West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-09-05

10Y
Drifting Ia regard 70 all their f,,s,,rS
NO God, no Christ no settled entIci-
patons OF eternal felicity: but ali the fims
coming nearer and nearer 10 Dangerous
1871 Sosst' some OF them are on fire With evil
charred bulk tossed up on the barren be,sh
Many OF them with great troubles financ;.i
troubles domestic troubles social troubIe5.
but they never pray for comfort with an
They do not steer for the liehtship that dancs nee.
IN gladness at the mouth OF heaven,s
narbor; reckless as 20 where they
como out; drifting further from God, further
rom early religious influences further from
happiness; and what Is tho worst thing about
1t is they are taking their families along
with them, aud the way one goes the prota.
bility Is they win all 20. Yet no anxiety. Az
UNCONSCIOUS OF danger as tho passengers
Vesta crashed into her Wrapped up I'm the
business OF tho store, not remembering TINT
soon they must quit all their earthly nos
sessions. Absorbed in their social DO.
stion, not knowing that very soon thew win
have attended the last levoc, and whirIed In
tho last schottishe. They do not deliberately
choose TO boruincd; neither did the French
frigate Medusa aim for tho Aralin banka
but there 1t went 10 pieces. wish could
wake you up. The pcrils are so augmented.
you viii die just rs certainly as You sit there
unless you bestir yourself. Are you willing
to become castaway1 You throw ont no
oar. You take no surrounding You watch
bearings while the wind Is abaft
and yonder Is long line Of foam
DO pushed on toward i, and thou
ing in the snme direction. Ready about
Down helm Hard down. Man the life boat
Pull my lads, pull "He that being often
reproYed hardencth his neck shall be sud
denly destroyed and that without remedy
Unf ora nrrfn rnrffl .fs.
selves: what shall dor Dol Dor Why,
my brother, do what any ship docs when
It Is In trouble. Lift a distress signal. On
the sea there is n Cash and boom
in trouble. The distress gun is sounded.
or rocket Is sent up, or blanket
Is lifted, or a bundle of rags-any-
thing TO c0tch tho eye OF tho passing
craft. So IL you want to DO takon OF
tho wreck OF your sin, you must lift n dis
tress signal. The publican lifted the die
tress signal when he cried: God. he
mercnul 70 me a sinnerP Peter lifted the
distress signal when he said: "Lord, save
me, perishp The blind man lifted fbe
distress signal when he said: 'Iord that nv
eyes may be opened" The jailer lifted the
distress signal when he said: "What must I
do to DO savedr' And help will never come
TO your soul until you lift some signal. You
must make some demonstration, give some
sign, make some heaven-piercine outrrv for
help, lifting the distress signal for the
ehureh's prayer, lifting the distress signal
LOT heavens pardon. Prayl Prayl Tho
n Me- Z, i e tho Ur So nov sounds in your ears
such signal, too proud to be saved
There was an old sailor humping about in
small boat in tempest The larger vessel
had gone down. He felt he must die. The
Il took off my life belt that IL might soon be
over, and thought somewhat indisfinctiv
ABOUT my friends on shore and then / bid
them good-by like and was about sinking
pack and giving IT up, when j saw . bright
star. The clouds were breaking away. and
there that blessed star shone down ON me.
and It seemed TO take right hold ON me: and
somehow, cannot tell how it was but some
how, while was trying to watch that stnr.
It saemed to holp me and seemed to lift met
y, s-Aking soul see you not the glimmer be-
the star OF hope.
Deathstruck, ceased the tide to stem, =
twas the star OF Bethleheml
III there are any here who consider them.
selves castaways, let me say God is doing
everything to save you. Did you ever hear
OF Lionel Luken? He was the Inventor of the
insubmergible life boat. All honor Is due 10
nus memory by seafariug men, as well as by
landsmen. How many lives he saved by his
invention. In after days that invention was
improved, and one day there was perfect
life boat, the Northumberland ready at
Kamsgate. The life boat being ready, to test
1t the crew came out and leaped on tho pun
whale on one side to see Il the boat would
upset. IT was impossible to upset
1T. Then amid the huzzas of ex
cited thousands, that boat was launched. and
~ mas gone and come, picking up q great
many OF the shipwrecked. But have to tell
you now OF a grander launching, and from
the dry docks of heaven Word came nm
That world was beating on the rocks. In
u I9e presence OF the potentates of heaven the
nte boat OF the worlds redemption was
launched. 1t showed of the golden sands
amid angelic hosannas. The surges of dark
ness beat against its bow, but it sailed on.
ana IT comes in sight OF us this hour It
comes for You, il comes for me. SOUL soull
get into 1t. Make one leap for heaven. Let
the boat go past and your opportunity is
gone.
1 am expecting that there viii be whole
families here who will get into thatlif boat.
In 1888, the Isabella came ashore Off Uaet
ings England Tho air was filled with
Sounds-the hoarse sea trumpet the crash OF
the axes, and the believing OF the tornado ]
a boat from the shore came under the stern
OF the disabled vessel. There were wonsR
and children on board that vessel. Some of
the sailors jumped into the small boat and
said: Now give us the Children A father
who stood ON deck took his first born
and threw him TO tho boat. The sailors
caught him safely, and the next and tho
next, 20 the last Still the sea rocking, the
storm bowling Now said the esilora
nov tho mother and she leaped, and was
saved The boat went to the shore; but be-
fore It got 70 the shore the landanen were 80
impatient % help tho suffering people that
they waded clear down into the surf with
blankets and garments, and promises Of help
and succOr. 50 there arc whole families here
who arc going % be saved, and saved alto
gethcr. Give us that child for Christ.
that othrr child, that other Give us
the mother give as the father, the
whole family. They must al come in. An
heaven wades IN 70 help you I claim this
whole audience for God I pick not out one
mon here nor one man there: Iclaiun Won ali
There are some of you who thirty years ago.
were cousecrated 20 Christ by your parents
in baptism. Certainly I am not stepping
over the right bound when claim You Tor
Jesus. Then there are many here who have
been seeking God for a good while, and am
not right In claiming you for Jesus; Then
there are some here who have boen
further away and you drink, and
you swear, and you bring uD
Your families without any God 20 take care
~ them when you arc dead. And i claim
you my brother; / claim all OF you You
Nhi have 70 pray sometime; why not boqfu
noW. while all the ripe and purple cluster q
divine promise bend over into your Gun
rather than pJgtpouo your prayer until V0fr
chance is past. and the night drops and ~
sea woehes you out. and tho appalling Kacf
shall De announced Cat notwithstanding an
your magnificent opportunities, you have b.
come castaway.