The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-15


Would there be anything bemeaning in my
accepting that kindness? Oh, no. You would
be mean Tot to do it. That is what Christ
does
II we could pay our debts then it would be-
better to 60 up and pay them. saying.
"Here, Lord, here is my obligation; hero are
the means with which I mean to settle that
all out" The debt is paid. But the fact is
we havo fallen in battle, we have gone down
under che hot fire of our transgressions, we
have been wounded by the sabers Of sin, we
are helpless, we are undone Christ comes
The loud clang heard In tha sky on that
Christmas night was only the bell tie re-
sounding bell, OF the ambulance. CleH the
way for the Son ea He comes down
to bind up the wounds, and to scatter the
darkness, and to save the lost. Clear ths
wa-bs::or the Son of God.
eg6ed MT. He does not lift us with the tips
OF His fingers. He does not lift us with one
arm. He comes down upon. His knee, and
then with dead lift He raises us to- honor
and to glory and Immortality. "The Lord
hath laid on Him the iniquity Of rs ALL"
Why, then, will no man carry his sins? You
cannot carry successfully the. smallest sin
you ever committed. You might as well put
the Apennines on one shoulder and the Alps
on the other. How much less can you carry
all the sins of your Hfetimel Christ comes
and looks down in your face and says: II
have come through all the decorations Of
these days and through all the tempests Of
these nights have come 10 bear your bur
dens, and to pardon your sins, and to pay
your debts. Put them on My shoulder. put
them on My heart.H 'On Him the Lord
hath laid the iniquityiof us all"
Sin has almost pestered the life out Of some
Of you. At times 1t has made you cross and
unreasonable, and it has spoiled the bright
ness ef your days and the peace Of your
nighta There are men who have been rid
died of sin. The world gives them no solace.
Gossamer and volatile the world, while eter-
nifty, as they look forward to 1t, is black as
a conscience which proposes to give no rest
here and no rest hereafter; and yet they do
not repent, they do not pray, they do not
weep. They do not realize that just the po-
sition they occupy is the position occupied
by scores, hundreds and thousands OF men
who never found any hops.
If this meeting should be thrown open and
the people who are here could give their testi-
nony, what thrilling experiences we should
hear on all sides! There is man in the gall
lery who would say: 81 had brilliant sur
roundings, had the best Duration that ons
of the best collegiate institutions Of this
country could give, and I observed all the
moralities of life and I was self righteous,
and thought I was all right before God as
am all right before men; but the Holy
Spirit came to me one DAY and said Iou are
sinner the Holy Spirit persuaded me of
the fact While I had escaped the sins
against the law of the land l had really COM
mitted the worst sin man ever commits
the driving back Of the Son Of God from my
hearts affections, And saw that my hands
were red with the blood of the Son of God,
and began to pray, and peace came to my
heart, and know by experience that what
you say this morning is true, On Him the
Lord hath laid the iniquity of US ALL
Youder is man who would say: ~ was
the worst drunkaTd in New York; I went
from bad to worse; I destroyed myself,
destroyed my home; my children covered
when l entered the house; when they put up
their lips to be kissed struck them; when
my wife protested against the maltreatment,
kicked her into the street. know all the
woe. went on further and further from
God until the day got letter saying:
''MY DEAR HUSBAND-I have tried every
way, done everything, and prayed earnestly
and fervently for your reformation, but it
seems Of no avail Since our little Henry died,
with the exception of those few happy weeks
when you remained sober, my life has been one
of sorrow. Many of the nights have sat
by the window, with my face bathed in
tears watching for your coming. I am
broken hearted am sick. Mother and
father have been here frequently and begged
me to come home but my love for you aud
my hope for brighter days have always made
me refuse them. That hope seems now be-
yond realization, and I have returned to
them. 1t is harl, and I battled loag before
| doing it. May God bless and preserve ou
and take from you that accursed appetite
and hasten the day when we shall be again
living happily together. This will be my
daily prayer, knowing that He has said,
Come unto me all ye that labor and are
heavy laden, and will give YOU rest From
your loving wife, MARY.
"And so l wandered on ami wandered
| on" says that man, until one night
passed Methodist meeting house, aud
said to myself. pll 60 in aud seq what they
are doing and got to the door, AMI they
were singing:
All may come, whoever will,
Tets maa receives poor sinners still.
Sand I dropped right there where was
and said, God have mercy and He had
mercy on ME. My hom, is restored, my
wife sings all day long during work, my
children come out long "ay to greet me
home. and my household is i."tle heaven.
I will tell you what did all this for ME. 1t
was the truth that this day you proclaim,
On Him the Lord had laid the iniquty OF US
ALL"
Yonder is woman who would say: II
wandered off from my fathers house;
heard the storm that paltS on lost soul; my
feet were blistered on the hot rocks | went
on and on, thinkin that no one care1 for
my soul, when one night Jesus met ms and
He said: Poor thing, go home! your father is
waiting for you, your Inotheris walIlnS for
you. Go home, poor thing Anl, sir, l
was too weak to pray, and was too weak to
repent but just cried out; so6bsd out my
sins and my sorrows OIL the shoulders OF Him
Of whom it is said, the Lord hath lail on
Him the iniquity OF US all. ;"
There is a young ma1 wno would say: 81
had a Christian bringing u2; / came from
the country to city life; started well; had
good position, q gool commercial position
but one night at the theater I mst some
young men who did mo no good. They
dragged me all through the sewers ofiniquty,
and lost my morals and Host my position,
and was shabby and wretche1. Twas go:
ing down the street, thinking no one cafel
the shoulder and said, George, coma with
me and will do you good looked at him
to see whether he was joking or not. 1saw
he was in earnest and said, What do you
mean, sir? WELL he replied, 4 mean if you
will come to the meeting tonight J.
will be very glad to Introduce you. I will
meet you at the door. Will you Gomez
Said l, i will
~ went to the place where was tarrying.
I fixed myself up as we'll as could. but
toned my coat over ragged vest and went
to the door of the church, and the young
man met me and we went in; and as [ went
so much like my father l sobbe1 right out,
and they were all around so kind and SYM