Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-04-14
From the Lyach6urg Virgiraian of .Satur-
day.
N0AH'S ARK.
MR.. MOODY's TALK AT THE CoLoRED
METHODIST CHURH.


NOAH'S ARK.
MR.. MOODY's TALK AT THE CoLoRED |
METHODIST CHURH.
Mr.. Moody was at the Jackson-S Street |
Colored Methodist Church yesterday morn
ing at II o'clock. The services were begun |
with song. The congregation joined in
in that familiar hymn, ''When the general |
roll is called, I'll be there" At the request |
of Mr.. Moody that his hearers would sing
something that would stir up the holy fire |
in our hearts, the congregation, led by a
colored sister, sang Gam soldier of the
CROSSE" At the conclusion of this hymn
prayer was offered by Rev. AGREE. At the con-
elusion of this prayer, Mr.. Moody read and
made few comments on the 103d Psalm,
and called especial attention to the 3rd,
4th and 9Th verses. He said Christ was the
one above all others to do US good. That
He had promised to forgive; that He 'for-
giveth all our inlquities and healeth all our
infrmities." He was then not only for
giver but healer. Mr.. Moody said we
must come as did the woman who touched
the hem of his garment and was made
whole. eff that woman lived to-day"
said Mr.. Moody, "she would have tried all
the patent medicines in the land-and | can
imagine her now unen she tells her family
she is going to Jesus. She wraps her thin
shawl about her shoulders, for she may
have spent all her means with the doctors,
and is poor-and as she starts, her children
tell her there is no use going. But no, she
makes her way to the place where Jesus is,
and there, elbowing her way through the vast
crowd of people, she at last reaches out her
bony fingers and succeeds in touching the
hem of his garment, and is made whole
Christ will also satisfy US; what more can
we ask?"
Mr. Moody asked the congregation to sing
another of the grand old Methodist hymns,
and Chow firm a foundation" was sung
with force that stirred the vast assembly
to it's very centre. One of the best prayers
we have ever listened to was then offered
up by Rev. Morris, of Court Street Colored
Baptist Church. At the conclusion of this
prayer Mr.. Moody announced his text,
which was taken from Gen vii and part of
the 1st ", ''And the Lord said unto Noah
come thou and all thy household into the
ark" Mr.. Moody said: "God told Noah
that he was going to destroy the earth
| and commanded him to build an ark. You
have no idea how sinful the world was at
I that time. People in those days thought
| Noah crank, and / have no doubt as they
went by where the old man was working on
his ark, he was jeered at and pointed out as
luny. The wise men aud those who pro-
fessed to know said they could see no sign
of the destruction; that Noah awaited them
in the skies; no doubt the people at that
day were drunk and dancing and attending
playhouses, and they may have had saloons
and playhouses in those days, and in the
saloons they sang songs about old man
Noah and his ark. If the ark had been
put up at auction, | do not think there was
one who would purchase it, even for kindling
wood. They would not have wanted any
thing to do with the thing for fear their
neighbors would have laughed at Them
But Noah kept right on with his work.
Not one year or two years, but one hundred
and twenty years, Noah labored At last
it was completed. God was good aud he
gave the world even then seven days OF
grace and l have no doubt that if they
had Iepented, even then God would not
have sent the flood. The time was up, and
l think now that I can see alarm and
trouble in the faces Of the wise men as they
stood there and saw Noah and his family
leave their old home and enter the ark. They
looked into the sky and saw the birds COM
ing two by two, from all corners OF
the earth. On the land the animals we're
\ threading their way towards the ark while
even the smallest insect that crawls had
fallen into line. Then "the windows OF
heaven were open and the rains were upon
the earth forty days and forty nights. .
How was it now? Did they scott at Noah
| can see the people now rushing towards
the ark asking Noah to take them in. But
no, the hand of God had closed the door OF
the ark, and Noah could not have let them
in if ne would. My friends, did you ever
think of what it is for God to close the
door? And yet here to-day the door may
be closed against some of you. God allow
ed Noah to take in his children. What
would have been the feelings of Noah # he
had not been allowed to have taken his
} children. Out in that vast ocean of water
he would have thought of them fighting
the waves. How many parents here to-day
can take their children with them into the
ark of safety. Mother. do you think that
SON of yours will go in with you? Or does
he pass his time in saloons, drinking and
carousing Is he out on the street learning
to curse God? Have you never thought
what the ark would be without your chill
dren? If you have never prayed with them,
to-day set up your family altar and show
} them that you want them to be with you
Some say it is useless to try tobring chill
dren to the Savior, because they cannot un-
derstand anything about salvation. This
is all mistake. 1t is better that they
should be brought to Jesus while they are
young and their hearts can easily receive
impressions of good, than to wait until the
breath of skepticsm has touched and scar
ed their souls. God is able and willing to
save the lambs of His fold. There was a
kind gentleman who had lost his wife and
r. .s@lx Il,
Saturday afternoon the eldest came to her
father and said: "Father. mother always
took us away in her room every Sabbath
evening. Shall l not take brother and lit
tie sister and pray with them, just as
mother did?" eyes, nay child," answered
the father, turning away to hide his emo
ton. And the little girl, following the ex.
ample of her Christian mother, led her little
brother and sister away to pray with them.
What a blessed thing is the example of an
earnest, Christian mother. When the chill
dren returned, the gentleman noticed that
they had been weeping, and supposing they
had been grieving about the loss of theii
mother, he questioned them about it. The
little girls told him: ave went away into
mama's room, where she always prayed
with US, and first prayed and then broth
er. Little sister had never before joined
us in our prayers on Saturday evening, but
this evening as we were about to leave the
room, she knelt. clasped her hand and pray
ed, % God, You have taken my dear mama
away from me, and have no mama now
make me good like her, and save me, fol-
Jesus sake, amen;' and it made us weep To
hear her," That little girl was only foul
years old, and from that time she has given
evidence of being child of God.
My friends set an example at home foI
your children. Take them into the Ark
with you. Here was fond mothers ex-
ample followed after she had left her little
ones.
We have no one to tell US about the
flood. all We know the bible says: GAS
in the days of Noah!' God would not
allow Noah to look on those vast waters