The Russellville Democrat., 1890-02-20

sins of the past He can not get out of either of those do0rways. Sf he at- tempts it he will be cut to pieces What shall he do? Escape through the win dow of Gods mercy That sunshine has been pouring in for many day: Gods inviting mercy. Gods pardoning mercy. Gods all-conquering mercy. Gods everlasting mercy. But, you say, the window is so high. Ah, there is Q rope, the very one with which the cross and it's victim were lifted. That was strong enough to hold Christ, and it is strong enough to hold you. Bear all your weight upon it, all your hopes for the life that is to come. Escape now through the win low But" you say, 'tthat cord is too small to save me; that salvation will never do at all for such sinner as l have been" l suppose that the rope with which Rahab let the two spies to the ground was not thick enough; but they took that or nothing. And, my dear brother, that is your al- formative. There is only one scarlet line that can save you. There have
 
 been hundreds and thousands who have been borne away in safety by that scar let line, and it will bear you away in safety Do you notice what very nar- row escape those spies had? I suppose they came with hustered check and with excited heart They had very narrow escape. They went in the broad door of sin: but how did they come out? They came out of the window. They went up by the stairs of stone; they came down on slender thread. And so, my friends. we go easily and una bashedly in sin, and all the doo9s are open; but If we get out at all it will be by being let down over precipices, wrig- gling and helpless the strong grip above keeping us from being dashed on the rocks beneath. It is easy to get into sin, young man. It is not easy to get out of it.
 young man goes to the marble coun- ter of a hotel. He asks for a brandy smash-called so, I suppose, because it smashes the man that takes it. There is no intoxication in it. As the young man receives it he does not seem to be at all excited. It does not give any glossiness to the eye. He walks home in beautiful apparel, and all his pros poets are brilliant. That drink is not going to destroy him, but it is the first step on a bad road. Years have passed on, and 1 see that young man after he has gone the whole lenpsh of dissipa- tion. It is midnight, and he is in a hotel--perhaps the very one where he took the first drink A delirium is on him. He rises from the bed and comes to the window, and it is easily lifted; so he lifts it. Then he pushes back the blinds and puts his foot on the window sill. Then he gives one spring, and the watchman finds his disfigured body un recognizable, on the pavement. Oh, if he had only waited ittle-if he had com down on the scarlet ladder that Jesus holds from the wall for him, and for you, and for me; but no, he made one jump-and was gone.
 A minister of Christ was not long ago dismissed from his diocese for intoxica- tion, and in public meeting he gave this account of his sorrow. He said
 II had a beautiful home once, but strong drink shattered it, I had beau tiful children, but this fiend of rum took their dimpled hands in his and led them to the grave. I had a wife--to know her was to love her; but she sits in wretchedness tonight while wander over the earth. Ihad a mother, and the pride of her life was I; but the thunder bolt struck her. l now have scarcely Q friend. in the world. Taste of the bit ter cup have tasted, and then answer me as to whether l have any hatred for the agency of my ruin. Hate it! l hate the whole damning traffic. 1 would to God tonight that every distillery was in flames, for then in the glowing sky I would write in the smoke of the ruin: Woe to him that putteth the bottle to his neighbor's lips"
 That minister of the Gospel went in through the broad door of temptation; he came out of the window. And when l see the temptations that are about us in all countries, and when l know the proelivities of sin in every mans heart, l see that if any of us escape it will be very narrow escape. Oh, if we have, my friends, got off from our sin, let us tic the scarlet thread by which we have been saved across the window. Let us do it in praise of Him whose blood dyed it that color. Let it be iR announcement of the fact that we shall no moro be fa- tally assaulted.
 ''There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus"
 Then let all the forces of this world come up in cavalry charge, and let spirits of darkness come on an internal storming party, attempting to take our souls, this rope twisted from these words, "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from allsin, /" will hurl them back defeated forever.
 Still further. We must take this rcd cord of the text and stretch it across the window of households. When the Is- raelitish army came up against Jericho, they said: What is that in the win dow?" Some one said: That is scar let line" "O," said some one else, that must be the house that was to be spared. Don't touch it." That line was thick enough, and long enough, and oonspicu- ous enough to save Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers and her sisters -Ine eHtlrt idmlly- hdNe our nOuSeuOluS as good protection? You have bolts on the front door and on the back, and fastenings to the window and perhaps burglar alarms, and perhaps an especial watchman blowing his whistle at midnight before your dwell- ing; but all that can not protect your household. Is there on our houses the sign of Saviour's sacrifice and mercy? Is there scarlet line in the window2 Have your children been consecrated to Christ? Have you been washed in the blood of the atonement? In what room do you have family payers? Show me whore it is you are accustomed to kneel. The sky is black with the coming deluge. Is your family inside or out side of the ark? It is a sad thing for a man to reject Christ: but to lie down in