Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-19

the silk so that the customers cannot see it.
1t is very easy TO be o christian with .
psalm-book in your hand and q bible in
your lap, out not 80 easy when you can 60
into shop and falsely tell the merchant
you can get those goods at a cheaper rate in
another store so that be will sell them to
you cheaper than he can afford to sell them.
The fact is, the religion Of Christ is all
pervasiye If YOU rent a house you expect
full possession Of it. You say: Where
are the keys OF those rooms? II | pay for
this whole house want possession Of those
rooms" And the grace Of God when 1t
comes to a soul takes tull possession OF =
man or goes away and takes no possession.
II will ransack every room in the heart,
every room in the life, from cellar to attic,
touching the very extremities OF his nature.
The priests washed
Hands and Feet.
Iremark further that this laver Of look.
p.glasses spoken of in the text was very
large laver. Ialways thought from the fact
that so many washed there and also from
the fact that solomon afterward, when he
copied that layer in the Temple, built it on
a very large scale that it was large; and so
suggestive of the Gospel Of jesus Christ and
salvation by Him-vast in its provisions
The whole world may come and wash IN
layer and be clean. / do not now think OF
single passage that SAYS small sinner may
be saved, but ] do think Of passages that
say great sinner may be saved. IL there
be sins only family hued, just little tinged,
so family colored that you can hardly see
them, there is no special pardon promised
in the Bible for these sins; but 1t they be
plaring red like crimson. then they shall be
as snow. Now, my brethren, do not state
this to put premium upon great iniquity,
/ merely say this to encourage that man IN
this house who feels he is so far gone from
God that there is no mercy Tor him. want
to tell him there is good chance. Why
Paul was a murderer; he assisted a.
the execution of Stephen, and yet Panl
was saved. The dying thief did
everything bad The dying thiei
was saved. 1t is vast laver. Go and tell
everybody to come and wash in it. Let them
come up from the penitentiaries and wash
away their crimes. Let them come mp rom
the aims. houses and wash away their poverty;
Let them come up from their graves and
wash away their death If there be any
one so worn in sin that he cannot get
up 10 the layer, you will take hold oi
his head and put your arms around him.
and | will take hold Of his teet and we
will plunge him in this glorious Bethesda,
the vast laver of Gods mercy and saliva
tion. In Solomon's temple there we're ten
LAYERS and one molten sea-this great reser
yoir in the midst Of the temple filled with
water-these LAYERS and this molten sea
adorned with figures Of palm-branch and
oxen and lions and cherubim. Thistoun
tain OF Gods mercy is vaster molten
sea than that. 1t is adorned not with palm
branches but with the wood OF the cross;
not with cherubim, but with the wings OF the
Holy Ghost; and around its great rim oil
the race may come and wash in the molten
sea. Twas reading Of Alexander the Great
who, when he was very thirsty and standing
at the head of his army, had broughtto him
a cup of water. lie looked of upon hi'
host and said Il can not drink this
nv men are all thirsty, and
he dashed it to the ground. Blessed bt
God! There is enough water for all the
host-enough for captains and host. Who
soeyer will may come and take OF the water
of life freely"-a laver broad as the earth
high as the heavens and
Deep ms He'll.
But | notice also in regard to this lave
of oflooking-glasses spoken OF in the text tha
the washing in it was imperative and no
optional. When the priests come into tn,
Iabernscle-you will find this in the sou
chapter of Exodus-God tells them tba
they must wash in that layer or die. Th'
priest might have said Cant wash elsa
where2 washed in the laver at home anC
now YOU want me to wash here mo mat
ter whether or not you have washed before,
God says. Wash in this laver or die.
But" SAYS the priest, there is water JUS
as clean as this-why won't that doY
"Wash here" says God, "or die" So 1t i
with the Gospel Of Christi is imperative
There is only this alternative: keep ou
sins and perish, or wash them away an'
live. But" says some one, why could no
God have made more ways TO HEAVIER
than oneF' / do not know, but h,
could have made half dozen.
know he made but one. You say: VIII.
not have long line Of boats running iron
here to heavenH' cannot say, bat sim
DIV know that there il only one boat IoI
say: "Are there not trees as luxuriant n
that on Calvary-more luxuriant, for tha
had neither buds nor blossoms; 1t wa
stripped and barkedf' Yes, yes; there hay,
been taller trees than that and more luxuri
ant; but the only path TO heaven is unde
that one tree Instead Of quarreling becaus'
there are not more ways, let us thankful u
God there is one-one name given unto mel
whereby we can be saved-one lsver II
which all the world may wash. So you SCI
what radiant gospel this is preach: J
do not know how man can stand stohdl,
and present it, for il is such an exhllsran
GOSPEL. 1t 10 not mere whim or caprice
L is life or death; il is heaven or he'll. Yo'
come before your child and you have
present in your hand. You pat your hand
behind your back and say: Which ham
will YOU takeY' In one hand there is
treasure, In the other there is not. Tn
child blindly chooses. But God, our Father
does not do tina. ssy with US: He spread
out both hands and gays. Now, this shal
be very plain. In that hand are pardon
and peace, and life and the treasures o
heaven; in that hand are punishment ant
sorrow and woe. Choose, choose for your
selves" BE that believeth and Is baptize'
shall be saved, but he that believeth no
shall be damned.
Oh my dear friends, wish ] could Goa
YOU to accept this gospel. II you coald Jus
( take one look in this layer Of looking glss
spoken Of in the text, you would begin MOI
spiri,ual absolu,ion. You win not feel IL
suited. will you. when I tell you that 20
are lost soul without pardon! Chm:
. offers all the generosity OF bis nature u
day. The love of Christi dare not q
ward the close Of my sermon begin TO te
about The love Of Christ Do not talk
me about mountain; it is higher tba
Than that. Do not talk 70 me about 9 sea
il is deeper than that
An Artist,
in bis dreams sa~ such a splendid drsa'
nr ,La .r,psfguration OF Christ that