The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-24

TRADE against money-a Christian man
as though it had no possible use on
earth and he had no interest in it, colne
almost to think that the heaven that
would be appropriate for him would be
an everlasting poorhouse!
While, my friends, we do admit there
is such a thing as lawful use of money
"a profitable use Of money--let us
recognize also the fact that money can
not satisfy mans soul; that it cannot
glitter in the dark valley; that it cannot
pay our fare across the. Jordan of death;
that it cannot unlock the gate of heaven.
There are men in all occupations who
seem to act as though they thought
pack of bonds and mortgages could be
traded off for title to heaven and as
| though gold would be lawful tender
in that place where it is so common that
they make pavenents out of it. Salvation
by Christ is the only salvation. Treas
nres in heaven are the only incorrupt-
| Eble treasures.
Have you ever ciphered out in the
rule of loss and gain the sum, "What
shall it profit man if he gain the whole
world and lose his soul?" However fine
your apparel, the winds of death will
| futter it like rags. Homespun and
! threadbare coat have sometimes been
the shadow of coming robes made white
in the blood of the Lamb. The pearl of
great price is worth more than any gem
you can bring from the ocean, than
Australian or Brazilian mines strung in
one carcanet Seek after God, find his
righteousness, and all shall be well here;
all shall be well hereafter.
But I must have word with those
who during the present commercial ca
lamities have lost heavily, or perhaps
lost all their estate. If a man lose his
property at 80 or 40 years of age, it is
only sharp discipline generally by
which later he comes to larger success.
| It is all folly for man to sit down in
midlife discouraged. The marshals of
Napoleon came to their commander and
said, eve have lost the battle, and we
are being cut to pieces" Napoleon took
his watch from his pocket and said: "It
is only o'clock in the afternoon. You
have lost that battle, but we have time
enough to win another. Charge upon
the foe!"
Though the meridian of life has passed
with you and you have been routed in
many conflict, give not up in discour-
agement There are victories yet for
you to gain. But sometimes monetary
disaster comes to man when there is
something in his age or something in
his health or something in his surround
ings which make him know well that he
will never get up again.
In 1857 it was estimated that for many
years previous to that time annually
there had been 10000 failures in the
United States. Many of those persons
never recovered from the misfortune
But let me give word of comfort in
passing. The sheriff may sell you out
of many things, but there are some
things of which he cannot sell you out
He cannot sell out your health He can
not sell out your family. He cannot sell
out your Bible. He cannot sell out your
God. He cannot sell out your heaven.
You have more than you have lost.
Sons and daughters Of God, children
of an eternal and all loving Father,
mourn not when your property goes
The world is yours. and life is yours,
and death is yours, and Immortality is
yours, and thrones of imperial grandeur
are yours, and rivers Of gladness are
yours, and shining mansions are yours,
and God is yours. The eternal God has
sworn it, and every time you doubt it
you charge the King Of heaven and earth
with perjury. Instead of complaining
how hard you have it, go home, take up
your Bible full of promises, get down on
your knees before God and thank him
for what you have instead Of spending
SO much time in complaining about what
you have not.
AN AWFUL SHIPWRECK.
Some of you remember the shipwreck
of the Central America. This noble
steamer had, / think, about 500 passen-
gers aboard. Suddenly the storm came,
and the surges trampled the decks and
swung into the matches, and there went
ND hundred voiced death shrek. The
foam on the Jaw of the wave; the pitch
ing of the steamer as though it were
leaping mountain; the dismal flare of
the signal rockets; the long cough of the
steam pipes; the hiss of the extinguished
furnaces; the walking Of God on the
wayel The steamer went not down with
out struggle.
AS the passengers stationed themselves
in rows to bale out the vessel, bark to
the thump of the buckets as men unused
to toll, with blistered hands and strained
muscle, tug for their lives. There is
sail seen against the sky. The flash Of
the distress gun is sounded. Its voice is
heard not, for it is choked in the louder
booming of the sea. A few passengers
escaped, but the steamer gave one great
lurch and was gone! So there are some
men who sail on prosperously in life.
Ais well, all's well. But at last some
financial disaster comes--a euroclydon.
Down they gol the bottom, of this COM
mercial sea strewn with shattered hulks.
But because your property goes do
not let your soul go. Though all else
perish, save that, for have to tell you
of more stupendous shipwreck than