The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-28
HARD LINES.


damn this old sinner" Oh! had moth
ing but tears for the dead, and had moth
ing but invitations for the living. You
see l could not do otherwise. "Chrst
Jesus came TO seek and save that which
was lost" Christ in his dying prayer
said: Father, forgive them," and that
WIS a prayer for you and for me. Oh!
start on the road TO heaven today. You
are not happy. The thirst OF your soul
will never be Stacked by the fountains OF
sin. You turn everywhere but TO God for
help. Right where you are, call on him.
He knows you, he knows all about you,
he knows all the odds against which you
have been contending in life. Do not 90
to him with long rigmarole OF prayer,
but Just look up and say: "lielp! helpl"
But You say: "My hand trembles so
from. my designations, can't even take
hold Of a hymn book to sing" Do not
worry about that, my brother. will give
out hymn at the close so familiar you
can sing IL without book. But you say:
~ have such terrible habits on me- can I
get rid OF them" NV answer IL, Al
mighty grace can break up that habit, and
will break II up. But you say: "The
wrong did was to one dead and In heav-
en- now, and can't correct that wrong"
You can correct it. by the grace OF God,
go into the presence OF that one, and the
apologies you ought TO have made on earth
make in heaven.
''0hl says some man, ''ii should try TO
do right, II l should turn away from my
evil doing unto the Lord, | would be
jostled, i would be driven back, nobody
would have any sympathy for me-" You
are mistaken. Here, in the presence of
the church on earth and heaven, / give
you the right hand OF Christian fellowship.
God sent me here today to preach this,
and lie sent you here 10 hear this: "let
the wicked forsake his way, and the UNI
righteous man his thought, and let him
return unto the Lord, who will have mercy.
pardon" Though you may have been the
worst sinner, you may become the best
saint, and in the great day OF judgment il
will be found that "where sin abounded,
grace does much more abound" and while
the spells OF an everlasting kingdom are
being awarded for your pursuit, Il will be
found that the lame took tho prey.
Blessed be God that we are, this Sabbath,
one week nearer the obliteation OF all the
inequalities OF this life and all its dis
quietudes.
Years ago, on boat on the North river,
the pilot gave very sharp ring 10 the bell
for the boat to slow up. The engineer
attended 10 the machinery, and then he
came up with some alarm on deck 10 see
what was the matter. He saw II was
moonlight night and no obstacles In the
way. lie went to the pilot and said:
why did you ring the bell in that wayG
Why do you want TO stopl There's
nothing the matter" And the pilot said
10 him: "There is mist gathering on the
river don't you sec that? and there Is
night gathering darker and darker, and |
can't see the way" Then the engineer,
looking around and seeing Il was bright
moonlight. looked into the face Of the pilot
and saw that he was dying, and then that
he was dead.
God grant that when our last moment
comes we may be found ut our post doing
our whole duty, and when the mists OF the
river Of death gather on our eyclids, may
the good pilot take the wheel from our
hands and guide us into the calm harbor
Of eternal rcsd
drop the anchor, furl the sail,
lam aaie within the vale"