Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-10-07

Christian character is to come up to high
err standards. We have now to hunt
through our library to find one Robert
MCheyne, or one Edward Payson, or one
Harlan Page. The time will come when we
will find half dozsn Of them sitting IN the
same seat with us. The grace OF Col can
make n oreat deal better men than those |
have mentioned. Christians sesni AFRAID
they win get heterodox by going too far
They do not believe in Christian perfection.
There is no danger of your being perfect for
some time vet. | will keep watch ami give
YOU notice in time, il you get too near per-
lection for the safety of your theology.
One-half of you Christians are simply
stuck in the mud. Why not cut loose from
everything but God? Give not TO Him that
formal petition madc up of "OS-"O
Lord" this and 80 Lord" that When peo-
ole are cold and have nothing to say to Col
they strew their prayers with EOS" AMI
Forever and ever. Amen" aul things to
fill up. Tell God what you want with the
feeling that He is ready ID give ii, and be-
lieve that you will receive, and you shalt
have it. Shed that old prayer you have
been making these ten years IL is high
time that yeu Outgrew il. Throw IL aside
with your old ledgers. and your old hats,
and your old shoes. Take review of vour
present wants, of your present sins and OF
your present blessings. With u sharp blade
cut away your past half nnl half Christian
life, and with new determination, and new
plans, and new expectations launch out into
the deep
The text is appropriate to all the unfor-
given. Every sinner would come to God il
he thought he might come just as he is.
People talk as though the pardon OF God
were narrow river. like the Kenuebec or
the Thames and that their sins draw too
much water TO enter it. No: it is not river
nor bay, but sea. | should like to per-
suade you TO launch out into the great deep
of Gods mercy. | am merchant. ] have
bought a cargo Of spices in India. ] have
through bill OF exchange, paid for the
whole cargo. You are a ship captain.
give you the orders and say, Bring me
those spices.n You land in India. You go
to the trader and say, Here are the orders"
and you find everything all right You do
not stop to pay the money yourself IL is
not your business TO pay it. The arrange
ments were made before you started. SO
Christ purchases your pardon. He puts the
papers, or tho promises, into your hand. Is
II wise 10 stop and say, 81 cannot pay for
my redemption" God docs not ask you to
pay. Relying on what has been done, launch
out into tho deep.
The Bibles promises join hands and the
circle they make will compass all your sins,
and oil your temptations and all your sor
lows. The round table Of King Arthur and
his hnights had room for only thirteen han
queters, but the round table OF Gods supply
is large enough for all the present inhabit-
ants OF earth and heaven to sit at, and for
the still rnightier populations that are yet to
be-
Do not sail coastwise along your old habits
and old sins. Keep clear Of the shore Go
out whore the water Is deepest. Oh, for the
mid sea of Gods mercy "Be it known unto
you, men and brethren, that through this
Man is preached unto you forgiveness OF
SINS preach IL with as much confidence
to the eighty year old transgressor as to the
maiden. Though your sins were blood red
they shall be snow white. The more ragged
the prodigal, the more compassionate the
Father. Do you say that you are too bad?
The high water mark of Coils pardon is
higher than all your transgreSsions. The
blood Of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin"
Do you say that your heart is hardy Sup
pose It were ten times harder Do you say
that your iniquity is long continued? Sup
pose Il were ten times longer. Do you say
that your crimes are black? Suppose tibet
they were ten timcs blacker. Is there any
lion that this Samson cannot slay? Is there
take? Is there any sin that this Redeemer
cannot pardonY
II said that when Charlemagne's host
was overpowered by the three armies of the
.Saracens in the pass Of RoncssyalleS his
warrior, Roland, in terrible earnestness
Seizsd q trumpet and blew it with such ter
rifle strength that the opposing army reeled
back with terror, but at the third blast OF
the trumpet it broke in two. Isee your soul
fiercely assailed by all the powers Of earth
aud hell. l put the mightier trumpet OF the
Gospel to my lips and blow it three times.
Blast the flrst-"Wnosoever will, let him
come" Blast the seconds COX ye the
Lord while lie may be found" Blast the
third-"Now is tho accepted time; now Is
the day of salvation.
Does not the host of your sins fall back?
But the trumpet does not like that OF Roland,
break in two As it was handed down 70 n
from the lips OF our fathers, we hand it down
to the lips Of our children, aud tell them 70
sound it when we ara dead, that all the gen.
erations of men may know that our God Is a
Hardening Coda sympathetic Coda low
ing God-and that more to Him than the
anthems Of heaven: moro to Him than the
throne on which lie sits: more 70 HIM tnan
are the temples Of celestial worship Is the JOY
of seeing the wanderer putting his han on
the door laLcH Oh MS IdSuci > hoho~s iA~-''
II ali va Nations Bread for the worst hun
ger. Medicine for the worst sickness. Light
for the thickest darkness Hirbor for the
worst storm
DR.. Prime in his look of wonderful inter
est entitled "Around the World, describes
a tomb in India of marvellous architecture.
Twenty thousand men were twenty.two
wears in erecting that AMI the buildings
around it. Standing in that TONI, II you
speak or sing. after you have ceased you
hear the echo coming from a height of on'
hundred and fifty feet. 1t is not like other
echoes. The sound is drawn out in sweet
nrolonqation. as though the angels OF
God we're chanting on the wing. How many
souls in the tomb Of sin will lift up the
voice Of penitence and prayer: II now they
would cry unto God the echo would drop
from afar. not struck from the marble Gu
pola of an earthly mausoleum, but sounding
back from the warm heart OF angels dying
the news, for there is JOY among the angels
of God over ons sinner that repenteths