The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-05-06
REV. SAM JONES.
Continued From Page 1.

Stand by your pastors, wuo cheer you
i'll your trouble and counsel you in thcic
pulpit and weep VITA you over vour
dead, and drive with you 20 tao como.
terry to perform the iast sad rites. BE
faithful TO thoul and true TO them. We
will never know how Muc:i they are
worth until God shall sake up his jaw
els at last. Tho Marquis of Salisbury
said if you take the Saivation Army out
of London you must add four thousand
men to the police force in London. You
could not take the police force out of
this country ii the spirit OF Christianity
did not dwell therein, or it would drift
to anarchism. We can never know tho
police power of the pulpit service of
Christ. God has done all this. He calls
us not only by His blessed Spirit and
precious word, and by His faithful min
istry, but He comes closer still and calls
us by His divine providence.
II don't believe that God will ever
suffer man of us to be damned until
he has exhausted the infinite resources
OF His hand to save US. l beliove men
get to where the truth ard tho ministry
OF God and tho blessed spirit will never
arouse them, but do believe that God
in his providence will reach that very
class of man.
Nineteen years az, lass August |
walked up 10 the couch If my noble
father to bid him goodbye. and as he
lay there With the glow of everlasting
peace on his coUntonance, ne took my
hand in his poor. wishered ono and said
to me: My poor, Maynard boy, you
have almost drifted TO ruin. Promise
me that you will turn from your evil
ways and give your heart to Cod And
there and then surrendered my heart
to God, and everything | have done
from that day to this has boon 10 do my
calling believe God comes very close
to us i'll His providence. If nothing else
will move you. you will bury tho wife
OF your bosom or the sweetest child that
bleSses your home to dag. And [ talk
to those VINO have already had tho rod
of God upon them. ana these counten-
ances around me tell q tale that God
has been very close To Some OF us.
when was preaching in Nashville,
Tenn, few years ago under that great
tent, one OF the most successful meot-
ings ever held, where there were :, 200
people who Joined the churches OF that
city, related this incident. l said q
few days ago VAS At my home and at
the breakfast table my wife said, Hus-
band, go down 20 see Virginia --.
Her husband and herself and you were
old schoClmates; she has lost four child
rem already and now she Is nursing q
dying child, and her husband is dis
solute.' And went and saw this poor
wife and there She was nursing Il dying
child, and spoke to her kindly and said
to her, Virginia. this is the last you have
and you have buried Jour- and I said,
Did it ever occur to you thaS God is
doing His best 10 save your husband in
this way? And sho wepa and said. oh.
1T nearly broafs my heart, but if God
means by mis- to save my husband
am willing to sive all my
children up. left and went
to tho law oMice of her husband.
The books were covered with dust and
the Office Gesc!a.e. anu he wasn't there.
started across our town square and
met him and l stopped and took his
hand and SAID: John, look in my face.
am just from your home. and YOU have
got the mos; deSolato one | over saw,
and ! said TO you. wife. Virginia, don't
you think God S doing his best To come
10 the rescue OF your debauchcd hus-
band" And If you could have seen her
tears-John, John, have you any hcart?'
He looked in my face and yripped my
hand and SAID: san. pray Tor me, old
fellow; ! VII do my level best And
from thai DAY he has never touched
another drop .: drink, and he is steward
in the Methodist Church Of my town to-
day, and rs can be mayor of the city ii
he likes.
Than. Goo; He aillicts but to bless
us. ! related ihat incident in Nash
vile, and my wife got unwell, which
rendered II necessary for me to leave
the next day for home: and when we
got to Mur.iee 'boro, thirty miles south
OF Nashville, the conductor came to me
and saws, Fhc engineer wants to see
YOU said | would go, and we walked
down the platform To the engine, and
the conductor iptr0d ucnd a man
about my own size and age reached
down his hand and pulled me up on the
engine and took my seat on his side
of the engine. Then the bell rang and
he stood with ms hand on the throttle
and his eye on tho tho track, until we
went on at the rate Of forty miles an
hour. AT last he took his hand off the
throttle and turned to me- and said: L
never sent Cor yon through GU iosity,
sent for YOU 10 talk with me. Last
night was sitting in the tent with my
Christian wife, and whom you told that
incident about Virginia -- it came
my sweetest child away and | have
never drank Q drop of llouo since. Now.
tell me, now can become q Christian
you came very close TO me last night.
Tell me- how can l give my heart to
God and !naet my child in IIeavsn"
And | sat there on that engine, rum
Mig forty miles on hour, and preached
the Gospel to that man, and thank
God that ne made the surrender to
Jesus Christ
And | tell you that God has been
very close 10 many in this audience t.
night, and he IS coming closer still.
The provi6eoces of God: Lord jesus
Master, help me TO get close to every
M vi; ~. %<,