Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-11

ing stars sang together and all the sons of
God shouted for Joy. That was what gave
to Jonathan Edwards his influence in
his day. He conquered the worlds
the service of God, until not
only the old meeting house at Northamp-
ton, Mass, but all Christendom felt
thrilled by his Christian power. Well,
now, my friends, we all have tools OF
Christian power. Do not let them lose
their edges. We want no rusty blades in
this fight. We want no coulter that can
not rip up the glebe. Wewant no ak that
cannot fell the trees. We want no gosd
that cannot start the lazy team. Let us
get the very best grindstones we can find,
though they be in possession Of the Philis-
tines, compelling them 10 turn the crank
while we bear down with all our might
on the swift revolving wheel, until all our
energies and faculties shall he brought up
to bright, keen, sharp, glittering edge.
~. Again: MY subject teaches US on
what a small allowance Philistine IN
iquity puts man. Yes; these Phills-
tines shut up the mines, and then they
took the spears and the swords; then they
took the blacksmiths, then they took the
grindstones, and they took everything
but file. Oh that Is the way sin works.
il grabs everything. 1t begins with rob-
berry and ends with robbery. 1t despoils
OuIS IdCulby budO ldOuIIy hCSp5
on until the whole nature is gone. Was
the man eloquent before, it generally
thickens his tongue. Was he fine in per-
! sOnal appearance, it mars his visage.
| Was he atfiuent, it sends the sheriff to sell
him out. Was he influential, it destroys
his popularity. Was he placid, and genial,
and loving, 1t makes him splenetic and
cross, and so utterly is he changed that
| you can see he is sarcastic and raspInR,
hn
nothing but Ale.
On, ''the way OF the transgressor is
hardp' His cup Is bitter. His night is
| dark. His pangs are deep. His end is
terrific. Philistne iniquity says to that
man: "Now, surrender to me and l will
give you all you want-musio for the
dance, swift steeds for the race, imperial
couch to slumber on, and you shall be re-
! fr2shed with the rarest fruits In baskets
of golden flagree." He lies. The music
turns out to be a groan. The fruits burst
the rind with rank poison. The tilaQree
is made up Oftwisted reptiles. The couch
is a grave. Small allowance OF rest, small
| allowance of peace, small allowance of
comfort. Cold, hard, rOugh-nOtning but
file. So it was with VOltaire, the most
applauded man OF his day:
THE Scripture was his iest~bool. whence he
drew
Bon mots to gall the Christian and the jew
An inidel when well, but what when sickp
| On, then text would touch him to the
qucK"
Seized with hemorrhage of the lungs in
Paris, where he had gone to be crowned
rs the Idol of all France. he sends "a mes
| senger to get priest that he may be
| reconciled to the church before he dies.
A great terror falls upon him. He makes
| the place all round about him 80 dismal
| that the nurse declared that she would
not for all the wealth OF Europe see an
other infdel die. Philistine iniquity had
promised him all the worlds garlands,
| but IN the last hour of his life, when he
| needed solacing, sent tearing across
his conscience and his nerves a file, IA
lie. So it was with Lord Byron, his un-
cleanness in England only surpassed by
his uncleanness in Venice, then going on
| TO end his brilliant misery at NJ ssOlOnghi,
| fretting at his nurse Fletcher, fretting at
| himself fretUing at the world, fretting at
| God; and he who gave the world "Chllde
Harold" and "Sardanapalus," and "The
Prisoner OF Chillon," and "rhe Siege of
Corintn," reduced to nothing but file.
| Oh. sin has great facility for making
promises; but it has just as great facili'
ty for breaking tbeml
A Christian lie is the only cheerful life,
| while life OF wicked surrender Is re-
morse, ruin and death. Its painted glee
is sepulchral ghastliness. In the bright
est days OF the Mexican Empire Monte
yuma said he felt gnawing at his heart
something like a canker. Sin, like a
monster wild beast OF the forest, some
times licks all over Its victim in order
that the victim may be more easily swal-
lowed; but generally sin rasps. and gals,
and tears, and upbraids, and files. ls 1t
not 80, Herod? Is it not so, HildebrandY ?
Is it not 80, Robespierres Aye; ayel 1t
is so, 1t is 80. "The way OF the wicked
ne turneth upside down." History tells
us that when Rome was founded, on that
day there were twelve vultufes flying
through the AIR; but when transgressOr
dies the sky is black with whole flOcks of
them. Vultures! Vulturesl Vultures !
When l see sin robbing so many
OF my hearers, and | see
them going down day by day and week by
week, l must give plain warning. l
dare not keep it back lest risk the sal
walton OF my own soul. Rover and pirate
pulled down the warning bell on Inch
cape Rock, thinking that they would have
"A chance to despOil vessels taat were
crushed on the ROCKS; but one night his
own snip crashed down on this very rock,
aud he went down with all his cargo. God
declares: when say TO the wicked thou
shalt surely die, and thou giyest him not
warning, tbat same man shall die in his
lDl4ullgs DuL ulb ulOOu VIII iCHuiAo oN
thy hands"
V. learn from this subject VIII at sad
thing it Is when the Church OF God loses
its metall These Philistlnes saw that II
they could only get all the metallic weap-
ons out of the hands OF the lsraelites, all
would be well, and therefore Lhey took
the swords and the spears. They did not
want them TO have q single metallic
weapon. When the metal Of the Israel-
ties was gone, their strength was gone.
This is the trouble with the ChuTch OF God
to-day. IL is surrendering It's courage.
IL has not got enough metal. How sell
dom 1t is that you see man taxing his
position IN pew or In pulpit or in relig-
ious society, and holding that position
against all oppression, and all trial, and
ali persecution, and all criticism.
The Church OF God today wants more
backbone, more defiance, more cOnse-
Grated bravery, more metal. How often
you see a man start out in some good
enterprise, ana at tho first blast OF opDo-
sition he has collapsed, and all his cOur-
age gone, forgetting the fact that II a
man DO right all the opposition OF the
earth pounding away at him cannot do
him any permanent damage. IL IL only
when a man is wrong that he can be
damaged. Why, God is going 10 yindicate
His truth, and He IL going TO stand by
you, my friends, In every effort you make
for Christs cadse and the salvation or
men.
Go forth in the service Of Christ and do
a.. .N..sat Xrtsh htaV aNta