Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-10

those doorways. If he attempt it he viii
be cut to pieces. What shall he do? Escap'
through the window of Gods mercy. Tha
sunshine has been pouring in for many
day. Gods inviting mercy. Gods par
doning mercy. Gods all-conquerinf
mercy. Gods everlasting mercy. But, yor
say, the window is so high. All, there is
rope, the very one with which the cross ano
its victim were lifted. ThRtswas strone
enough to hold Christ, and it is strong
enough to hold you. Bear all your weight
upon it, all your hopes for this life, all youl
hopes for the life that is to come.
THE BEST ALTERNATIVE.
Escape now through the window. "But, u
you say, that cord is too small to save me
that salvation will never do at all for such g
sinner as 1 have been" I 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 alternative. 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
scarlet line, and it will bear you away In
safety. Do you notice what a very narrow
escape those spies had? 1 suppose they
came with f1ustered cheek and with excited
heart. They had a 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 a slender thread,
And so, nv friends, we 60 easily and una
bashedly into sin, and all the doors are
open; but if we get out at all it will be by
being let down over precipices, wriggling
and helpless, the strong grip above keeping
us from being dashed on the rocks beneath.
1t is easy to get into sin, young man. 1t is
not SO easy to get out of it.
A young man goes to the marble
counter of hotel. He asks fer a brandy
smash-called so, suppose, because it
smashes the man that takes it. There is no
intoxlcation in it. AS the young man re-
ceives it he does not seem to be at all ex-
cited. 1t does not give any glossiness to the
eye. He walks home in beautiful apparel,
and all his prospects are brilliant. That
drink is not going to destroy him, but it is
the first step on a bad road.
THE SCARS OF THE YEARS.
Years have passed on, and see that young
man after he has gone the whole length of
dissipation. 1t is midnight, and he is in a
hotel-perhaps the very one where he took
the first drink. A deIirium 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 watcbman finds his dis
figured body, unrecogrizable, on the pave
ment o, if he had only waited little-if
he had come 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. .r
A minister of Christ was not long ago dis
missed from his diocese for intoxication, and
in a public meeting he gave this account of
his sorrow. He said: "I had a beautiful
home once, but strong drink shattered it.
had beautiful children, but this fend of
rum took their dimpled hands in his and led
them to the grave had a wife-to know
her was to love her-but she sits in wretch
edness tonight while 1 wander over the
earth. had a mother, and the pride of
her life was I; but the thunderbolt struck
her. 1 now have scarcely friend in the
world. Taste of the bitter cup have tasted,
and then answer me as to whether have
any hatred for the agency of my ruin. Hate
it'll / hate the whole damning traffic. 1
would 20 God tonight that every distiilery
was in flames, for then in the glowing sky 1
to him that putteth the bottle to his neigh
boris lips" That minister of the Gospel
went in through the broad door of tempta-
ton: he came out of the window.
A NARROW ESCAPE AT BEST.
And when see the temptations that are
about us in all countries, and when know
the proclivities to sin in every mans heart,
1 see that il any of us escape it will be very
ln-, IL
got off from our SIN, let us tie 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
In announcement of the fact that we shall no
more be fatally 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
party attempting to take our souls,
this rope twisted from these words, '"The
blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all SIM"
will hurl them back defeated forever.
Still further: We must take this red cord
Of the text and stretch it across the window
of our households. When the Israelitish
army came up against Jericho, they said:
What is that in the Window" Some one
said: "That is scarlet line" 90" said
was to be spared. Don't touch it." That
ine was thick enough, and long enough, and
enough to save Rahab, her
sather, her mother, her brothers and her sis
entire family. Have our house
holds as good protection? You have bolts
IN the front door and on the back, and fast
,nings to the window, and perhaps burglar
alarms, and perhaps an especial watchman
blowing his whistle at midnight before your
iwelling; but all that cannot protect your
household.
WHAT SIGN IS THERE?
Is there on our houses the sign of a
Savior's sacrifice and mercy? Is there a
carlet line in the window? Have your
children been consecrated to Christ? Have
7ou been washed in the blood of the
Itonement? In what room do you have
amily prayers? Show me where it is you
ire accustomed to kneel. The sky is black
With the coming deluge. Is your family
inside or outside of the ark? 1t is sad |
hing for man to reject Christ; but to lie
lown in the night of sin, across the path to |
heaven, SO that his family come up and trip
,ver him-that is terrific. 1t is sad thing |
or a mother to reject Christ; but to gather |
Ter family around her, and then take them |
" the hand and lead them out into paths Of |
away from God and heaven, alas! |
las! There may be geranium and cactus in
hat family window, and upholstery hover |
ng over it, and childish faces looking out |
f it. but there is no scarlet thread stretched |
cross it. Although that house may seem to |
e on the best street in all the town or city, |
! is really on the edge of marsh across |
'hich sweep most poisonous malarias, and /
has a sandy foundation, and its spleDdor
ill come down, and great will be the fall of
!. A home without God A prayerless
sther An undevout mother Awful |
wful Is that you? Will you keep on,