Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-01-30

|, pref or modify the handwriting on IN,
wall. IL Is all foolishness to EXPECT n min
lister OF the Gospel To preach always O
things that the people like or the peopl,
choose. Young men, what shall preach
to you tonight? Shall / tell YOU of Nh,
dignity OF human nature? Shall / tell YOU
OF the wonders that our race has accom-
plished? ''Oh! no." you say. .tell me
the message that came from God" will.
III there Is any handwriting on the wall II
Is this lesson: ACCEPT of Christ and be
saved" l might talk of great many
other things; but that is the message. and
SO declare IL. Jesus never flattered
those to whom he preached. He said To
those VINO aid wrong, and who were often
siye in his sight Eye generation of yipers,
ye whited sepulchres How can We escape
the damnation Of hellr' PAU the apostle
preached before man who was not ready
10 hear him preach. What subject did he
take? Did he say: "Oh you are very
good man, very fine man. very noble
man" No; he preached of righteousness
10 man who was unrighteous of temper
ance TO man who was the victim of bad
appetites; OF the judgement to come TO n
man who was unfit for il. So we must al
ways declare the message that happens TO
| come 10 US. Daniel must read il as il is
Another lesson that comes to us: there Is
great difference between the opening of
the banquet OF sin and its close Young
man, II you had looked in upon the BAN
quet In the first few hours, YOU would
have wished you had been invited there.
and could sit at the feast. "Ohl the
grandeur of Belshazzar's feast,r You would
have said; but look in at the close of the
banquet, and your blood curdes with horror.
The King OF Terrors has there a ghastlier
banquet; human blood is the wine. and
dying groans are the music. Sin has made
itself king in the earth. 1t has crowned
itself. II has spread banquet. II invites
al the world to come TO it. 1t has hung
IN It's banqueting-hall the spoils of all king
doms, and the banners of all nations. Ii
mas gathered from all music. 1t has
strewn, from its wealth, the table, and the
hoors. and the arches. And yet how often
IS that banquet broken up; and how horri-
DE Is It's end. Ever and anon there is
handwriting on the wall A king falls.
a great culprt is arrested. The knees of
Wickedness Knock together. Gods |
judgment, like an armed host. breaks in
upon the banquet; and that night is
Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans
slain
learn further from this subject that
Death sometimes breaks in upon BANQUET.
Why did he not go down TO the prisons In
Babylon? There were few persons there
That would like to have died / SUPPOSE
there were men and women in torture i'm
that city who would have welcomed death.
But he comes 10 the palace; and Just at
the time when the mirth is dasking TO the
tiptop pitch, Death breaks in at the
banquet.
We saw the same thing, on a larger
scale. illustrated at the last war in this
country. Our whole nation had been sit
ting at a national banquet-north. south.
east and west. What grain was there. but
we grew it on our hills. What invention
was there, but our rivers must turn the |
leW wheel and rattle the strange shuttle.
What warm furs, but our traders must
BRING them from the Arctic. What fish.
)ut our nets must sweep them for the
markets. What music, but il must sing in
'ur halls. What eloquence, but il must
speak in our senates. Ho. TO the national
banquet reaching from mountain 20 noun
ain aud from sea 10 sea! To prepare that
'anquet the sheepfolds and the aviaries of
he country sent their best treasures The
richards piled up on the table their sweet .
st fruits. The presses burst out with
ew wines. To sit at that table came the
eomanry OF New Hampshire, and the lum-
ermen Of Maine, and the Caroiuian from
he rice fields, and the western emigrant
rom the pines of Oregon, and we were all
rothers-brothers at a banquet Suddenly
lc feast ended. What meant those mounds
lrown up at Chickamauga, shiloh. At
Inta, Gettysburg, South Mountain? Wha.
leant those golden grain fields. turned
ITO pasturing ground for cavalry horses?
'hat meant the corn fields quilted with
re wheels OF the heavy supply train? why
rose rivers OF tear5-those lakes Of blood?
Cd was angry, Justice must comet a,
lndwrit.hg cN the wall Iha nation had
zen weighed and found wanting. Dark
SIS! Darkness! Woe TO the north! Woe r.,
the south. Woe 10 the east! Woe to
&C vest Death at the banquet!
Are there any here who are unprepared
r tho eternal world? Are there any
re who have been living without God.
al without hope? Let me say TO you
at you had better accept of the Lord
sus Chrlst. lest suddenly your last chance
gone The lungs will cease TO breathe: .-
heart will stop. The time will come =
lenytu shall go no more 10 the Office. or 10 z
store, or TO the shop. Nothing will be
l but Death, and Judgment, and Eter- :
y. Oh! flee 10 God this hour, If there -
one in this presence who has wandered q;
away from Christ. though he may not -
We heard the call of the Gospel for many =
ear, / invite him now TO come and be =.
red. Flee from thy sin. Flee TO the =
onghod of the Gospel! Now Is the ac-
lted time; now is the day of salvation.
iood-night, my young fiiendsl Nav
have rosy sleep, guarded by him who
'er siumbers! May you awake in the -
rning strong and we'll But, oh! art -
u despiser of God? is this thy last
hit on earth? Shouldest thou be awak
d in the night by something. thou -
west not what, and there be shadows u
ting in the room. and a handwriting on
wall, and you feel that your last hour
come, and there be fainting
he heart, and IL tenor in the limb. and
Aching Of the breath--then thy oom
I'D DC but an echo Of the words Of the
!; ''1n that night was Belshazzar. the
2 OF the Chaldeans, slain"
lear the invitation of the Gospel, There 'FO