The Forrest City times., 1890-04-05

kiAd words and the doings of kind deods. Helpless meas to bo helped. Disheartened ones to bc encouraged. Lost ones to be found. Though the prescnt may bo insignih- cant a compared with the past "Bctter is living dog than dead lion"
 The most uselcsS and painful feeling Is tho ono of regret. Repent of lost opportu- mites we must and get pardon we may, but regrets weaken, dishoarten, and cripple for future work If Q sea captain who onco had charge of White star steamer across the Atlantic ocean, one foggy night runs on Q rock ofl Newfoundland and the passen. gers and ship perish. shall he refuse to take command of small boat up the North River and say, "T never will go on the water again unless can run one of the White Star liner' Shall the engineer of q lightning express, who at Q station mis-read the telegram of Q train dispatcher and went into collision, and for that has been put down to the work of engineering a freight train, say, q never will again mount an engine unless l can run vestibuie cx- pressri Take what you havc of opportu- nity left Do your best of what remains Your shortest winter day is worth more to you than can be the longest day of pre- vious summer. Your opportunity now, as compared with previous opportunities, may bs small as a rat-terrier compared with the lion which at Matabosa, fatally wounded by the gun of David Livingstone, in its death agony leaped upon the mission ary explorer, and with it's jaws crushed the bone of his arm to splinters, and then rolled over and expired but Better is living dog than Q dead lion"
 My text also means that the condition of the most wretched mau alive is better than that of the most favored sinners depart cd. The chance of these last is gone. Where they arc they cannot make any earthly assets available. After Charle- magne was dead he was set in an orna- mented sepulchre on golden throne, and a crown was put on his cold brow, and sceptre in his stiff hand, but that gave him no dominion in the next world. One of the most intensely interesting things saw last winter in Egypt was Pharoah of olden times the very Pharoah who oppressed the Isra- elites. The inscriptions on his sarcopha- gus, and the writing on his mumlnv banda ges, prove beyond controversy that he was the Pharoah of Bible times. All the Egypt ologists and the explorations agree that it is the old scouudrel himself. Visible are tho very teeth with which hc gnashed against the Israelitish brick makers. There arc the sockets of the mcrciless eyes with which he looked upon tho overburdened people of God. There Is the hair that foa ted in the breeze of the Red Sea. There arc the very lips with which he commanded them to make bricks without straw. Thousands ofyears afterward. when the wrappings of tho mummy were unrolled, old Pharaoh lifted up his arm as If in imploration, but his skinny bones cannot again clutch his shattered sceptre. He is dead lion And is not any man now living in the fact that he has opportunity of repentance and sal vation, better on than any of those depart cd ones who. by authority or possessions or influence were positively leoninc. and yot wicked.
 What thing to congratulate you on is your lifel Why, 1t is worth more than all the gems of tho universe kindled into one precious stone. l am alivel What does that meant Why, 1t means that l still have all opportunity Of being saved myself, and helping others to be saved To be alivel Why, 1t means that have vet another chance to correct my past mistakes, and make sure work for heaven Alive, arc wei Come, let us celebrate 1t by new resolutions, new self-examination, new conseoraton, and new career The smallest and most insignificant today is worth to us moro than five hundred yes terdays, Taking advantage Of ths present, let us get pardon for all the past, and sa- curity for all the future. Where are our forgiven sinsi l don't know. God don't know, either. Ho says your sins and In. iquiies will remember no more ?
 What encouragement, h, tho text for all Christian workorsi Despair of no oue's salvation. N hilc there Is life there is hope. hen in England young lady asked for a class in Sunday school, tha superintca- dent said, "Bettcr go out on the street and get your own class.n She brought in ragged and filthy boy. The superintendent gave him good apparel In few Sundays he absented himself Inquiry discov- cred that in street fight he had his decent apparel torn off He was brought in aud second tlm9 respectfully clad. Alter few Sundays he again disappeared, and 1t was found that he was again ragged and wretched. Then" said the teacher, i've can do nothing with him" But the superintendent ftted him up again and started him again After while the gospel took hold of him and his heart changed. ile started for the ministry and became foreign missionary and on heath on grounds lived, and translated the Scrip lures, and preached, until among the most illustrious namcs Of tho Church on earth and in heaven is the nams Of glorious Robert Morrison. Go forth and save the lost and remember however depraved, however raggeI, and however filthy and undone a child is, or a man is, or woman is, they are worth an effort. 1 would rather have thcir oppor- tunity than any that will ever oa given to those who lived tn magnificent sin and splendid nnrighteousness aud then wrapped their gorgeous tapestry aroani them and without prayer expired '.isetter is living dog than a dead lion. n
 In the greatday It will Do found that the last shall be hrsG There arc in the grog- shops and in the haants of iniquity today those who will yet be models of holiness and preach Christ to the people In sonier group or young msn who camo hsre with no useful purpose there Is ono who will yet live for Christ and perhaps dio for Him. Ina pulpit stood stranger, preach ing, and he said "rhe last time was iu church was fifteen years ago, and the cir cnmstances were peculiar. Three young mon had come expecting to disturb tho service, and they had stones in their pockets which they expected to hurl ut tho preacher. One of the young men referred to refused to tako part in the assault and the others in dis gust at his cowartice. loft the building. One of the three was hanged for forgery. Anotheri Is in prison, condemned to death for murder was the third, but the grace of God saved mem My nearer, give no one up The ease may soem desperate. but the gracs of God likes to undertake a dead lit I proclaim 1t this day to all the people Free Gracci Living and dying be that my theme Froe Gracei Sound 1t across tho continent sound it across tho seas Free Grace, Spell out those wotSis in flowers, lift them in arches, build them ia thrones. roll them in orato- rios Free Grace, That will yet Edenize the earth and people heaven with natioAs redeemed. Free Grace.
 Salvaticnl Oh tho joyful sound,
 'Tis pleasure to our ears,
 A sovereign balm for every wound,
 A cordial for our fears.
 Buried in sorrow and in sin
 At deatn's dark door we iay,
 But we ariso by grace divine,
 To sec a heavenly day.
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