Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-09-21

story, II haon seen my nlonu IL ShSo'
many years. We were very glad to meet
he said l must drink, and he took me by
the arm and pressed me along, aud hlled
the cup until the bubbles run over the edge,
and in an evil moment all my good resoiu-
tions were swept away, and, to the outrsg-
ing OF God and my own soul, fell. VI
the story is, II had hard work to support
my family. know that by one false entry,
by one deception, By one embezzlement, 1
might spring out free from all my trouble;
bnt the ternu4ation came on 30 hercely l
could not think. / did wrong, aud having
done wrong once, could not stop" Oh, 1t
is the first step that costs; the second Is
easier, and on the third, and on to the last.
Once having broken loose from the anchor,
it is not so easy to tie the parted strands.
How often it is that men perish for the rea-
son that the temptation comes from some
unexpected quarter. as vessels lie IN Mar
gate Roads, safe flom southwest winds, but
the wind changing to the northeast, they are
driven helpless, and go down. Oh, that God
would have mercy upon those whom there
comes the sudden swoop Of temptation, that
they perish not becoming, for this world and
the world to come, cast away cast away!
By talking with sailors / have found out
also that some vessels come to this calamity
Through Sheer ReckIessnes.,
There are three million men who follow the
sea for living. 1t iss simple fact that the
average human life on the sea is less than
twelve years. This comes from the lac:
that men by familiarity with danger some.
lines become Iecklels-the captain, the
helmsmsn, the stoker, the man on the look
ont, become reckless, and in nine out OF ten
,hipwrecks it is found out that some one was
swfully to blame So l have to tell you
hat men lost their fouls through sheer
recklessness. There are thousands OF my
irieuds in this house 10 night who do not
care where they are in spiritual things.
They do not know whether they are sailing
toward heaven or toward hell, and the sea
is black with practical hulks that would
srapple them with hooks Of steel, and blind
fold them and make them walk the
plank" They do not know what the next
moment may bring forth. Drifting in their
theology. Drifting IN their habits. Drift
ing in regard to all the future.
No God, No Christ,
no settled anticipstions of eternal felicity;
but all the time coming nearer and nearer
70 dangerous coast. Some of them are
Oh fire with evil habit, and they shall burn
on the sea, the charred hulk tossed up on
the barren beach of the lost world. Many
of them with great troubles, financial
troubles, domestic troubles, social troubles;
but they never pray for comfort. With an
aggrsYation of sin that stirs up the ire Of
God, they pray for no pardon. They donot
steer for the fghtship that dances in glad
ness at the mouth of heavens harbor; reck-
less as 10 where they come out, drifting
further from early religious influences, farth-
er from heaven. And, what is the worst
thing about It is, that they are taking their
families slong with them; and if one perish,
perhaps they will all perish: aud the way
one goes, the probability is th9y will all 60.
Y ct no anxiety. AS unconscious of danger
as the passengers on board the Arctic one
moment before the Vesta crashed into her
Wrapped up in the business of the store not
remembering that soon they must quit
al lnOh ea4tHtI PVeeeooIOno' AZ
,orbed in their SOCIAL positions,
lot knowing that very soon they will have
attended the last levee, and whirled in the
asst schottisohe They DO not deliberately
,hoose to Sc ruined; neither did the French
rigate Meduss aim for the Arguin banks,
,ut there it went to pieces, o, ye reckless
oulsl | wish that to night could wake
'ou up with some great perturbation. The
,erils are 60 augmented the chances of es-
ape are so few, you will die just as certain
y as you sit there, unless you 6estir your
elf. l fear, nv brother, you are becoming
castaway. You are making no effort,
ou are putting forth no exertion for escape.
lou watch no compass. You are not cal
.ulatirg your bearings while the wind is
hiatt, and yonder is long line OF foam
the horizon, and you will be pushed
N toward il, and thousands have perished
here, and you are driving in the same di-
ection. Ready about Down helm Hard
Town or in the next Eve minutes, or four
minutes, or three minutes, or two minutes,
II one minute you may be castaway
Oh, unforgiven soul, if you could see
cur peril before God tonight on account
{ your lifetime sin and transgression, there
would be fifty men who would rush throagh
his aisle crying fer mercy, and there would
'e fifty who would run through that aisle
rying for mercy, and they would be
s men are when they rush across the deck
# laundering ship, and there would De
thousands of arms tossed up from the gal
cries; and as these Christian men rose up
o help them, it would be as when vessel
rives on the rocks and on the shore, the
ommand is,
"Man the Life Boa!
Ian the life boat Pull my lads, pull =
teamer with two hundred on board maxi
Z the last plunge% Why does your cheek
Urn pale, and your heart pound until listen
pg you hear it2 1t is because, my dear
rorber, you realize that, owing to your life
inc sin and rejection o. Gods mercy, yeu
re in peril, and l really believe there are
housards of people in this hogae
his moment, saying within them
elves, What shall | dor Do? Do?
Why, my brother, do what any ship does
shen it is in trouble Aif' distress-sigpol
here is fash and boom. You listen
nd ycu lcok. A vessel is in trouble. Tae
is sounded, or rocket is sent
ID. CT o blanket is lifted, or bundle of rags
to catch the eye Of the passing
raft. So if you want TO be taken of the
sre ck Of your sin, yea must lift q distress
ignal. Else, lift yoar hand, cry out ior
mercy. The publican lifted the distress
ignal when be cried, God, be mercital to
ne q sinner Peter lifted the distress sig-
ial when be said, Lord ssve mel per
shp' The blind nan lifted the distress
ignal when be said Lord, that my eyes
nay be opened 20 the jsilsr lifted sde dis
ress. signal when he said, What must l do
o be sayed?' And help will neyes come to
cur soul until YOU hit suOh signal as that
lou must make some demonstration, give
ONE sign, make some bsayen-pSsrcing ont
,ry fer help. Eitiug the, distressSignal for
be churchs prayer. hfring the distress
lgnsl fo7 Heavens pardon. PRAY
,ray, The voice OF the Lord to-night sounds
n your ears, "In Ne is thy help" Too
,rOud to raise such signal too proud to
% saved.
There was an CID sailor tbuuoing about