The Grenada sentinel., 1889-08-31

|
Castaway! And so | have to tell you
that there are thousands of men de-
Stroyed through the sudden swoop Of
temptations. Some great inducement to
worldliness, or TO sensuality, or to high
temper, or to some form of dissipation,
comes upon them. If they had time to
examine their Bible, if they had time to
consult with their friends, if they had
| time to deliberate, they could stand it;
but the temptation came SO suddenly-an
euroclydon on the Mediterranean, a
whirlwind of the Caribbean. One awful
surge Of temptation and they perish.
And so we often hear the old story: 81
hadn't seen my friend in great many
years. We were very glad to meet. He
said | must drink, and he took me by the
arm and pressed me along, and filled the
cup until the bubbles ran over the edge
and in an evil moment all my good reso-
| lutiOEs were swept away, and to the out
raging Of God and my own soul, FELL"
Or the story is: II had hard work to
support my family. | thought that by
one false entry, by one deception, by one
embezzlement | might spring out free
from all my troubles and the temptation
came upon me 50 fercely could not de-
liberate. | did wrong, and having done
wrong once, could not stop"
o, it is the first step that costs; the
second is easier; and the third; and on to
the last. Once having broken loose from
| the anchor, it is not so easy to tie the
parted strands. How often it is that men
are ruined for the reason that the tempta-
ti0n comes from some unexpected quar-
| ter As vessels lie in 8Iargate roads,
safe from southwest winds; but the wind
changing to the northeast, they are driven
helpless and go down. Q, that God would
have mercy upon those upon whom there
ZONES the sudden swoop Of temptation,
Test they perish, becoming castaways!
castaways!
BY talking with sea captains l have
| found out also that some vessels come to
this calamity through sheer recklessness.
| There are three million men who follow
the sea for living. 1t is simple fact
that the average of human life on the sea
is less than twelve years. This comes
from the fact that men by familiarity
with danger sometimes become reckless
the captain, the helmsman, the stoker,
| the man on the lookout become reckless,
and in nine out Of ten shipwrecks it is
found ont that some one was awfully to
blame SO | have to tell you that men
are morally shipwrecked through sheer
recklessness. There are thousands who
do not care where they are in spiritual
things. They do not know which way
they are sailing, and the sea is black
with pratica hulks that would grapple
them with hooks of steel and blindfold
them, and make them "walk the plank. "
They do not know what the next moment
may bring forth.
Drifting III their theology Drifting in
their habits. Drifting in regard to all Of
their future. No God, no Christ, no set
tied anticipahons of eternal felicity; but
all the time coming nearer and uearer to
a dangerous coast. Some of them are en-
fire with evil habits, aHd they shall burn
on the sea, the charrel hulk tossed up on
barren beach. Many Of them with great
troubles, financial troubles, domestic
troubles social troubles; but they never
pray for comfort With an aggravation
of sin they pray for no pardon. They dc
not steer for the lightship that dances iu
gladness at the mouth Of Heavens har-
Dor; reckless as to where they come out
drifting further from God, further from
early religious influences, further from
happiness, aud what is the worst thing
about it is they are taking their families
along with them, and the way one goes.
the probability is they will all go. Yet
no anxiety. AS unconscious of danger aS
the passengers aboard the Arctic one
moment before the Vesta crashed into
her.
Wrapped up in the business Of the
store, not remembering that soon they
must quit all their earthly possessions.
Absorbed in their social position, not
knowing that very soon they will have
attended the last levee aud whirled in the
last schottische. They do not deliberately
choose to be ruined; neither did the
French frigate Meuusa aim for the Ar
guin banks, but there it went to pieces.
| wish | cosld wake you up. The perils
are SO augAentod you will die just as
certain as you sit there unless you bestir
yourself. Are you willing to become q
castaway? You throw ouS no oar Ior
take no surroundings. You watch nc
compass. You are not calculating youl
bearings while the wind is abaft, ant
yonder is long line Of foam boundtn :
the horizon, and you will be pushed on
toward it. and thousands have persisted
there, and you are driving i'll the same
direction. Ready about! Down helm
Hard down? Man the life boAtt Pull my
lads, pull.
, He that being often reproved hard
| eneth his neck, shall be suddenly de-
,stroyed, and that without remedy"
! p,& of ,-,n n -n uil liti N oOr-