Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1889-08-03

il you really think that Christ
is rs trustworthy as they are,
then deal with him as fairly. "Oh,"
says some one in a light way, II be-
lievc that Christ was born in Bcthle.
hem. and believe that lie died on the
cross" Do you believe il with your
head or your hearti | will illustrate
the difference. You are in your own
house. In tho morning you open
newspaper and you read how Capt.
Bravehcart on tho sea risked his lie
for the salvation of his passengers.
You say, What q grand fellow he
must have been. His family deserve
very well Of thecouniry" You fold the
newspaper aud sit down at the table,
and perhaps do not think of that Incl
dent again. That is historical faith.
YOU ARE SAVED.
night, and you are asleep. and you
are awakened By the shrek Of Fire
You rush out on the deck. You hear
amid the wringing Of the hands and
the fainting. the cry. No hope. nc
hopel We are lost we are lost!" Tie
sail puts out its wings Of fire, the ropes
make n burning ladder in the night
heavens. the spirit Of wrecks misses in
the wave. and on the hurricane deck
shakes out its banner Of smoke and
darkness Down with the lifcboats.
cries the captain. Down with the
lifcboats." People rush into them.
The boats are about full. Room only
for one more man. You are standing
on the deck beside the captain. Who
shall il bcl You or the cap
tain, The captain says. "Yom.'
You jump and are saved. II,
stands there and dies. Now, you bc.
lievc that Capt. Bravchcart sacrificed
himself for. his passengers. but you
believe it with love. with tears. with
hot and long continued exclanmtions.
with grief at his loss. and joy at youi
Gclivcrance. That is saving faith. In
other words. what you believe with all
the heart. and believe in regard tc
yourself On this hinge turns my
sermon; aye. rhr salvation of youi
immortal soul. You often 90 across
bridge you know nothing about, You
do not know who built the bridge.
you do not know what material il il
made Of; but yon come 10 il and walk
over il and ask no questions. And
here is an archcd bridge blasted
from the Rock Of Age" And built
by the architect Of the whole universe.
spanning the dark gulf between sin
and righteousness, and all God asks
you is Ia walk acrnss it aud You start.
and you come 10 il. and you stop, and
you go little way an aud you stop.
and yon fall back. aud you expert
mcut You say. "liow do know
that bridge will hold mc!" instead of
marching on with firm step. asking
no questions. but feeling iha; the
stnngih of the eternal God is under
you. Oh. was there ever prize prof
fcrcd 50 cheap ~ pardon and heaven
are Offered 10 youf For how muchi
\ million dollarsf II is certainly
worth more than that BIT chcapc,
Than that you eau have it, Ten thou.
sand dollars! les, than that Five
Thousand dolarSt less than that.
Onc dollari less than that. One
iar,himgi LESS than that, Without
money and without price. No money
."pay y" Journey 10 take y" pc,l
nmcc la suffer. pnl y jus, one ,lcci>iv,
action of the soul Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ aud thou shalt be-
saved" shall try Ia tell you wha,
il is Ia bc saved: ! caino, tell you
No man. no angel can tell YOU. But
can hint at it, For my text brings
nc up io this point, Thou shalt bc
saved. II means u happy life here.
and peaceful death and "a blisSful
eternity. II is grand thing ,o go
10 sleep at night and Ia get up in
the morning and To do business all
day feeling that all is right between
my heart and God No accident, no
sickness. no persecution. no peril, no
sword can do me any permanent dam
age. am "a forgiven child Of God,
and hc is bound io >cc me through.
The mountains may depart. the earth
may burn. the light II the stars may
be blown out by the blast Of the judg
mcnt hurricane; bu, life and death.
things present and things To come. are
mine. Yea. further than that - il
means peaceful death. Mrs. lie.
mans. Mrs Sigourncy. DR.. Young.
and almost all the poets have said
handsome things about death. There
is nothing beautiful about il. When
we stand by the white and rigid fcar
lures OF those whom We love. and
they give no answering pressure Of
the hnnd and no returning kiss of the
lip. we do not want anylpdy pociizing
around about us. Death is loaihsomc.
ness. and midnight. and the wringing
Of the heart until the ,cnlrils snap
and curl in the torture, unless Christ
hall H.. al. 4 r..
infinite fear. IA consuming horror of
death. unless Christ shall bo with me.
| would rather 60 down inio cave OF
wild beasts ora jungle of reptiles than
into the grave, unless Christ goes
with me. Will you trN me TINT am
Ia bc carried out from my bright home
and put away in the darknrSSl can.
not bear darkness. ~ the lirsi com.
ing of the evening ! must have the
gas lighted. and the further on in life
! got the more | like io have my
friends round about me.
no SoT FEAR DEATH.
And am tohs put oil for thousands
of years in dark place with no one
10 sl~ak TO, When tho holidays come
and thc gifts are distributed, shall |
add n JOY To the Merry Christmas
or the ''llnppy New iearT' All. do
not point down To the hole in the
ground. the grave. and call il beau
tiful place. Ci..cSs there be some su
pernaturai illumination Shuddcr
back from il My whole nature re
volts nj il. Hut now this glorious lamp
is lifted above the grave, and all the
darkness is gone. and the way is clear.
/ look into il now without a single
shudder Now my anxiety is not
about death; my anxiety i that may
live Alright. for | know that il my life
is consistent when come 10 the last
hour. aud this voice il silent, and
these eyes are closed, aud these
hands with which beg for your eter-
nal salvation today are folded over
the still heart, that then shall only
begin 10 1--we. What power Is there in
anything TO chill me in tho last hour
II a.