The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-02-24

it would be about l 800 feet long. This
building would be nothing to it. You could
put FIVE or six buildings like this in it. IF
on one level, it would be | 800 feet long, 240
feet wide, and 16 or II feet high. No
small undertaking in those days Every
nail Noah drove into that ark was a warn
ing to them. Every time he took up his
hammer to use it on that ark it was warn
ing that God was going to appear in judg-
mcnt. At that time the world ridiculed
Noah, undoubtedly. When he received
that communication he knew how he was
to be put to ridicule ; how men were to
scott at him. l can imagine him walking
down the streets, and their calling him,
That lunatic y | suppose it was a COM
mon thing for Noah during those 20 years;
and, if there had been insane asylums at
that time, no doubt they would have put
him in one, if God had not protected him.
No doubt they thought him mad Tie
great men of that time-their statesmen,
their astronomers, their mighty men-all
prophesied against Noah. There was no
sign of the coming deluge can imagine
some of them said IF it WAS true, why
did not Methusaleh, who died few years
ago, tell us of it? Why did not our fore
fathers tell US of it? How did this man
come to know so much Of it ?" It was the
same way with the men who worked on the
ark-Noah's carpenters. They were jert-
inc and laughing at him. They would say:
"He pays good money, he pays Us prompt
ly, we are just as willing to work for him
p,,t y HI;
the lunatic we do not believe in the com
ing deluge" No doubt many of them
knew as much about that ark as Noah did.
And at the present day many know about
Christ and know that Christ can save. So
Noah's carpenters knew all about the ark
and what its purpose was, and yet did not
avail themselves Of its protection. So the
years went on. [ can imagine that once
in while the work upon the ark ceased
and he called upon them, and plead with
them, and urged them to fee from the
wrath to come. But they mQcked on.
They sneered on. They did not believe it.
just as it is in the present day. Some peo-
pie say now; "Why, Mr.. Moody, you do
not believe there was ever such thing as
food do you? thought we had out
grown all this That is something that
used to terriry your foreEathers; but We
have got wiser and more intelligent We
do not believe it, Don't you know that
there are some people now who don't be-
Iieve the first five books Of the Bible ? But
if you take that Book and tear one book
out Of it YOU destroy the whole Of it. There
is no one part Of it but what is endorsed By
another part. IF you take out the flood
Won must take Christ out of the world
The moment you take out the food, you
make out Christ deceiver. For he said {:
''As it was in the days Of Noah, so shall it
be at the coming of the Son of Man" He
put his divine seal upon it. We all believe
it. [ believe it just rs much as believe
anypart of it. | believe the food came up
on them suddenly and took them all by
surprise. Because they did not believe the
food was coming did not change the fact
that the food did come Undoubtedly if
it had been in these days we would have
been against Noah We would have gone
with the popular current, and thought that
there was no delege coming. But bear iii
mind, if you take up this Bible you must
believe every word OF it. Never mind what
others say. | can imagine the philosophers
and great men of that day said 1T is
contrary to reason. There is no sign Of
it," The astronomers who were reading
the heavens did not see any signs Of the
coming storm. They simply said it was
impossible that God was going to drown
the world. Many of them, | think, be-
lieved there was no God that was going to
Judge the world. The wickedness kept go
ing on ; it was triumphant. But that did
not change the fact The food was still to
come. A hundred years had rolled away
and now see their merriment 1t increases.
They make more sport OF Noah and his ark
than ever. 1t is nearly done. His con-
tract is drawing to close. Within twenty
years every contract will be closed on that
ark. The work will be finished. Noah be-
came more and more earnest. He pleads
with his relatives and he pleads with his
friends. He tells them it is Il truth. God
has revealed it to him, and God Is surely
going to destroy the world, The old men
and the young laugh on. They do not be-
lieve it, and they ask him where is the sign
of Its coming. L can see the rldlcu!e keep
increasing. Now, just when they were fix
ing up this building a great many came
around to look at it, and wondered what
they were doing, and why they were max
ing provision for so many people. They
laughed at the idea of people coming out
to hear the Gospel. Many people said it
was dead 1t died 400 years ago, and we
had outgrown it. Thanks be to God it has
the same power to-day as it ever had We
can never outgrow it. Thank God there
are more saved every day than there has
been for hundreds of years past | mean
more saved every day than in any day in the
past, putting all The years together. Men
are becoming more and more earnest.
am one of these who believe we are living in
perilous times-'when men are living In
! nlaces and are lovers of pleasure more than