The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-26

died, and angels of God trooped forth. and
the whole universe is marshaled, are worth
living for and worth dying for. Amidst
the most unclean things is this ever
changing chameleon of religious theory.
Away with the reptile! God alb 4ors 1t
with an all-consuming adherence.
Once more: take the suggestion of the
text. and drive out the snail from your soul.
God has declared it unclean. 1t is an All
NAL to be found everywhere between the
coolest north and the hottest south. There
are fifteen hundred species of the snail.
They have no backbone, and they are so
slow that their movement is almost imper-
ceptible. You see a snail in one place to
day: 90 to- morrow and you will fiGd 1t has
advanced only few inches. 1t becomes an
emblem of that large class of christian peo-
pie who go to work with a slowness and
sluggishness that is wonderful. They are
stopped by every little obstacle, because.
Ike the snail they have no back bone.
Others mount up on eagles wings but, they
60 at snails pace
o child OF God arouse! We have apoth-
eosized Prudence and Caution long enough.
Prudence is a beautiful grace, but of all
the family of christian grAces | like her the
least, for she has been married so often to
LaZineSs, Sloth and Stupidity. We have
million idlers in the Lords ,Ineyard who
pride themselves on their prudence. 'Be
prudent" said the disciples TO Christ, land
stav away from Jerusalem" but he went.
''Be prudent" said Pauls friends, land
look out for what you say to Felix" but he
thunderei away until the rulers knees
knocked together. In the eyes of the world,
the most imprudent men that ever lived
were Martin Luther, and John Oldcastle,
and Wesley. ali X FOX. My opinion is tnat
the most imprudent and reckless thing is
TO stand still. 1t is well to hear our COM
mander's voice when he says holt" but
quite as important to hear it when he says
"forwardr' This gospel ship made to pillow
the sea al fifteen knots an hour, is not
making three Sometimes it is most pru-
dent to ride your horse slowly and pick out
the way for his feet, and not strike him
with the spurs; but when band of Shos-
honee Indians are after you in full tilt, the
most prudent thing for you to do is to
plunge in the rowels and put your horse TO
full run, shouting: $50 'longm until the
Rocky mountains echo it. The foes of God
are pursuing us. The world, the flesh, and
the devil are after us, and our wiseSt course
is to go ahead at swiftest speed.
When the church of God gets to advanc-
ing too fast it will be time enough to use
caution. No need of putting on the brakes
while going up hill. Do not let us sit down
waiting for something 'to turn up" but go
ahead in the name of God, and turn it up.
The great danger to the church now is net
sensation, but Stagnation. Oh that the
Lord God would send host of arou ed and
consecrated men to set the church on fire,
and to turn the world upside down. Let
us go to work and catch the last snail i'll
our souls With divine vehemence let us
stamp its life out; for my text declares:
"rhese also shall be uuclean to you among
the creeping things that creep upon the
earth; the chameleon and the snail" |
have thus tried to prejudice these chris
tian men and women against gloominess,
and Islander. and half-and-half experiences,
and changeableness, and sloth. Our oppor
tunities for getting better are being rapidly
swallowed up in the remorseless past. This
golden Sabbath is about to drop out of the
calendar This moment may we drive out
all the unclean things from our souls-the
vulture, and the bat, and the owl, and the
chameleon, and the snail; and in place
thereof bring in the Lamb of God, aud the
Dove of the Spirit! The case is urgent
Arousel before it be eternally too late!
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it,"