led Jesus, for He should save
His people from their sins. When at length He was born, the angel
appeared to the wondering shepherds on the hillside near Bethlehem, and
said: 'Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people: for unto you is born this day a Saviour.' He came to seek
and save the lost. For thirty years He lived a secluded but holy life at
Nazareth. Then for three years He went about doing good, working
marvelous miracles and saying wonderful words. At length they took Him,
and crucified Him on Calvary! 'Behold,' John had said, 'the Lamb of God
that taketh away the sin of the world!' Do you not see how it is? Christ
died--not for His own sins, for He was holy, harmless, undefiled, but
for your sins and mine. He bore our sins in His body on the cross.
Believe on Him, and you are saved!

"Yes, childlike trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour gives
your soul peace with God and makes your entrance into the house of many
mansions sure! He went back to prepare a place for us who believe on
Him, and promised to come again and receive us unto Himself, that where
He is, there we may be also. Jesus Himself is the way home!"

So clearly did he explain the plan of salvation that Rosa began to grasp
the truth. All the pent-up love of her ardent nature she began to bestow
upon Jesus, and in the joy of this new experience forgot her crushing
sorrow.

The sermon closed by another extended reference to heaven, with special
emphasis upon the fact of its being real, and not simply a state of
blissful being, as many profess to believe, and with an appeal to the
skeptical to take Jesus at His word.

"He said, 'I go to prepare a _place_ for you.' Is it not His positive
statement sufficient? Has He ever proved untrue to His promises
concerning this life? Has He ever turned a deaf ear to the penitent
sinner's prayer? Has He ever refused to speak the word of comfort to the
heart breaking beneath its load? Has He ever called one to some
particular service in His vineyard without supplying the needed
strength? Has He ever forgotten to pour forth His abundant and
sustaining grace upon the trusting soul about the pass through the dark,
mysterious valley of death? And would He say that He was going to
prepare a _place_ for us, that where He is there we may be also, meaning
only that He was going to prepare a state of glorified--_nothingness_?
Impossible! It is an insult to our Lord.

"He who lef