Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-02


in those days, as they probably had. they
had the ark on the stage People came from
a distance to see Noah's folly and pointed
Noah out. one to another, with such words
as: " There, that's the old lunatie." The
carpenters who worked on the ark said that
Noah money was Is good as any body's, 50
they would work for him {; but they thought
| it all nonsense. Some laughed at him for
building his big vessel 50 far from water
| and others asked him how he was going to
| get his animals and birds into it. But he
| IOlled on. The ark when it was completed
would not have brought its value for kind
| ling wood II 1t had been put up at auction.
A hundred years passed away; and the
astronomers told the people that there was
no sign of any approaching CONFUSION OF
nature. Noah sometimes went out to preach
to and warn the people; but all Knocked on.
| But one family believed Gods word. Noah
had so brought up his children and so walk
ed before them that they believed him, and
when the voice said Come thou and all
thy house into the ark, they followed Noah
in.
Mr.. Moody here contrasted the obedience
of NOgh's children, with the disObedIence
| OF Lots sOns-in-iaw. Lot was a backslder
! and his sOns-In-law derlded him when he
| announced the destruction Of SOdOm.
Business went ON Is usual, even alter
| Noah and his family went into the ark, and
God shut the door but the scotiers must
| have been amazed to STE the animals march
| ing in by twOs, and the birds H1ckng in.
Seven days went by and the waters Ji the
| flood were upon the earth. The rain iell
| for forty days and the fountains OF the great
deep were broken up. Kings and their sub
alike. There was no scUfhng tEen, and
there will be none in the last day. At the
great fire in Chicago, many thought that
the end Of the word had come and there
was no soothing but lips that never prayed
before were begging God Tor mercy. That
| terrible scene was faint picture OF the
| jud gment day.
Noah and his family alone OF the antadi-
luvian world were saved in the ark. Christ
is our ark. Are you in it Z If not, had you
not better get into it without delay ? Don't
scot at his salvation. Call the children in.
too. The promise Is to You and your chill
dren. The children can be brought In and
| kept in the ark OF safety
Mr.. Moody told a story of a mother,
who objected to her sons going to the
| Christian Association rooms when he was
lad, preferring that he should seek
more stylish society. In time he became
a reckless, disobedient and dissOlute man.
| His parents lost all hold On him, and the
mother came to Mr.. Moody to beg him to
| try and save her son. say ing, with terrible
SORROW. that she feared she had stood in the
way of her boy and was chargeable with
hin destruction. Mr. Moody tried to help
| him, but he avoided an interview and
awhile after was drowned in Lake Miehi-
gan, and buried in a Chr>.leSs coffin.
The sermon closed with an intensely earn
est appeal to parents not to stand between
their children and the door OF safety and
to all his hearers to seek the ark OF refuge.
| Mr.. Moody's discourses seem to gather
power and solemnity. as his labOrs draw to
a close, and his warnings and exhOrtations
ere listened to with almost breathless at
tention by the crowded audience.
Rev. Mr. Cooper, Of ST. Adams, made the
closing prayer. The usual inquiry meeting
| followed in the chapel below.
! THE EIGHT O'CLOCK MEETING
at the Methodist church was attended by
| the usual large audience. Before the com
mencement of the meeting there was sing
| ing under the lead of Mr.. j. S'Chamber-
lain, and the regular services opened with
the hymn, Nv hosoever heareth." After
prayer, the hymn, Il gave my life for
thee" was sung, and Mr. Moody then ad-
dressed the audience The nearer We get TO
| God, he said, the more We abhOr ourselves.
| Job and Isaiah and Peter say this. ''De-
| part lrcm me-" SAID the latter, "tOr am q
| sinful man The P-almist said he was
"sbapen in iniquity." | Just want you TO
| believe that you are SINNERS. Ii Won could
save yourselves. there would be no need OF
preaching Christ. II man thinks he is
not much OF sinner, he is not near to God.
There Is always hope wheE a man gets down
and acknow lodges himself a sinner. The
prayer of the Phari-ee was a Goddess,
Christless prayer He trusted in his own
righteousness But the publican stood at
the bottom of the LADDER. All he could say
was, "God be merciful to me, sinner"
| When man gets down to that, there is
hope for him. There are too many re
| spectacle" sinners. You may be worse than
the tramp, the drunkard. the abandoned
woman. They. very likely, never had any
education except In sin and vice and crime;
| you may have had praying mother and
| cody lather. To sinners here, tonight,
brine good tidings OF great joy, for unto US
a Christ is born. All you have to do is to
ask Him, and lie will give you pardon and
peace. Christ stands the door the only
thing to do is to receive Him. Do this. and
every thing else IN the world Will seem like
chldren's toys. lie wants to give you eter
nal life won't you take it? lie wants you
to come to Him, and remain in his presence
forever. Rich and poor, he wants You all
"The Lamb OF God takes away the sins of
the world" Now is the accepted time.
Every minute OF the past is gone forever,
and bears the stamp of eternity upon it.
You can not count on single minute OF
the future Every day yOur sins are ac
cCmulating. There are three steps to the
lost wOrld-neglect. refusal, and despisal oil
the Word. By and by you will
die without mercy. Why not to-
night accept the salvation OF Christ?
Since our meetings commenced here
some of the attendants have crossed
oyer to the other shore. may be speaking
to some one. to- night, who is hearing the
gospel for the last time. W then death comes
You can not bride him or put him eff. When
he lays his icy hand upon you, you must
obey the summons. What madness to put
off salvation Escape for thy lie !"
Won't you pray tonight. Lord. what wilt |
Thou have me to do? There Is joy among |
the angels of Heaven over enc sinner that |
repents. Oh, won't You cause JOY 10 |
Heaven? Our Lord Jesus will lead you in
pleasant fields and green pastures, and will
write your name in the Book o. Lie and
give you eternal peace and joy.
MIR. Moody then told, with matchless
pathos, the story OF the outcast boy who was
finally reconciled to his father at the
mothers deathbed. Goa is not angry with
you-won't you be reconciled to Him Oh,
NAV the blessed Spirit lead every one OF you
to Christ.
At the conclusion of the meeting, very
full inquiry meeting was held, and also
young mem meeting. in the chapel of the
Winooski Avenue Congregational church
which was attended by 80 or 80 young men
besides others.