West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-04-05

ends OF the long fingers OF the left hand
which Is equal 20 striking a man in the facet
ON how few Christian people understand
how much force and gospel there is in
| good, honest hand shaking. Sometimes
when you have felt the need of encourage
ment, and some Christian man has taken
| you heartily by the hand, have you not felt
thrilling through every fiber of your body,
mind and soul encouragement that was
just what YOU neede1f You do not know
! anything at all about this un'ess you know
when man tries 20 return from evil courses
Of conduct no runs against repulsions innu.
merdble We say Of some man, hs lives n block
or two from the church, or half mile from
the church. There are people I'm our crowded
cities who live 1000 miles from church. Vast
deserts OF indiiference between them and the
house OF Col The fact is We must keep our
respectfully. though thousands AMI tens OF
thousands perish. Christ sal with pubcans
and sinners But II there came 20 the houss
OF Col n man with marks OF dissipation upon
him people almost threw up their hands in
horror, as much as 70 say: isn't 10 shock
iDgl' How these dainty, fastidious Chris
tians in all our churches are going TO get into
heaven | don't know, unless they have
special train OF cars, cushioned and uphol
stored, each one n car 10 himself They can
not go with the great horde OF publicans and
sinners OH We who curl your lip OF scorn
nc the fallen, | tel you plainly, IL YOU had
been surrounded by the same Influences, in-
stead OF sitting to-day amid tho cultured
AMI the refined, and the Christian, you would
have be crouchiny wretch in stable or
Itch covered with filth and abomnation.
IL is not because you ars naturally any bet
ter but becluse the mercy of God has pro.
tectei You Who are you. that, brought up
I'm Christian circles AMI watched by Christian
parentage, you should be- 50 hard on the
fallen
think men also are often hindered from
return by the fact that churches are too anx-
ious about their membership and too anxious
a )olt their denomination, and they rush Out
when they See n man about 10 give up his sin
and return 70 Col, aud ask him how he is
going to b. baptized. whether by sprinkling
or immersion, and what kind of a church he
is going 20 join. Oh. my friends, IL is poor
time TO talk about Presbyterian catechisms,
and Episcopal liturgies, and Methodist love
feas;s, and baptistries 10 man that is com
ing ont of the darkness of sin into the glori-
oIs light OF the gospel. Why. IL reminds me
OF a IN an drowning in the sea, and n life boat
puts out for him, AMI the man in the boat
says TO the man ont OF the boat: "Now, if
get you ashore, are you going to live on my
streetP First get him ashore, and then talk
about tho non-essentias OF religion. Who
cares what church he joins. IL he only joins
Christ and starts for heaveni OH you ought
70 have, my brother, an illumined face and
hearty grip for every one that tries to turn
from his evil way. Take hold of the same
book with him though his designations shake
the book, remembering that "he that con.
verteth a sinner from the error of his ways
shall save soul from death and hid mul.
ttude OF sinsn
Now, have shown you these obstacles be.
cause want you 10 understand 1 know all
the difficulties in the way; but | am now to
tell you how Hannibal may scale the Alps
and how the shacxles may be unriveted, and
how the paths of virtue forsaken may be re.
gained. First OF all, my brother, throw
yourself on God Go to Him frankly and
earnestly, and tell Him these habits you have,
and ask Him, If there is any help in all the
resources of omnipoteut love, to give il TO
you. Do not go with a long rigmarole people
call prayer made up of 'Ohs and "ahs,n and
forever and ever, amensln Go to God and cry
for help helpl helpl and il you cannot cry
for help, just look and live. / remember in
the late war, was at Antietam, and / went
into tho hospitals after the battle and said TO
man: where are you hurt!" He made no
answer but held up his arm, swollen and
splintered. ! saw where he was hurt. The
simple fact is, when man has a wounded
soul, all he has to do is to hold it up before a
sympathetic Lord an1 get it healed 1t does
not take any long prayer. just hold up the
wound. Oh, II is no small thing when man
IS nervous and weak and exhausted, coming
from his evil waysto feel that Gol puts two
omnipoteut arms around him, and says:
Young man will stand by you. The mount
aims may depart. and the hills be removed but
i Will never fail you" And then as the soul
thinks the news is too god to be true and
cannot believe it, and looks up in Gods face,
God lifts his right hand and takes an oath,
an affidavit, saying: "As / live, saith the
Lord Col, have no pleasure in the death OF
him that dieth" Blessed be God for such a
gospel as this. "Cut the slices thin" said the
wife to the husband, ''or there will not be
enough TO 20 all around for the children; cut
the slices thin Blessed be God there is
full loaf for every one that wants i'll Bread
enough AMI TO spare. No thin slices at the
Lords table: | remember when the Master
Street Hospital, in Philadelphia, was opened
during the war, telegram came, SAYING:
There will be SOD wounded men tonight; be
ready TO take care OF them;' and from my
church there went in some twenty or thirty
men aud women To look after these poor
wounded fellows. As they came some from
one part OF the land, some from another, no
enc asket whether this m IN was from Ore
gon, or from M1si1ciu setts, or from Mime
sofa, or from New York. There was a
wounded soldier, and the only question was
| now 70 take of the rags the most gently, and
put on the baudage, and administer the
cordial. And when a soul comes to Col, He
does not ask where you cams from or what
! your ancestry was. Healing for all your
wounds. Pardon for all your guilt. Com
I fort for oil your troubles
Ihen, also, / counsel YOU IL YOU want 10
| get back, 10 quit all yoIr BAT associations
One unholy intimacy viii fih your soul with
moral dlstempsr. In al the ages Of the
/ church there has not been an instance where
man kept one evil associate and was re-
formed Go home 60 day, open your desk,
take ont letter paper, stamp ami envelope
and then write lstter so nething Ike this
MY OH Companions j start this day for
I heaven. Until am persuaded YOU will ION
me in this, farewell"
Then sign your name and send the letter
by the first post Give NJ vOur hal CON.
panions or give up heaven 1t Is not ten bad
/ companions that destrO a man. nor five bad
/ companions, nor thrle bal Comnln ous. nor
two bal companions but one What chance
Is there for that young man / saw along the
street, four or five young men with him
hating IN front Of u grugshOp urging him 10
90 IN, he res sting, violently resi- TIM. until
after while they force him to 20 in3 il was
summer night AMI tho door was lefC open.
and saw the process They held him fast
and they put the cup b his lips and th8y
forced down the str ing dring What chance
Is there for such a young m1nl
! counsel YOU, also. seek Christian advice
Every Christian man is bound 20 help you
II you find no other human ear willing 20
listen 70 your story Of struggle, como 70 me,
and viii by every sympathy Of my heart,
and every prayer, AMI every toll Of my hand,
stand beside YOU in the struggle for refOrma-
ton: and as J hope % have my own sins for
given and hope ~ be- acquitted at the iudg-
msni seat ~ Christ. I viii not betray you.
First of all. seek God; then seek Christian
council. Gather uD all the energies of body,
mind ami soul, and appealing b God for
success. declare this day everlasting war
against all drinking habits oll gaming prac-
tiraa. all houses of SIN. Half and half work
/ VIII amount ~ nothing 10 must 10 rs Water
DO. Shrink back now aud you are lost Push
I on and YOU are saved. a spartan general
I ieli at tho very moment Of victory. but no
I dipped bis finger Boo his own blood and wrote
I on rock near which be- was dying. Sparta
has conquered Though your struggle 70
Z get rid n sim may SEEM o. be almost n death
struggle, you con dip your finger in your