The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-17

and one day hoated away into the calm,
clear summer of heaven, brighter than the
dove, its wings covered with silver, "a Il its
feathers with yellow gold. oh, arc you not
III love with such re,igiUn-a religion
that can do SO much for man while no
lives, and so much for man when he
comes to die | suppose you may have no
tlced the contrast between the departure
of Christian and the departure of
an intidel. Deodorus, dying in
chagrin because he could not com
pose joke equal to the joke uttered
at the other end of his table. HauXis, dying
in 1T of laughter at the sketch OF an aged
womon-a sketch made 10y his own hand.
Mazarin, dying playing cards, his friend
holding his hands because be was unable to
hold them himself All that on one side,
compared with the departure of the Scotch
minister, who said to his friends; 81 have
no interest as to whether live or die if |
die | shall be with the Lord, and il live
the Lord shall DO with me.' Or the last
words of Washington: at is WELL Or
the last words OF Mcintosh, Che learned and
the great "Happyn' Or the last word of
Hannah More, the Christian poetess:
"Joym Or those thousands Of Christians
who have gone, saying: Lord jesus,
receive my spirit. Come, Lord jesus, come
quickly" SO, DEATH where is thy sting!
o, grave! where is thy victorYP Behold
the contrast Behold the charm Of the one,
behold the darkGess of the other. Now,
know it is very popular IN this day for
young men to think there is something more
charming in skepticism than in religion.
They are ashamed of the old-fashion relig-
ion Of the cross, and they pride themselves
on their free thinking on all these subjects.
My young friends, | want to tell you what
l know from observation that while skepti-
clsm is a beautiful land at tho start, it is the
great Sahara desert at the last.
Years ago minister's son went of from
homo TO college. At college he formed the
acquaintance of young man whom shall
call Ellison Ellison was all iniidcl Ellison
scotfed at religion, and the minister's son
soon learned from him the inlidelity, and
when he went home on his vacation broke
his fathers heart by his deuuncati0ns Of
christianity. Time passed on and vacation
came and the minister's son went Off to
spend the vacation, aud was on journey
and came TO a hotel. Tho hotel keeper
said: II am sorry that tonight shall have
to put you in room adjoining one whore
there is very sick and dying man. can
give you no other accommodation" "Oh,
said tho young college student and minis
ter's son, THAT will make no difference to
me, except the matter Of sympathy with
anybody that is suffering" rho young
man retired to his room, but could not
sleep. All night long he heard the groan-
watchers, and his soul trembed. He
thought to himself: "Now there is only a
thin wall between me and a departing
spirit. How If Ellison should know how /
feel How If Ellison should find out how
my heart hutters What would Ellison say
if he knew my skepticism gave way ~ He
slept not. In the morning, coming down,
no said to tine hotel-keeper. "How is the
sick man ~ "Oh," said the hotel-keeper,
''he is dead, poor fellow the doctors told US
he could not last through the night"
WELL said the young man, "what was
the sick ones name? where is
he from = "Well,n said the hotel
keeper, he is from Providence
College" providence Collegel what is
bis namep' ELLISON" "Ellisonn Oh,
how the young man was stunned! 1t was
his old college mate-dead without any
hope. It was many hours before the young
man could leave that hotel. lie got on his
horse and started homeward, aud all the
way he heard something saving to him:
Dead LOstl Dead LOST" He came to
no satisfaction until he catered the Christ
ian life, until he entered the Christian
ministry, until he became one of the most
eminent missionaries of the cross, the great
est Baptist missionary the world has ever
seen since tho days Of Paul-no superior TO
Adoniram Judson. Mighty on earth,
mighty in heaven-Adoniram Judson.
Which do you like the best, Judson's skep-
ticism or Judsons Christian lifei Judson's
suffering for Christ's sake, Judson's almost
martyrdoml Oh, young man, take your
choice between these two kinds Of lives
Your own heart tells you this morning the
Christian life is more admirable, more
peaceful. more comfortable, aud more
beautiful.
Oh, IL religion does so much for man on
earth what will it do for him in heageni
That is the thought that comes to mo now.
If soldier can afford to shout "HuzZam
when he goes into battle, how much more
jubilantly he can afford to shout "Huzza !"
when he mas gained the vctoryi IL religion
is 80 good thing to have here no " bright
n thing it will be in heavenl | want TO see
that young man whom the glories Of heaven
have robed and crowned him. ] want to
hear him sing when all huskiness of earthly
colds is gone and he rises up with the great
doxology. / want TO know what standard
he will carry when mar hing under
arches of pearl in the army OF banners.
want to know what company
he will keep in land where they are all
kings and queens forever and ever. IL /
have induced one Of you this morning TO be-
gin better life, then 1 want to know It, !
may not in this world clasp hands with you
in friendship, / may not hear from your own
lips the story Of temptation and sorrow, but
/ will clasp hands with you when the sea is
passed and the gates are entered.
That mi sht WOO you 10 a better life,
and that might show you the glories with
which God clothes his dear children in
heaven, wish could this morning swing
back one of the twelve gates that there
might dash upon your ear one shout OF the
triumph, that there might flame upon your
eyes one blaze OF tho splendor. Oh, when l
speak Of that good land, you involuntarily
think Of some one thore that you loved
father, mother, brother, sister, or dear little
child garnered already. You want 70 know
what they are doing this morning. i will
tell you what they are doing. Singing.
You want to know what they wear will
tell You what they wear. Coron9ts OF
triumph. You wonder why oft they LOOK
to the gate OF tho temple, and watch and
wait I will tell you why they watch and
wait and look 10 the cato of the temple.
For your coming. 1 shout upward tho news
to-day, for / am sure some Of you will re-
pent and start for heaven On. ye bright
ones before the throne, your earthly friends
are coming Angels, posing mid air, cry
up the name. Gate-koeper OF heaven, send
forward the tidings. Waterman on the
battlements celestial, throw the signal.
"Oh," you say, religion | am going TO
have; IL is only question OF time" My
brother, / am afraid that you may lose
heaven tho way Louis Philippe lost his en-
piro. Tho Partisan mob came around the
Tuileries. The national guard stood in de-
fenss OF the palace, and the commander
said to Louis Philippe: "Shall fire nOwi