The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-07-24
OUR SUNDAY COLUMN.
Original and Otherwise-Pre-
pared by Mark.
NO. 80.

1t is said that the earliest converts to
Christianity in Africa were very regular
and earnest in their private devotions.
They had no small rooms where they
could go and shut themselves in for pri
vato prayer, but each one had his sepa-
rate spot in the thicket, where no used
to pour out his heart to God. The sew
eral paths to their little Bethels be-
came distinctly marked, and when any
one OF those African Christians began
to decline in the ways of God it was
soon manifest to his fellows, and they
would kindly remind him of his duty by
saying: "Broder. de grass grow on your
path yonder." There are many luke
warm Christians in Roanoke, in all the
churches, VINO might learn useful
lesson from this incident. Their path
way to their bowers of prayer has
become wilderness. 1t is all grown
over with the rankest weeds of indiffeP
ence and neglect. Their path to the
family altar, to the prayer meeting and
even to the house Of the Lord on Sun
day, is covered with grass They do not
travel that way very often. 1t is sad
and awful spectacle to SEQ professors Of
religion permitting worldly business to
interrupt their Christian duties or hin :
der them in their pursuit of future bless
edness. Seeker, in his "Nonesuoh Pro-
fessor," says: That hawk which fol-
lows the worlds prey is in danger OF
falling into Gods snare. Why should |
lay out that time in seeking pebbles
which may be better employed in search
of jewels? What God bestows on some
men as their temporary pension they
embrace as their only portion. Such
foolish travellers are so taken up with
the inn as to forget the end of the Jour.
ney. They may, indeed, SOW this seed
but it will produce nothing but worm.
wood. Outward mercies are not so mean
as TO be totally neglected. or so great as
to be primarily desired. II they be SO
ducements from the mercy seat they will
prove indictments at the Judgment seat.
Give some people the earth in their
hands, and they care notwho has heaven
in their heart. When Crates threw his
gold into the sea, he cried out, II will
destroy you, lest you should destroy
me-" Thus if the world be not put to
death here, it will put us to death here
after. Then we will say az Cardinal VOL
sey, when discarded by his prince and
abandoned to the fury OF his enemies,
IF had served my God as faithfully
as | have my king, he would not have
forSaken me-" Those who live and die
trifing with salvation will, after death,
tremb under the pains of damnation.
| have heard Of a woman, who, busted
to save her goods when her house was
in flames, forgot her child; but the child
being soon after inquired for. she cried
ont, 80 my child, my child!' Thus
will many tboughtless sinners in
worse fire cry out, 20 our souls, our
souls."
Poor Sisera was not made better for
the milk and butter, when he so soon
after felt the nail and the hammer.
All. how careful are men Of their out.
ward, and how careless about their in
ward. concerns. In vigorous bed3 there
10 vicious soul. For man to be at.
tentive to his flesh and inattentlve to
his spirit, what is this but as il hus-
bandman should gather in his stubble
and leave his corn behind? Oras if a
goldsmith should weigh his dross and
cast away his gold. Be it known,
o man OF the world, if there be nothing
done in your soul on earth there will be
nothing done for it in heaven. 1t is
truly lamentable that the soul, which
received it's being from God, should be
excluded from being with God. Ye
cannot serve God and Mammon Who
is on the Lords side? Who is willing
to consecrate his service this day unto
the Lord? MARK.