Sharp County record., 1890-02-27


city? Oh, no. Why then was she Sparea' a;
and all her household? Can you toll
me wbyP On, it was the scarlet line
in tbe window. That is the iourth
scene in the Bible drama. When tle
destroying angel went through Egypt II
,yos tho blood of the lamb on the door
nosts that saved the Israelites, and no"
that vengeance has come upon JerIcno
II ia the same color that assures the
safety Of Rahab and all her household
NV friends. there are foes coming upon
us more deadly and more tremendous
TO overthrow our immortal interests,
They will trample us down anu
crusb us out forever unless there Dc
he some skillful mode of rescue OPEN
The police of death already begin 10
clamor for our surrender; but blessed De
cod there is a way out. 1t is through
thtEsindow and by rope SO saturated
wit&he blood of the cross that 1t IS red
as that with which the spies were low
cred, and if once our souls shall be de-
livercd then. the scarlet cord stretched
across the window of our escape, we
may defy all bonn bardment earthly ana
satanic.
In the first place, carrying out the
idea of my text we must stretcn
this scarlet cord across the window OF
orr rescue. There comesa lime when a
man is surrounded. WHAT'S that in the
front door of his soul? 1t is the threat
oning of the future. What is that III
the back door of his soul? 1t is the sins
Of the past He can not get
out of either of these doorways'
If he attempts it he will be cut
TO pieces. What shall he do? E5-
cape through the window OF Gods
mercy. That sunshine has been pour
ing in for many day, Gods inviting
mercy. Gods pardoning mercy Gods
everlasting mercy. But, you say, the
window is so high. All, there is q
rope, the very one with which
the cross and its 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 this life, all
YOUR hopes for the life that is to come.
Escape now through the window But"
YOU say, that cord is too small to save
me; that salvation will never do at
all for such a sinner as l 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 very narrow escape these
spies had? l suppose they came with
fustered 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 the stairs Of
stone; they came down on slender
thread; and so, my friends, we 60 easS.y
and unabashedly into sip,
I all the doors are open but if we get o1t
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 coun-
ter Of hotel. He asks for a brandy
smash-called SO, l suppose, because 1t
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. 1t does not give any CLOS
siness 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. Years have passed on, and
l see that young man after he has gone
the whole length of dissipation. 1t is
midnight and he is in 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 disfgured body, un-
recognizable, on the pavement. Oh, ii
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.
A minister of Christ was not long age
dismissed from his diocese for intoXica
ton, and in public meeting he gave
this account of his sorrow. He said
Il bad beautiful home once, but strong
drink shattered it. l had beautiful chill
dren, but this fiend Of rum took theil
dimpled hands in his and led them tC
the grave l had wife-tO know hel
was to love her-but she sits in wretch
cdneSs tonight while I wander oyol
the earth. | had mother, and The
pride of her life was l, but the thunder
bolt struck her. I now have scarcely F.;
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 damnips
4,