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ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. Oh! it is a wonderful thing to be conscious of an abiding impulse to follow Christ in thought, disposition, and life. Happy are they who have built upon his foundation and have found him a guide, counselor, a schoolmaster, a friend. And having followed him here below, when at last the iron gate of life closes behind us, and the golden gate of death swings open before, and we enter the company of the noble and the great garnered from all the ages, and by reason of some small deed to Christ's little ones are crowned, then every generous heart will lift the crown placed upon the brow by the pierced hand, and everything that is finest in thought and purest in feeling will rise up to acclaim Christ as Lord and Master, and to place the crown before his feet, while we confess that not unto us, not unto us, but unto his name be all the praise of our salvation.

THE OBSTACLES AND EXCUSES THAT STAND
HESITANT BEFORE THE THRESHOLD
OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.

THE

CHAPTER II.

OBSTACLES AND EXCUSES

THAT

STAND HESITANT BEFORE THE THRESH-
OLD OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

Back to Christ is the watchword of the new scholarship. Thoughtful men are asking for Christ's conception of what it is to be a Christian. In clear and simple terms he has stated the aim of the Christian life, the method of the Christian life, and the reward of that life. The aim of the Christian life is the development of a large, ample, and sound manhood. The method of the Christian life is growth by yoke-bearing and liberty by obedience to laws, Christ himself being the pattern of obedience. The reward of the Christian life is such volume and weight of manhood as to make the yoke carried seem to have the feather's lightness, and the burden of obedience to give soul-rest and happiness. In a word, Christ opens a school, he himself is to be the master, men are to be his pupils; the object of the school is the growth of manhood, the motive power is love, the pattern

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