The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-03-09
ness on the everlasting hills when she hears

miles before YOU reach heaven. They say
heaven is the center Of the universe and we
are on the rim OF the universe. That Is not
the idea Of my text. l think the neare OF
heaven beats very close to our Worlo; we .e
measure distances by the time taken TO
traverse those distances.
It used to be long distance to San Fran,
cisco. Many weeks and months were passed
befors you could reach that city. Now 1t i
sir or seven days. 1t used to be SIX week:
before YOU could voy age from here to Liver
pool. Now you can go that distance Is slA
or seven days. And so I measure the DIS
tance between earth and heaven, and nno
it is only flash. It is one instant here ano
another instant there. 1t is very near 70
day. Do you not feel the breath OF heaven
on your faceP Christ says in one place IL Is
not twentv.four hours distance, when HI
saws to the penitent thief, This day. thl.
day shalt thou be with Me in paradise" IL
is not day, it is not an hour, 1t ls not
minute, it is not second. .,
Oh. how near heaven is to earth. bJ
oceanic cables you send message. as IL
expensive to send message, you compress
a great deal Of meaning In rev Woros
Sometimes in two words you can put vas
meaning. And it seems to me tna1 tn
angels Of God who carry news from earIi
to heaven need to take up this hour IN re
gard to your soul. only two words in order
to kindle with gladness all the redeemed
before the throne, only two words 'Father
saved" 'tmother saved" 'tson saved, VI
stdsughter saved" And "there is joy .ir
heaven among the angels Of God over one
sinner that repenteth."
NV subject also impresses me with the
fact that the salvation OF the soul is of vast
importance. If you should make S2ou, 900
this year, do you suppose that news would
be carried to heaven? 1t would not be Of
enough Importance or significance to be car
ried hea venward. If at the next quadren-
nial election you are made President OF the
United States, do you suppose that news
would be carried to heaven9 Do you sup
pose that the news Of revolution in France
or Spain would be carried to heaven? These
things are not Of enough Importance, but
there is one item that is sure to be carried.
1t is the salvation Of your soul. 1t IS your
repentance before God.
The flying hoofs of Gods couriers clash
through the gates and the news goes from
gate to mansion, and from mansion to tenn
Sle. and from temple to throne, and 'tthere
Is Joy in heaven" among ths angels Of God
over one sinner forgiven. 1t must be OF vast
importance 70 be of any moment in heaven,
your salvation in that land where gladnesses
are the every day occurrence, in that land
where the common stones OF the field are
Jasper and emerald and chrysoprasus and
.arbuncle and sarGonyx. And yet the news
Of your salvation makes joy before the
throne Of God. =
Having found in my own experience that
this religion is a comfort and q joy, stand
mere to commend it to you. In the days OF
nv infancy I was carried by Christian pa
rents to the house of God and consecrated in
baptism to the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Ghost; but that did not save me. In
after time + was taught to kneel at the
Christian family altar with father and
mother and brothers and sisters, the most OF
them now in glory; but that did not save
In after time I lead Doddridge's "Riss
and Progress and Baxter's ''Call to the
Unconverted," and all the religious books
around my fathers household, but that did
not save me. But one day the voice OF
Christ came into my heart saying, Repent,
repent: believe, believe" and accepted the
offer Of mercy, and though no doubt there
was joy in heaven over the conversion OF
other souls because Of their far-reaching In
auence, I verify believe when gave my
heart to God there were some spirits IN
heaven the gladder for the deed. I1ere Is
ioy in heaven among the angels Of God over
one sinner that repenteth." Turn this day to
the Lord who bought you. Let this whole
audience surrender themselves to Jesus
Christ. IF for ten, twenty, fifty years you
have not prayed. begin now to pray.
"Oh," you say, 81 can't pray" Can you
not saw, "God be merciful to me, sinner"
ssNo," you say, II can't say that: Ihen
can you not look to the throne OF mercys
NO. you say, ~ can't look up" Can you
not give some signal like that which was
qiyen by the lad in the hospital? He was
Sick and suffering and dying, and wanted
speedily to 60 away from all suffering ana
pain. and he said to his comrades in the nos.
pitai "It Is strange to me that Jesus doesn
see me when He goes through here nights
and takes others to Himself. He goes
through here and He doesn't see me. must
be asleep and He doesn't know want TO 60;
snow, tell you how I'll arrange 1t. III
go to sleep with my hands ~ up; Sn;tsI ana InSH S1
NIGHT BE will see my hand lifted, and He
will know that want to 60 with Him." sc
e was done. For that night Jesus wen'
through the hospital and took the suffering
lad and the next morning the nurse passing
through the wards Of the hospital saw deac
hand lifted braced on one side against the
pillow. and the left hand holding the elbo"
Of the right arm. Jesus had seen the sigma
and answered it. Oh, sick soul, wounoes
soul. diving soul, canst thou not give som
signal! wilt thou not lift one hand or ON
PRAYER, God grant that this day there ma.
Be ioy in heaven among the angels Of Go
ever your soul forgiveni
NEW JERSEY has a million and &
half dwellers, and Is one of tn
wealthiest of American States. 1t i
all the more surprising then that tn
cause of popular education languishes
in this part Of the Republic. Ac
cording to the census given out th'
other day there are 430,2 children
of school age, Of whom 137, o.
more than a third Of the total, arr
not enrolled in any educational insti
tuition. In comparing the illiterac.
of the country, the South is singled
out as derelict in educating its young
but here is a proud Northern State
with more wealth than any composing
the Southern group Of common
wealths, that is allowing a vast mum
ber of it's children to grow up without
schooling Of any kind. In this agt
of enlightment it is nothing less thar
crime for any State to allow consid
etable part Of her population to grow
up in ignorance when education car
be so easily obtained. The injur!
inf hicted through the ignoramus polio!