Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-02-11


journal the various fearful circumstances
of the voyage. When famine seized them,
aud tho sailors detached the leather bands
from the rigging Of tho vessel that they
mipht soak them in wafer for fUod when
day after day some Guant form was lower
cd to its ocean grave, these things were re-
ceived as in the order Of nature, and did
not dishearten the bold adventurcr. But
there were things ut which the simple and
| CONTAGIOUS man was troubled, CHIEF Of
| which was that the needle, his sole guide
through these unknown waters, almost for
got its Office, became sluggish, aud Seem
ed to hesitate which way To turn. Had he
| not fortunately possessed q lode stone by
| which to inspire the needle to resume its
proper direction, all might have been lost.
| Not unlike this is, or should be, the ankle
| ty of every breas: when the will Of man
abdicates its office, as too often ii does.
| Reason urges, duty draws, but the will re-
fuses. Nor have wc, like the Spanish nav
| igator, a lode stone with which TO arouse
this sluggish will. Yet there is power
which is mighty TO influence it,-tho breath
Of God. If this be present 80 small thing
as a word may become a thunder-bolt, may
awaken continual dependence and hope.
On this divine aid would / rely to-day.
| OF this enforcement OF religious knowledge
and performance, many among you are IL
| Illustrations. As Magellan touched the err
| rant needle, so would touch the slumber-
ing conscences of those here. The first
consideration which would urge is tho
position Of Inconsistency in which you are
involved. Inconsistency renders men very
sensitive about Administrations. Half
the breath of a political candidate goes TO
prove the consistency Of present and for
mer professions and conduct. Human ma
ture bristes up 10 oppose the charge of in
consistency; but it cannot be rebutted by a
man who delays these convictions for an
hour. The part of duty and interest is to
secure salvation as soon as possible. Pru-
dence and piely call TO do this neglected
work at once and finally. Has man who
hears and comprehends, but makes no eff
fort to do, any excuse? Can lie escape the
consequences of his inertness if he never
| put forth one act Of energy 10 accomplish
| the desired result If safe in religions
| why not in the affairs of secular life? Is
| business at the counting house conducted
in this manner? are notes, when due, suf-
fered to lie unpaid? Business men recog-
nize the value OF promptitude in every
channel OF trade. II such recklessness is
| fatal TO business success, shall We trust TO
| it for :he salvation of the soul? y man hav-
ing gold to sell, knowing that though at 10
| perct. to-day ii will fall 10 morrow, subjects
himself to blame If he refuses 10 improve
tho favorable opportunity. Heavier aceu-
| satiOu fall upon him who declines to accept
the Saviour, and to do it now. He is ex-
| posed TO the accusation of moral weakness
and inirmity of character. 4 midnight
| alarm of fire tests men. One is unstrung
| by it, rendered quito bankrupt Of selI-pos-
session, while it calls forth unexpected
| qualities Of reliability and thoIshtfulness
| from another. 4 battle threatens 70 ter.
inmate disastrously for certain combatants.
The crisis demands every faculty to be on
| the alert; but sudden paralysis seizos the
will OF the commander A judicious dis
| position Of the men, a sudden charge of the
| foe, and victory is theirs. But in the nick
Of need palsy has seized his mind. No Or
| der comes; confusion results, and the 10y
al army is broken, defeated, or saved only
| by the darkness. To defer action when the
| time for action is como is to confess ones
| self feeble in mind and will. Tho great
English dramatist portrays this in one
of his subimest tragedies. Hamlet feels it
his duty 10 kill his uncle. Honor demands
| 1t; he resolves, VOWS, but delays and still
delays. No obstacle is in his way, no excuse
presents itself. Ashamed, he still cannot
Ii
aud thus soliloquizes:
snow whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven seruple
OF thinking too precisely on the event
thought which quartered, hath bat one part wisdom,
Why yet live to say, TAis AIhg's 10 do;
Since have cause, and WILL and strength and
With like irresolution you stand before re-
pentance and faith. You mean to fulfill
resolutions and convictions; you ought to
do SO at once. Days go by, leugtheniug in
TO years. So eternity comes on, and the
thing undone cannot be done. You wait
and wait I'LL doing Is forever impossible.
Is this man!iness, or childshness? Bone
and sinew, or the gristle and weakness of
moral infancy? This position of religious
inaclion in which SO many stand is a slate
of sell-decepiion, for which there is and
can be no excuse. "Religion is an import
art matter" we hear ii said, in common
excuse, land il demands deliboration in
proportion 10 the magnitude of the results
al stake This reasoning should not gov
ern your behavior here; you do not allow
it 20 do 50 in other important instances. A
vessel at sea has sprung leak. Do YOU
council deliberation in this matter? A
great many lives depend on the stopping of
that leak; much treasure is imperilled,
do not hurry, then, but take time for de-
liberalion," do you say? Your child is
suffering from Group. Life and death are
balanced, and you admit of no delay.
Prompt action-no time for deliberate arg
uments or consultations. 50 the magni-
Jude OF the souls interests i'm religion would
urge prompiitude to make them secure. To
urge delay rather than speedy action is,
then, to deceive ourselves. Do you bring
forward as an excuse the duty Of self-ex-
aminltion as proper to be done before ac-
cepilng the Saviour? Whether YOU accent
Him now or in ton years from now, the
work of grace is the same. Christ per-
forms the work when you admit Him,
your lnaction will not save you. When
ever you are ready to cast yourself on Je-
sus Christ, lie is willing to receive YOU.
To make any thing yOu can do prclimin-
airy t" the work of Christ, is to nut your
trust in that and not in Christ F.; is TO deceive
yourself into Il belief that you merit that
grace. Man works harder not to be a Chris