The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-12-22

the old inclinatiOns p0unce upon him like
pack of hounds with their muzzles tearing
away at the TANKS Of one poor reindeer.
In Paris there is a sculptured reprcsen-
tation Of Bacchus, the god OF revelry. He
Is riding on a panther at full leap. oh,
how suggestive! Let every one who Is
speeding on bad ways understand he is not
riding docile and well-broken steod, but
he is riding monster, wild and blood
thirsty, going at death leap. How many
there are who resolve on better life and
say: "When shall awakei" but seized on
by their old habits cry: ~ will try it once
more; will seek it yet again." Years
ago there were some Princeton students
who were skating, and the ice was very
thin, and some one warned the company
back from the air-hole; and finally warned
them entirely to leave the place. But one
| young man with bravado, after all the rest
had stopped, cried out: ''One round morep
He swept around, and went down, and was
brought out corpse. My friends, there
| are thousands and ten Of thousands of men
losing their souls in that way. It is the
one round more.
Ihave also to say that if a man wants to
return from evil practices society repulses
him. Desiring to reform, he says: snow,
| will shake of my old associates, and l
will find Christian companionship." And
he appears at the church door some Sab
bath day, and the usher greets him with o
look, as much as to say: "Why, you
herel You are the last man ever expect
cd to see at church! Come. take this seat
right down by the doors" instead Of say
ing: "GOod morning! am glad you are
here. Come, will give you firstrate
seat, right by the pulpit" Well, the prod
igal, not yet discouraged, enters prayer
meeting, and some Christian man, with
more zeal than common sense, says: "Glad
to sec you. The dying thief was saved, and
l suppose there Is mercy for you" The
young man. disguised, chilled, throws him
self back on his dignity, resolves he new er
will enter the house Of God again. Per-
haps not quite fully Disguised about refor-
nation, he sides up by some highly respect
able man he used to know, going down the
street, and Immediately the respectable
man has an errand down some other street.
Well, the prodigal, wishing to return, takes
some member Of Christian Association by
the hand, or tries to. The Christian young
man looks ut him, looks at the faded apparel
and the marks of dissipation, and instead of
giving him warm grip of the hand offers
him the tip end of the long fingers of the left
hand, which is equal to striking man In
the face.
Oh, how few Christian people under
stand how much force and gospel there is
in good, honest hand-shaking! Some
times, when you have felt the need of en-
enlargement, and some Christian man he's
taken you heartily by the hand, have you
not felt thrilling through every fiber
Of your body, mind and soul an encourage
ment that was Just what you neededl You
do not know any thing at all about this un-
less you know when man tries to return
from evil courses Of conduct he runs
against repulsions innumerable. We say
OF some man, he lives block or two from
the church. or half mile from the church.
There are people in our crowded cities who
live one thousand miles from church. Vast
deserts Of indifference between them and
the house of God. The fact is, we must
keep our responsibility, though thousands
and tons Of thousands perish. Christ sat
with publicans and sinners. But II
there come to the house of God q
man with marks Of dissipation upon
him, people throw up their hands in horror,
- much ~ 70 say: 'Isn't it shocking2'
How these dainty, fastidious Christians in
all our churches are going to get to Heaven
do not know, unless they have an especial
train of cars, cushioned and upholstered,
each one a Car to himself! They can not 20
with the great herd of publicans and sin
ners. o ye, who curl your lip with scorn at
the fallen, tell you plainly, il you had
been surrounded by the same influences,
instead Of sitting to-day amid the cultured
and refined and the Christian, you would
have been crouching wretch in stable or
ditch, covered with filth and abomination
1t is not because you are naturally any
better, but because the mercy Of God has
protected you. Who are you that, brought
up in Christian circles, and watched by
Christian parentage, you should be 30 hard
on the TALENT
think men also are often hindered from
return by the fact that churches are toe
anxious about their membership and too
anxious about their denomination, and
they rush out when they see man about
to give up his sin and return to God and ask
him how he is going to be baptized, whether
by sprinkling or by immersion, and what
hihu Vi SuuA IL AO 10 6oiuS W JUN. VI NY
friendsl it is a poor time to talk about
Presbyterian catechisms, and Episcopal
liturg .es, and Methodist love-feasts, and
Baptistries, to q man that is coming out OF
the darkness of sin into the glorious light
Of the Gospel. Why, lit reminds me of man
drowning in the sea, and a life-boat puts
out for him and the man in the boat says tc
the man out of the boat: "Now, ii l ge,
you ashore, are you going to live in my
streetw First get him ashore, and then
talk about the non-esscntials of religion
Who cares what church he joins, II he only
joins Christ and starts for Heavenl y, you
ought to have, my brother! an illumined
face and a hearty grip for every one that
tries to turn from his 0 ii way. Take hold
Of the same book with him, though his dis
sipations shake tho book, remembering
that he that converteth sinner from the
error Of his way shall save soul from
death and hide multitude of sins.
Now, have shown you these obstacles
because want you to understand l know
all the difficulties in the way; but am now
10 tell you how Hannibal may scale the
ALPS, and how the shackles may be unriv
eted, and how the paths of virtue forsaker
may be regained.
First of all, my brother, throw yourself
on God. Go to Him frankly and earnestly
and tell Him those habits you have, and ask
Him If there is any helpin all the resources
of Omnipotent love, to give it to you. Dc
not go with long rigmarOle people cal
prayer, made up Of "ohs" and "ahs" ant
forever and forever amensw Go to Goo
and cry for help! helpi helpl and il You