The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-29

fanatics or terrorists or enemies; now they
call us friends. Yonier is mani speak a
literal fact-who said that he would never
come into the. church again. He said that
two years ago. He said: MY family shall
never como here again if such doctrines as
that are preached" But he came again and
his family came again. He is Christian,
his wife Christian, all his children Chris.
tians, the whole household Christians, and
shall dwell with them in the house Of the
Lord forever. Our undying coadjutors are
those who once heard the gospel and went
away in O rage.
'Now, my hearers, you notice that this
General Naaman did two things in order to
get we'll. The first was-he got out Of his
chariot He might have stayed there with
his swollen feet on the stuffed ottoman,
seated on that embroidered cushion until his
last gasp, he would never have got any relief.
He had to get down out Of the chariot And
you have got to get down oIt of the chariot OF
your pride if you ever become Christian.
You cannot drive up to the cross with a
coach and four, and be saved among all the
spangles You seem to think that the Lord
is going to ecomplimented by your coming.
Oh, no; you poor, miserable, scaly, leprous
sinner, get down out OF that. We all come
in the same naughty way. We expect to
ride into the kingdom of God. Never until
The Lord has unhorsed US, uncharioted us:
Get down out of your pride. Get down OUT
of your self-rightaousness and your hyper,
criticism. We have oil got to do that. That
is tha Journey we have got to make on our
knees 1t is our Internal pride that keeps Us
from getting rid of the leprosy of sin; Lear
Lord. what have we to be proud OIL froud OF
our scales! Proud OF our uncleannessl Froud
OF this killing infection! Bring us down at
IT..
ing suppliants.
"For sinners, Lord, Thou camest to bleed,
And I'm q sinner vile indeed;
Lord, believe Thy grace is free,
Oh, magnify thai grace in me-"
But he had not only to get down out OF
his chariot, He had to wash. "Oh!" you
saw. II am very careful with my ablutions
Every day plunge into bright and beautl.
ful bath. y Alb, my hearers, there. is food
brighter than any other. 1t IS the flood that
breaks from the granite of the eternal hills
1t is the flood of pardon and peace ana LIE
and heaven. That flood started in the tears
TolIei on, accumulating food, until all earth
and heaven could bathe in it. Ze:har1as
called it the "fountain open for sin and un'
cleanness." William Cowper called it the
.sfonntain filled with blood" Your father
and mothers washed all their sins and sorrow,
away in that fountain. Oh, my hearers, dc
YOU not to-day feel like wadine into 1t! wade
down now into this glorious flood, deeper,
deeper, deerer Plunge once twice, thrice,
. four times, five times, six times, seven tlmeS
1t will take as much as that to cure your SOUL
Oh, wash, wash, wash and ba clean.
suppose that was a great time at Pamas
ems when General Naaman got back. Inc
charioteers did not have to drive slowly any
longer, lest they jolt the invalid; but as tne
horses dashed through the streets of Damas,
Gus, I think the people rushed out to nail
back their chieftan. ,Naaman's wife hardly
recognized her husband; he was SO Wonoer'
fully changed she had to look at him Two POI OF
three times before she made out that it was
her restored husband. And the little captive
maid, she rushed out, clapping her hands
and shouting: "Did he cure yous Did hs
cure you2n Then music woke up the palace
and the tapestry of the windows was drawn
awoy. that the multitude outside might MIN
ole with the princely mirth inside, and the
feet went up and down in the dance and all
The streets cf Damascus that night echoed
and re-echoed with the news: "Naamans
curedl Naaman's cured!"
But gladder time than that IL Woulo % in
oil this nIace or wherever this sermon Shall
ba read if the soul should get cured OF lts
ienrosy' The swiftest white horses hltched
tn the Kings chariot would rush the news
into the eternal city. Our loved ones before
the throne would welcome the glad tidings.
Vonr children on earth with more emotion
than the little Hebrew captive would notlce
tbe change in your looks aud the change ID
vour manner, and would put thelr, arms
around your neck and say: Mother, guess
YOU must have become christian. Father,
think you have got rid Of the leprosy." Oh,
Lord God Of Elisha, have mercy on usl