Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-02-26

before you could roy age from here TO Liver
pool. Now you can go that distance Is SIX
or seven days Aud so ] measure the dis
lance between earth and heaven, and find
it is only fash. 1t is one instant here and
another instant there. 1t is very near to-
day. Do you not feel the breath of heaven
on your face? Christ says in one place it IS
not twenty-four hours distance, when he
says to the penitent thief, This day. this
day, shalt thou be with Ne in paradise" IL
is not day, it is not an hour, it is not
minute, it is not a second.
Oh, how near heaven is to earth by
oceanic cables you send a message. As l6 Is
expensive to send message, you compress
a great deal of meaning IN few words.
Sometimes in two words you can put vast
meaning. And it seems to me tnat the
angels of God who carry news from eartn
to heaven need to take up this hour III re-
gard to your SOUL only two words in order
', kindle with gladness all the redeemed
before the throne. only two words, Father
saved "mother saved" "son saved
daughter saved" And there is Joy in
heaven among the angels Of God over one
sinner that repenteth.''
My subject also impresses mo with the
fact that the salvation OF the soul is OF vast
Importance. II you should maks S2)l,00C
this year, do you suppose that nsws would
be carried to heaven? 1t would not be of
enough Importance or significance to be car
riei heavenward. II at the nsxs quadren-
NAL election you are made President of the
United States, do you suppose that news
would be carried to heavsns Do you sup
pose that the news of a revolution in France
or Spain would be carried to heaven? These
things are not OF enough Importance. but
there is one itsm that is sure to be carried.
1t is the salvation of your soul. It is your
repentance before God.
The flying hoofs of Cots curriers' CLASH
through the gates AMI the news goes from
gate TO mansion, and from mansion to TEN
PIE, and from temple TO throne, and there
is Joy in heaven" among thu angels OF God
over one sinner forgiven. 1t must be OF vast
Importance to be of any moment in heaven,
your salvation in that land where gladnesses
are the every day occurrence, III that Iand
where the common stones OF the held are
Jasper AMI emerald ami chrysoprasus and
carbuncle and sardonyx. And yet the news
of your salvation makes joy before the
throne of Coz.
Having found IN my own experience that
this religion is comfort and a JOY, stand
here to co nmen it to you. In the days OF
nv infancy l was carried by Christian ps-
rents to the house of God, and consecrated 10
baptism to the Father, and the Son, and the
Hoy Ghost; but that did not save me. In
after time I was taught to kneel at tn
Christian family altar with father and
mother and brothers and sisters the most OF
them now in glory, but that dill not save
me.
In after time read Doidrilge's "Rise
and Progress" aud Baxter's Call to the
Unconverted.n and all the religious b0oSs
around my fathers household, but that did
not save me. But one day the voice OF
Christ came into my heart saying, Repent
recent: 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-reacning in
1usnca, / verify believe when | gave my
heart to God there were some spirits IN
heaven the gadder for the deed. There IS
Joy in heaven among the ange.s OF God over
one sinner that repenteth. Turn TINS DAY 70
the Lord who bought you. Let this whole
audience surren Ter themselves 10 Jesus
Christ IF for ten, twenty, fifty years yoa
have not prayed. begin now to pray.
"Oa.n YOU say, u can't pray Can you
not say. ''Ciod be merciful 70 me, sinner
mo-" YOU say. az can't say that" Then
can YOU not look to the throne o. mercy:
Mo- you say. II can't look up Can you
not give some signal like that which was
gwen by the lad i'll the hospital? de was
Sex and suffering and dying, and wante1
SDoeuliV 10 70 away ltOsu Oil 49,
main. and he said to MS comrades in the hos
pitaI. at is strange to me that Jesus doesn't
see me when He goes through here nigntS
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 90.
Now, | tell you now I'll arrange it III
90 TO sleep with my hands up, ami then
when Jesus comes through the hospital by
night He will see my hand littet ana ne
it was done For that night Jesus went
through the hospital and took the suffering
lad. aud the next morning the nurss passing
through the wards OF the hospital saw dead
hand lifted braced on one side against the
pillow, and the left hand holding the elbow
o. the right arm. Jesus had seen the signal
and answered it, Oh, sick soul, wounded
soul, dying soul, canst thou not give some
sirnalf Wilt thou not lift one hand or one
prayer? God grant that this day there may
be Joy IN heaven among the angels Oh GoI
over your soul forgivenl