The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-07
A Fresh Start-Toward Christ.

A man has just gone out Of my room who
said to me, am going to begin the new
year with fresh start" All his life he had
been drifting farther and farther off from
where his conscience told him that he ought
to be. His "fresh START was toward Jesus
Christ. And every unconverted person who
reads these lines ought to take the same step:
die: do it now. Jesus Christ waited for you
all last year, and many years before it;
hasten to Him at once. -,
Do not wait for any keener sense of guilt;
people often discover more OF their own
weakness and wickedness after they have
come to Jesus than they ever dreamed OF
before. DO not wait for more feeling. II
YOU have fallen from ferry boat into the
North river. filled with floating ice would
you wait to feel colder before you grasped
the rope flung out to you! When Jesus told
the blind beggar to come to Him, ne cast 81, OH
his garment and came Straightway. When
the leper besought Christ to heal him, the
Master babe him Ego shew himself to the
priest" The suffering wretch did not stop
to count his scabs or scales, nor inquire what
good will it do me to gos' He asked no
questions, but started, and "as he went ne
was healed" The path of obedience was the
path Of salvation; it will be just so with you.
When Jesus encountered James and John
on the lake shore Of Gennesaret, He simply
said to them, "Follow Me-" He did not come
twice after them, nor did He need to speek
twice to them. Their destiny hung upon
ten minutes; 80 may yours. Suppose that
these two fishermen had treated the Saviour
as you have always treated Him: where we've
their wonderful history, their priceless ser
vices and their crown of glory? Their destiny
turned on 'yes" or mo" They did not
stop to cry over their sins, or to bargain WITH
their new Master as to their support; they
Quit their nets, rose up and walked or with
:1esns Christ. not knowing whittier He would
lead them.
You too, my friend, must forsake your
"net." A single favorite prevailing sin may
he q net that entangl"s your soul IN Its
mesbes. The met" which my friend who
has just left this room is quitting, is dan,
eerous tampering with brandy Bottle.
have seen hundreds Of awakened souls drawn
back into hardened impenitence by sensual
foundations; the decanter, the gaming table,
the playhouse, or the appetite for licentious
qualifications have coiled their net around
the feet and held them from following
Christ
Perhaps your besetting sin is a love Of
making money, and in ways that do not
satisfy your conscience Then stop II at
whatever sacrifice You cannot make an
honest prayer while there is dishonest dol
lar in your pocket. just as it is the hidden
root which holds tree against every effort
to move it, and the hidden rock that slaves
the hole in the bottom Of q vessel, so it Is
the secret sin that oftenest keeps soul from
Christ Search your heart to the bottom,
and whatever Christ bids you give up, sur
render it. Perhaps fear of ridicule or the
desire to stanI well with your irreligious as
sociates may be influencing you. But you
cannot keep on good terms with sinners ana
live on good terms with your Saviour. Take
a bold stand, if some of your acquaintances
do stare at you or sneer at you. Perhaps
your courageous coming out for Christ may
startle them and shame them, and be the
means OF saving their souls-[Dr Cuyler in
Chicago Watchman.