Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-02-12

mark well that the fourth chariot was
drawn by horses ''grisIed and bay" denoting
that mercy was mixed with all the desc
lating in igments OF God. Sinai cannot
thunder so lou1 as to drown theinvitations Of
Calvary The Lord utters the admonition,
1.-THE wages OF sin is death" but exhaustless
mercy responds, "Deliver him from going
down to the pit, for have found ransom"
Hide Thee quick in the rock, Christ Jesus
Let not this Insignificant Now" absorb
Thee more than the great hereafter. The
path leading 70 this side of the grave is only
a few furlongs, but the path which com
mences at the other side CT tits without end.
The powers of darkness gather about your
soul, and the temptations of an evil heart
and the allurements of the worlI know are
trying to drown the voice OF the preacher,
but taking hold OF the silver trumpet OF the
Gospel which made Felix tremble. and at
the Pentecost brought three thousand souls
out OF their sepulcher, | would blow one
long, loud blast crying, "Whosoeyer wiI
let him come"
Take this goo lily religion which has done
so much for me that can commend it to all.
Without it / should have gone the whole
downward career Stolid and phlegmatic
natures going astray DO not go so far, but
natures Ike mine, sanguine, intense, emo
tional optimistic, social to the last degree
and echoing to all the heights and depths OF
mirth, if they get of the track they go with
one wild leap to hell. As TO the restraining
power of this religion upon a mercurial tenn
permanent. | testify This Is not abstraction
OF something gotten from books. lspeak of
what / know. TO out and ask all who have
tried this religion AMI ask them how 1t
works.
Three young men in q factory came out
on the Lords side, but two Of them, over
come by the jeers Of their comrades, went
back and joined the scofRsrs. The one held
on to his Christian hope, and one day when
they pressed him hard and were telling how
much ipfdelity had done for the world, and
that Christianity hal done nothing. the per-
secuted Christian turned upon them, and
pointing to Henry and George who had for
a little while followed Christ and then turned
back. he said:
you have tried your principles on them
and know what they have done for them.
When they trlei 10 serve Christ they were
civil. good tempered, kind husbands and
fathers They were cheerful, industrious
and ready to oblige. What have you made
them? Look and see They are cast down
and cross; their mouths are full OF curslng
and filthiness: they are drunk every week.
their children half clothed, their wives
broken heartel, their homes wretcned: That
is what your principles have done. Now
have tried Christ and His religion and what
has it done for me? You know well what
used TO be. There was mono OF you
that could drink SO much, swear SO
desperately and fight so mastery. L
had no money and nobody would trust me.
Nv wife was i'll used, ! was i'll humored,
hateful and hating. What has religion done
for mel Thank God, | an not afraid to put
IL 10 you. Am not a happier man than l
wasg Am l not better workman and a
kinder companiony Would once have put
up with what 1 now bear from you? l
could beat any Of you as easily now as ever.
Why don't II Do you ever hear foul word
public house? Has anybody q score against
me? 60 and ask my neigh50rs If am not
altered for the better Go and ask my VIE
Let my house bear witness. God be
praised. here is what Christianity has done
for me. there is what indieity has done for
Henry and George"
Ont of this audience [ could gather thou
sand men and women who could tell you as
thrilling a story as that as TO what religlon
hos done for them. Yea, il times Of persa-
cution should come as OF Old. ana they may
como they are q thousand here who would
for Cbrists sake as cheerfully walk into the
furnace of fire as though IL were an aroor
of thyme and honeysuczle- ani face the
lions as though they were lambs OF trisSinS
of the hillside. and wade down into the deep
waters which are to submerge them as nap
PLY as ever at Narragausett beach they LOOK
the surf at q summer bathing.
Come up and Join those on the way TO
nalace What an absurd thing for king
to be eating grass. Instead OF living on the
moor fodder that the world affords come and
=, among the princes OF God at the roya,
banquet and hear the bands play; Eat,
Friendsl Drink, o Beloved" Here Is
crown. wear it. Here isa scepter, sway 1t
Here is a throne, mountit This is your hour
improve it.