Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-11-20

| -, inS' usStorming and tor
turing IF" OF incredulity on the other.
ike the positive faith of that sailor bow
that Captain Judkins of the steamship
Scotia picked up in hurricane. eco
alott, said Captain Judkins to his mate
"and look out for wrecks"
Before the mate had gone far M the
ratllnes he shouted: "A wreck A wreckp'
Where away7" said Captain Judkins.
"Ot the port bow" was the answer
Lifeboats were lowered, and 40 men vol.
unteered to put out across the angry sea
for the wreck. They came back with a
dozen shipwrecked, and among them a
boy of 10 years.
who are your" SAID Captain Judkins.
The answer was: Il am a Scotch boy.
My father and mother are dead, and
am on my way to America" "What have
you hereT' said Captain Judkins as he
opened the boys jacket and took hold Of
a rope around the boys body. ut is a
rope" said the boy. But what is that
tied by this rope under your arm?"
"That, sir, is my mothers Bible. She
told me never to lose that" Gould you
not have saved something elseY' mot
and saved that" did you expect to go
DOWN. Eyes, sir, but 1 meant to take
my mothers Bible down with me-"
"Bravol" said Captain Judlrins. 81 will
take care of you."
That boy demonstrated a certainty and
q confidence that like. Just in proper
tion as you have few Ifs" Of incredulity
in your religion will you find it COM
Portable religion. My full and unques-
tioning faith in it is founded on the fact
that it soothes and sustains in time of
trouble. do not believe that any man
who ever lived had more blessings and
prosperity than have received from God
and the world. But have had trouble
enough to allow me opportunity for find
ing out whether our religion is Of any use
in such an exigency. I have had IA great
bereavements, to say nothing Of lesser
bereavements, for Twas the youngest Of
q large family. have had as much per-
secution as comes to most people. Ihave
had all kinds of trial, except severe and
prolonged sickness, and / would have
been dead long ago but for the consola-
tory power of our religion.
Any religion will do in time of pros
perity. Buddhism will do. Confucisn-
ism will do. Theosophy will do. No
religion at all will do. But when the
world gets after you and defames your
best deeds, when bankruptcy takes the
place of large dividends, when you fold
FOR the last sleep the still hands over the
still heart of your old father whe has
been planning for your welfare all these
years, or you close the eyes of your
mother who has lived in your life. ever
,ince before you were born, removing
ner spectacles because she will have clear
vision in the home to which she has
gone, or you give the last kiss to the
child reclining amid the flowers that
pile the casket and looking as natural
and lifelike as she ever did reclining in
the cradle, then the only religion worth
is the old fashioned religion OF
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
would give more in such crisis for
one of the promises expressed in half
verse of the old book than for whole
library containing all the productions OF
all the other religions Of all the ages.
The other religions are sort OF cocaine
to benumb and deaden the soul while be-
and misfortune do theirwork,
but our religion is inspiration, illumina-
ton. imparadisation. 1t is mixture of
sunlight and halleluiah. Do not adul-
terate it with one drop Of the tincture of
A SIGNIFICANT 'IF."
Another Bible 'if' is the eff Of eter-
nal Significance. Solomon gives us that
.if" twice In one sentence when he says,
"If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for
thvself, but If thou scornest, thou alone
shalt bear it." Christ gives us that ''if'
when he says, ''If thou hadst known in
this thy day the things which belong unto
tby peace, but now they are hidden from
thine eyes" Paul gives us that '1f'
when he says, IF they shall enter into
nv rest" All those 'ifs" and a score
more that / might recall put the whole
responsibility of our salvation on our
selves. Christ's willingness to pardon
no ..if'' about that Christ's willingness
70 beln-no 'if' about that. Realms OF
glory awaiting the righteous-no "if'
about that.
The only eff" in all the case worth a
moments consideration is the "if" that
attaches itself to the question as 70
whether we will accept, whether we VIII
renent. whether we will believe, whether
we viii rise forever. Is it not time that
me- take our eternal future on that
s,v;vel2 Is il not time that we extirpate
that .df" that miserable 'if, "that haz'
srdous 'if?" We would not allow this
uncertain 'iF' to stay long inanything
eIse Of Importance. Let some one say
IN regard TO a railroad bridge, Il have
reasons for asking II that bridge Is saie'
and Won would not cross it. Let some
one say, 81 have reasons to ask II ina,
steamer is Trustworthy" " and You wouio
not take passage on IT,
Let some one suggest In regard 70 :
nronertv that you are about TO purchase
~ have reason to ask If they can give
GOOD title" and you would not pay
soIIar down until you had some sEiiliu
.aai estate lawyer examine the title. bu,
7 'si al,owed for years Of my lifetime ant
aoms ~ Won have allowed for years o.
Sun so Tfetime an '4f' TO stand tossing ul
and down questions Of eternal destiny y