The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-08

have heard it said: s'Look out for man
who has only one idea; he is irresistible" ]
say: Look out for the man who has one idea,
and that determination for soul saving. I
believe God would strike me dead If dared
to point the spear in any other direction.
Oh, for some Of the courage and enthusiasm
Of Joshual He flung two armies s, from the he
rest, unless it is to get stronger
muscle and fresher brain and purer
heart for Gods work I feel on my
head the hands Of Christ In new ordina.
tion. Do you not feel the same omnipotent
pressure? There is a work for all of us. Oh,
that we might stand UP side by side and
point the spear toward the city! 1t ought tc
drifting off toward loose religion or what is
called ''liberal Christianity" which is 50
liberal that it gives up all the cardinal doc.
trines of the Bible. so liberal that it sur.
renders the ractitude Of the throne OF the
Almighty. That is liberality with ven.
geance. Let us decide upon the work which
we, as Christian men, have to do, and in the
strength of God, go to work and do it,
1t is comparatively easy to keep on
parade amid a shower of bouquets and hand
clapping, and the whole street full Of en-
thusiastic huzzas; but it is not so easy ia
stand up IN the day Of battle, the face black
ened with smoke the uniform covered with
the earth plowed up by whizzing bullets
and bursting shells, half the regiment cut to
pieces and yet the commander crying: "For-
ward, march," Then it requires old fash.
the kingdom of God in this day is the cow.
ards. They do splendidly on q parade
day, and at the communion, when they
have on their best clothes Of Christian
profession. h1s PVT them e., out ut IN nho thu
shooting of skepticism they dodge, they
fall back, they break ranks We con.
fraud, and lo! we find on our side great
many people that do not try to pay their
debts And we open the battle against in
temperance, and we find on our side q
great many people who drink too much.
And we open the battle against profanity,
and we find on our own side a great many
men who make hard speeches And we open
the battle against infdelity, and 10! we find
on our own side great many men who are
not quite sure about the Book Of Jonah. And
while we ought to be massng our troops and
bringing forth more than the united courage
of Austerlitz and Waterloo and Gettysburg,
we have to be spending our time in hunting
up ambuscades. There are a great many in
the Lords army who would like to go out on
a campaign with satin slippers and holding
umbrellas over their heads to keep off the
back ducks and lemon custards Hthey can
not have them they want to 60 home. They
think it is unhealthy among so many bulletsl
believe that the next twelve months will
be the most stupendous year that heaven ever
saw. The nations are quaking now with the
coming of God. 1t will be year Of successes
for the men of Joshua, but Of doom for the
men of Al You put your ear to the rail-
track and you can hear the train coming
miles away. So put my ear to the ground
and hear the laundering on of the light
ming train of Gods mercies and judgments.
The mercy of God is first to be tried upon
this nation. 1t will be preached in the pull
pits. in theatres, on the streets, everywhere.
People will be invited to accept the mercy OF
the Gospel, and the story and the song and
the prayer VIII Do mercy" But sup
pose they do not accept the offer of mercy
what then? Then God will come with His
judgments, and the grasshoppers will eat the
crops, and the freshets will devastate the
valleys, and the defAlcations will swallow the
money markets, and the fires will burn the
cities, and the earth will quake from pole to
pole. Year of mercies and of judgments Year
Of invitation and of warning. Year Of jubilee
and of woe Which side are you going to be
on? With the men Of All or the men of Joshual
Pass over this Sabbath into the ranks Of Is
rael. l would clap my hands at the Joy Of
your coming. You will have q poor chance
for this world and the world to come without
Jesus. You cannot stand what is to come
upon you and upon the world unless you
have the pardon and the comfort and the
help of Christ. Come over. On this side is
your happiness and safety, on the other side
Is disquietude and despair Eternal defeat
to the men of Al! Eternal victory to the
men of Joshua!