'Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath
no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without
money and without price.'--ISAIAH lv.1.
The meaning of the word _preach_ is 'proclaim like a herald'; or, what
is perhaps more familiar to most of us, like a town-crier; with a loud
voice, clearly and plainly delivering the message. Now, there are other
notions of a sermon than that; and there is other work which ministers
have to do, of an educational kind. But my business now is to preach.
We have ventured to ask others than the members of our own congregation
to join us in this service; and I should be ashamed of myself, and have
good reason to be so, if I had asked you to come to hear me talk, or to
entertain you with more or less eloquent and thoughtful discourses.
There is a time for everything; and what this is the time for is to
ring out like a bellman the message which I believe God has given me
for you. It cannot but suffer in passing through human lips; but I pray
that my poor words may not be all unworthy of its stringency, and of
the greatness of its blessing. My text is God's proclamation, and all
that the best of us can do is but to reiterate that, more feebly alas,
but still earnestly.
Suppose there was an advertisement in to-morrow morning's papers that
any one that liked to go to a certain place might get a fortune for
going, what a _queue_ of waiting suppliants there would be at the door!
Here is God's greatest gift going a-begging; and there are no doubt
some among you who listen to my text with only the thought, 'Oh, the
old threadbare story is what we have been asked to come and hear!'
Brethren, have you taken the offer? If not, it needs to be pressed upon
you once more. So my purpose in this sermon is a very simple one. I
wish, as a brother to a brother, to put before you these three things:
to whom this offer is made; what it consists of; and how it may be ours.