Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-23


iel was Secretary of State and Attorney
General in the empire of Babylon, and
yet, three times day he found time tC
pray with his face towards Jerusalem
The man who has no time to attend tC
religion will have no time to enter
heaven.
But there are others who, while theii
worldly occupation has no particular
fascination over them, are entirely alb
sOrbed in the gains that come to that oc-
cupation. This is the worship of Nam
mon. The ring of dollars and cents is
the only litany they ever utter. Though
in the last day the earth itself will not
be worth a farthing, heap OF ashes
scattered in the whirlwind, they are
now giving their time and eternity fol
the acquisition of so much of it as you
might at last hold in the hollow of one
hand. The American Indian who gave
enough land to make State out of, for
a string of beads, made princely bar
gain compared with the speculation OF
that man who gains the whole world
and loses his own soul. How much
comfort do the men take who
died unforgiyen ten years ago,
leaving large fortunes to their heirs!
Do they ever come up TO count the gold
they boarded or walk through the man.
sions they built? Though they could
have bought an empire, they have not
now as much money as you have this
moment in your pocket. Solomon
looked upon his palace and the grounds
surrounding it, pools trimmed with gold,
and circling roads along which, at
times, rushed his fourteen hundred
chariotS, while under the Out-branching
SycamoreS and ccdars walked the apes
and peacockS, which by the navy OF
Hiram had been brought from Tarshish,
and from the window curtains with en-
broidered gold and purple through
which came out the thrill OF harpS and
pSateries mingling with the song Of the
waters. When Solomon saw that all
THESE LUXURIEs OF SIGHT
and sound had been purchased by his
wealth, he broke forth in the eXclama-
ton, money anSwereth all things"
But we cannot receive it as literal. II
cannot still the voice of conscience. ii
cannot drown the sorrows of death. II
cannot unlock the gate of heaven. The
tower of Sloan fell and killed eighteen
of its admirers, but this idol TO whose
worship the exchanges and banks and
cuStom-houses of the world have been
dedicated, will fall and crush to death
its thousands. But | cannot enumer-
ate the idolatries to which men give
themselves. They are kept by them
from religious life. "Ye cannot serve
God and Mammon," and the first thing
that Christ does when He comes into
the temple of the soul is to drive out eX-
changers.
But it was not only the gods of Moab
that made Orpah leave her sister and
mother-in-law. She doubtless had q
dread of the hardship to which they
would be exposed on the journey &c
Bethlehem, and Orpah was not alone in
the fear. Doubtless some of you have
been appalled, and driven back by the
Self-dcnialS of the Christian life. The
taunt of the world, the charge of ny
pocriSy which they would sometimes be
obliged TO confront, has kept many away
from the land of Bethlehem They
spend their life in counting the cost
and. because a Christian life demands
so much courage and faith they dare not
begin TO buile. Perhaps they are cour'
ageouS in every other respect. They
are not timid i'm presence of any danger
except that of trusting in the infinite
mercy of Christ. The sheep are more
afraid of the shepherd than of the
wolves. They shrink away, from the
presence of Christ as though He were a
tyrant rather than friend who sticketh
closer than a brother. They feel more
safe in the ranks of the enemy of Christ
which shall be more than conquerorS
through Him that loved them. Men
shiver and tremble before religion as
though they were commanded to
THROW THEIR LIFE AWAY,
as though it were a surrender of honor
and manineSS. and reason and Self-re'
Spect and all that is worth keeping.
What has God ever done that Hi:
mercy should be doubted? Was there
ever sorrow of His fraileSt child that
He did not pity? Was there ever a SOU
that He left unhelped in the darkness:
Was there ever martyr that He did
not strengthen in the flames? Was
there eVera dying man to whose relief
He did not come at the cry of Lord
Jesus receive my spirit" Aye, my
soul, what has God done that so baSely
thou hast doubted him? Did He make
the whole earth desert? Are all the
skies dark and Storm-Swept? Is life all
sickness? Is the air all plague? Are
there nothing but rods and scorpions
and furnaces? God knew how many
suspicious and unbeliefS men
would entertain in regard to
Him. and therefore, after
making multitude of plain and precious
promises, He places His hand on His
own heart and SwearS by His own eX-
iStence: "AS | live, saith the Lord
God. have no pleasure in the death of
him that dieth." Why then fight
against God? This day the battle
RACES. Thou art armed with thy sins,
thy ingratitude, thy neglects, and Christ
is armed against thee, but his weapons
are tears, are dying agonicS, are calls
to mercy. and the battle cry which
He this day sends over thy souls as lie
ruSheS towards thee is ''Save thee from
going down to the pit for have found
a ransom" | would not envy thy
victory, o nearer, If thou doSt conquer,
for what wilt thou do with the weapons
thou hast Snatched from the armed
Redeemer. what with the tears, what
with his dying agonies, what with His
calls to mercy? Would God that Orpah
would get tired Of Moab! Would God
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