The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-10
REV DIR. TALMAGE.
HE BROOKLYN DIVINES SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: 1.-THE Souls Crisis" Preached
in London.

be fo1.7,d"-Isaiah w., 8.
Isaiah stands head and shoulders above
the other Old Testament authors in vivid
descriptiveness of Christ. Other prophets
give an outline Of our Saviour's features.
Some Of them present, as it were, the side
face of Christ; Others bust OF Christ; but
Isaiah gives us the full length portrait OF
Christ. Other Scripture writer's excel in
some things. Ezekiel more weird. David
more pathetic, Solomon more epigrammatlc,
Habakkuk more sublime but when you want
to see Christ coming out from the gates OF
prophecy in all His grandeur and glory, you
involuntarily turn to Isaiah.
So that if the prophecies in regard to
Christ might be called the "Oratorio OF
the Messiah" the writing of Isaiah is the
"Halleuiah Chorus" where all the batons
wave and all the trumpets come Isaiah
was not man picked up out OF insignii.
cance by inspiration He was known and
honored. Josephus and Philo and Siracn e1-
tolled him in their writings What Paul was
among the apostles, Isaiah was among the
prophets.
NV text finds him standing on q mountain
of inspiration, looking out into the future
beholding Christ advancing and anxious
that all men might know Him, his voice
rings down the ages Seek ye the Lord
while he may be found" "Oh," says some
hearer. If you have travelled in other lands
you have taken circular letter of credit
from some banking house in London, and in
st. Petersburg or Venice or Rome or Ant
werp or Brussels or Paris you presented that
letter and got financial help Immediately.
And want you to understand that the text,
instead of being appropriate for one age or
for one land is circular letter for all ages
and for all lands, and whenever it is pre-
sented for help, the help comes; seek ye
the Lord while He may be found"
come to-day with no hairspun theories
of religion, with no nice distinctions. with
no elaborate disquisition, but with plain
talk on the matters Of personal religion.
feel that the sermon I preach this morning
will be the SAVIOR Of life unto life or death
unto death. In other words, the Gospel OF
Christ is powerful medicine; it either Kills
or cures. There are those who say: "
would like to become Christian. l have
been waiting good while for the right
kind Of influence to come" And still you
are waiting. You are wiser in worldly
things than you are in religious things. And
vet there are men who say they are waiting
to get to oheaven-waiting, waiting, but not
with intelligent waiting. or they would get
on board the line Of Christian influences
that would bear them into the kingdom OF
God.
Now you know very we'll that to seek a
thing is to search for it with earnest endeav-
or. If YOU want to see q certain man in
London, and there is matter OF much
money connected with your seeing him, and
vou cannot at first find him, you do not
rive up the search. You look in ths direct
ory. but cannot find the name; you go in
circles where you think perhaps he may
mingle, and, having found the part OF the
city where he lives, but perhaps not knowing
the street, you go through street after street
and from block to block, and you keep on
searching for weeks and for months.
You say, 1T is a matter of 10000
whether see him or not" Oh, that men
were as persistent in seeking for Christi
Had YOU one half that persistence you would
long ago have found Him who is the joy OF
the forgiven spirit. Wemay pay our deots
we may attend church, we may relieve the
poor, we may be public benefactors and yet
all our life disobey the text, never seek God:
never gain heaven. Oh, that the spirit OF
God would help this morning while try to
show you, in carrying out the idea OF my
next place, when to seek Him. 'Seek ye the
Lord while He may be found"
remark, in the first place, you are to
seek the Lord through earnest and believing
prayer. God is not an autocrat or despot
seated on q throne, with His arms resting on
brazen lions and sentinel pacing up and
down at the foot Of the throne. God Is a
father seated in a bower, waiting for his
children to come and climb on His Knee ana
get His kiss and His benediction. Prayer Is
the cup with which we 60 to the fountain
of living water" and dip up refreshment for
our thirsty soul. Grace does not come to
the heart as we set cask Of water to catch
the rain in the shower. 1t is pulley fast.
ened to the throne of God, which we pull,
, bringing the blessing.
I do not care so much wnat posture you
take in prayer, nor how large an amount OF
voice you USE You might get down on your
face before God, if you did not pray right
inwardly, and there would be no response:
You might cry at the top Of your volce and
unless YOU had a believing spirit within,
YOUR cry would not 20 farther up than the
shout OF a plowboy to his oxen. Frayer
must be believing, earnest, loving. 2ou are
in YOUR house some summer day, and a
shower comes up. and bird affrighted darts
into the window, and wheels around the
room. You seize it. You smooth Its rut-
hed plumage. You feel its huttering heart
You say, Poor thing, poor thingT NOW
PRAYER goes out Of the storm OF this world IN
to the window Of Gods mercy, and He
catches it and He feels its huttering pulse,
and Heputs it in His own bosom OF affection
and safety.
Prayer is a warm ardent. pulsating e1er.
else. 1t is the electric battery which, toucnea
thrills to the throne Of God. It is the diving
bell in which we go down into the depths OF
Gods mercy and bring up 'pearls OF great
price," There is an instance where prayer
made the waves Of Gennesaret solid as
granite pavement. Oh, how many wonder
ful things prayer has accomplished Have
YOU ever tried it? In the days when tha
Scotch Covenanters were prosecuted and the
enemies were after them one OF the head
uen among the Covenanters prayed: 20
Lord, we be as dead men unless Thou shalt
HELM us. o Lord, throw the lap Of Thy cloak
over these poor things" And instantly a
Scotch mist enveloped and hid the prosecuted
from their persecutors-ths promise literally
fulfilled. "While Jhey are yet speaking
will hear"
Oh, impenteut soul, have you ever tried
the power of prayer? God says: "de is
loving and faithful and patient" Do you
believe that? You are told that Christ came
to save sinners. Do you believe that? You
are told that all you have to do to get the
pardon of the Gospel is to ask for it. Do
v YOU i,s!;sve that? Then come to Him and
say: 20 Lord. know Thou caust not lie.
Thou hast tod me to come for pardon, and
could get it. come LORD. Keep Thy
promise and liberate my captive SOUL"
oh, that you might have an altar in the
pa-lor, in the kitchen. in the store, in the
barn. for Christ will be willing to come
again to the mauger to hear prayer. He
will come in your place of business as he
confronted Matthew, the tax commissioner.
If a measure should come before Congress
that you thought would ruin the Nation,
how you would send in petitions and remon-
strances. And yet Jhsre has been enough
sin in your heart to ruin it forever. and you
have never demonstrated or petitioned
against it. If your physical health failed,