart of Christ, and the
inclosure of the Christian Church. I know a great many think that the
Church does not amount to much--that it is obsolete; that it did its
work and is gone now, so far as all usefulness is concerned. It is the
happiest place I have ever been in except my own home.

I know there are some people who say they are Christians who seem to
get along without any help from others, and who culture solitary
piety. They do not want any ordinances. I do not belong to that class.
I can not get along without them. There are so many things in this
world that take my attention from God, and Christ, and heaven, that I
want all the helps of all the symbols and of all the Christian
associations; and I want around about me a solid phalanx of men who
love God and keep His commandments. Are there any here who would like
to enter into that association? Then by a simple, child-like faith,
apply for admission into the visible Church, and you will be received.
No questions asked about your past history or present surroundings.
Only one test--do you love Jesus?

Baptism does not amount to anything, say a great many people; but the
Lord Jesus declared, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved," putting baptism and faith side by side. And an apostle
declares, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you." I do not stickle
for any particular mode of baptism, but I put great emphasis on the
fact that you ought to be baptized. Yet no more emphasis than the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Great Head of the Church, puts upon it.

The world is going to lose a great many of its votaries next Sabbath.
We give you warni