Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-07-08

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The coast of eternal sorrow is strewn
with the wreck of those who, not taking
the warning, drove with the cargo of
immortal hope into the white tangled
foam of the breakers.
Rcpcntl the voice celestial cries,
Nor longer dare delay;
Tho wretch that scorns the mandate dies
And meets the fiery day.
NO SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
But analyze the publicans prayer a
step further, and Lind That he expected
no relief except through Gods mercy.
Why did not he say, am an honorable
man. When get $40 taxes, pay them
right over to the government l give
full permission to anybody to audit my
accounts. l appeal to thy justice, 0
Godl He made no such plea He threw
himself fiat on Gods mercy.
Fave you any idea that a man by
breaking OF the scales Of the leprosy can
change the disease? Have you any idea
that you Gun by changing your life
change your heart-that you can pur-
chase your way to heaven? Come, try it.
Come, bring all the bread you ever gave
to the hungry, all the medicine you ever
gave to the sick. all the kind words you
have ever uttered, all the kind deeds
that have ever distinguished you. Add
them all up into the tremendous aggre-
gate of good words and works, and then
you will sec Paul sharpen his knife as he
cuts that spirit of self satisfaction as he
cries. by the deeds of the-l there
shall no flesh be justified
Well, say thousand men In this gu
dience, If am not to get anything in
the way Of peace from God in good
works, how nm to be saved7 BY mercy.
Here ! stand to. tell the story; mercy,
mercy. long suffering mercy; sovereign
mercy. infinite mercy, omnipotent
mercy, everlasting mercy. Why. it
seems in the Bible as if all language were
exhausted. Us il it were stretched until it
broke, as il I'LL expression were struck
dead at the feet Of prophet and apostle
and evangelist when it tries to describe
Gods mercy.
HOPE For THE REPENTANT.'
Oh, says some one that is only adding
to my crimcif come and confess before
God and sock his mercy. No, mol The
murderer has come. and while he was
washing the blood of his victim from
his hands. looked into the face of God
and cried for mercy. and his soul has
been white in Gods pardoning Lowell
And the soul that has wandered off In
the streets and down to the very gates of
hell has come back to her fathers house,
throwing her arms around his neck, and
been saved by the mercy that saved Mary
Magdalen.
But, says some one, you are throwing
open that door of mercy too wide. No,
Twill throw it open wider. will take
the responsibility Of saying that If all
this audience, instead Of being gathered
in semicircle, were placed side by side,
in one long line, they could all march
right through that wide open gate Of
mercy. whatsoever, !" whatsoever" oh,
this mercy of God-therc is no line long
enough to fathon it; there is no ladder
long enough to scale it; there is noarith-
metic. facile enough to calculate it; no
angels wing can fly across it.
2 Heavenly harpers, aided by choirs
with feet like the sun, cannot compass
that harmony of mercy, mercy. 1t,
ssp2aaads tppGatha rrIlp b ipg Of the celestial
lestial towers. see it flashing in the
uplifted and downcast coronets of the
saved. hear 1t in the laundering tread
of the hammered hosts around about the
throne, and then it comes from the
harps and crowns and thrones and pro
cessions to sit down, une1pressed, on
throne overlapping all heaven-the
throne Of mercy.
THE GOSPEL LIFEBOAT.
How was affected when some one
told me in regard to that accident on
Long Island sound, when ono poor wom-
an came and got her hand on raft as
she tried to save herself, but those who
were on the rift thought there was no
room for her. and one man came and
most cruelty beat and bruised her hands
until she fell OF. Oh. | bless God that
this lifeboat of the gospel has room
enough for the sixteen hundred millions
of the race-room for one. room for all,
and yet there is rooini
push this analysis of the publlcan's
prayer step further and find that he
did not expect any mercy except by
pleading for it. He did not fold his
hands together as some do, saying: "lf
I'm to be saved, III be saved. If I'm to be
lost, I'll be lost, and there is nothing for
me to do" He knew what was worth
having was worth asking for; hence this
earnest cry of the text, "God be merciful
to me, sinner!'
1t was an earnest prayer, and it IS
characteristic of all Bible prayers that
they were answcred-the blind man,
Lord that may receive my sight," the
leper, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst
make me clean" sinking Peter, Lord,
save me- the publican, God, be merci-
full to me, sinner!" But if you come
up with the tip Of your finger and tap at
Che gate of mercy, it will not open. You
have got to have the earnestness OF the
warrior who defeated and pursued, dis
mounts from his lathcrcd steed and with
gauntleted fist pounds at the palace gate
You have got to have the e:.rnestness
of the man who. at midnight, i'll the
fourth story. has sense OF suifocatlon,
with the house in flames. goes to the
window and shouts TO the fremen,
"Help!" o unforgiven soul, if you were
in full earnest might have to command
silence in the auditory, for your prayers
would drown the voice of the speaker,
and we would have to pause in the great
service. It is because you do not real
this moment crying, MERCY, mercy,
L