Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary | Page 7

they are willing to stay there. These may be said to be bound with two chains. Their love of the world is one chain, and their love of self is the other. I may be addressing some now who are thus bound. Let us see. Jesus says: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And a second is like to it which is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Does every one who is now under the sound of my voice do this? Are you sure, my friend, that you love God more than the world, and that you love your neighbor as yourself? What proof have you to give of this? Jesus again says: "If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that loveth me will keep my words." There can be nothing more perfectly in harmony with human nature in all its phases than these declarations of our Lord. Where is the subject that is unwilling to render obedience to the prince or king that he loves? Where is the loving child that refuses to obey its parents? I tell you that obedience is the test and proof of love. Do you obey our Lord Jesus Christ? Do you say "No"? Then, my dear friend, let me say to you, in all candor and love, you do not love him. You may imagine that you do, but your imagination on this point is a delusion. But perhaps you are ashamed to confess him. Hear again what the Lord says: "He that is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his glory."
But perhaps you ask: "How am I to get rid of my chains?" Get rid of them, my dear unconverted friend, just as Peter got rid of his. The Lord is just as willing and as able to rescue you from the chains of sin and the thraldom of bad habits as he was to rescue Peter from the chains with which the Roman guard had bound him. The Lord came to him, not in darkness, but in light. He brought the light with him. He never works in darkness. Even when he was about to fashion the world, the first thing he did was to throw a flood of light all over its wide, chaotic surface. But the light which he caused to shine in the prison did not wake Peter up, although it must have shone in his eyes. So he smote him on the side, and no doubt shook him gently.
Peter opened his eyes and saw the light. The angel "raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly." At the very first move he made to stand on his feet, his chains got loose, and when he rose to his feet they fell right off. This is the way you are to get rid of your chains. The Lord comes to you as he is present now and says to you, "Arise up quickly, and follow me." The very moment you firmly resolve to obey him in love, that very moment will your chains begin to get loose; and when you arise to follow him in the way his Word directs, they will fall off.
You may here see how the Lord works with man. It is said the angel raised Peter up; and at the same time, while he had hold of him, he ordered Peter to arise up quickly. This is just the way we would do in trying to get one awake and up, whom we dearly loved if he was in great danger. An infant we would pick up and carry out; but one in health and strength we would expect to act for himself; we, at the same time, doing what might be necessary on our part. Just so the Lord acts with every poor sinner. He comes with light and he comes in love. Sinner, I am sure he has come to you to-day. He is saying to you now, Rise up quickly, and follow me.
And where does the good Lord propose to lead the sinner? He offers to lead you out of your prison house of sin into "the glorious liberty of the children of God." He proposes to take you out of darkness into "his marvelous light." He will, if you but rise up and follow him, give you eternal life, and a home in heaven forever, free from sickness, sorrow, pain and death. Will you not go with him?
VISIT TO A SICK WOMAN.
After preaching the above sermon, Brother Kline, in company with Brother Kagey, visited a sick woman living on Forrer's land.