Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-12-14


instantaneous. A man passes into the
Kingdom of God quicker than
down the sky runs zigzag light
ming. A man may be anx-
ious about his soul for "a great many
years; that does not make him Chris
tan. A man may pray great while;
that does not make him Christian. A
man may resolve on the reformation of
MS character, and have that resolution
going on great while; that does not
make him Christian. But the very
instant when he filings his soul on the
mercy of Jesus Christ, that instant is
,nstration. emancipation. resurrection.
Up to that point he is going in the
wrong direction; after that point he is
going in the right direction. Before
thar moment he is child of sin: after
tnat moment he is child of God. Be
fore that moment devouring the prey;
after that moment dividing the
spoil Five minutes is as good as five
years My nearer you know very
well that The best things you have
lone you have done in flash. You
make up your mind in an instant to
buy, or to sell, or to invest, or To stop,
Or 70 start II you had missed that one
nance YOU would have missed it for
ever. Now just as precipitate and
luicls, and sp infamous viii be the
ransom Of your soul. Some morning
YOU were making calculation. You
got on the track Of some financial or
social game With your pen or pencil
you were pursuing it. That very morn
ing you wore devouring the prey but
that very night YOU were in a different
mood. You found that all Heaven was
offered you. You wondered how you
could get it for yourself and your
family. You wondered what resources
it would give you now and hereafter.
You are dividing peace and comfort,
and satisfaction, and Christiap reYard i,
in your soul. You are dividing the spoil !
One sabbath night at tue close Of |
the service, i said TO some persons: !.
when did you first become serious
about your soul?'' And they told me;
Tonight" And said 10 others: |
"When did you give your heart otiOd?'
And they said: Tonight. And | said
TO still others; when did you resolve
to serve the Lord all the days of your
life?'' And they said: Tonight. Z
saw by the gayetv Of their apparel that
when the grace Of God struck them
they were dcvouring the prey; but /
saw also. IN the food Of joyful tears
md in the kindling raptnres on their
brow, and in their exhilarant and
utterances. that they were
the spoil. Ii you have been
n this building when the. lights are
truck at night you know that with one
ouch OF electricity they are all blaled.
}. | would to God that the darkness Of
your souls might be broken up. and :
hat by one quick. Overwhelming, in
tantaneous fash Of illumination yoa
night be brought into the light and
he liberty of the sons Of God.
You see that religion is a different
hing from what some of YOU people
You thought it was de-
adence: you thought religion was
you thought II was high
say robbery; that it struck one down
nd left him half dead: that it pluclSed
ut his eyes; that it plucked out the
lumes of the soul; that il broke the
ring and crushed the bealS as it came !
having with its black talons through
he air. No, that is not religion. What
religion? 1t is dividing the spoils.
[ is taking defenseless soul and
anoplying it for eternal conquest 1t
the distribution of prizes by the :
.ing's hand. every medal stamped .
18th coronation. tits an exhilaration.
n expansion. II is inparadisation. 1t
enforcement Religion makes a
ian master of earth. of death and hell.
goes forth to gather the medals of
Ictory won by Prince Emmanuel, and
ie diadems of Heaven, and the glories !.
I realms Terrestrial, and then. after a
lnging all worlds for everything that
Respondent, it divides the spoil.
hat was il that James Turner. the
Lmous English evangelist. was doing
hen. in his dying moments, he said:
Christ is ALL Christ is air. Why, he
as entering into light; he was round
g the Cape of Good Hope: he was
vldlng the spOll. w nat was the dSeu
1ristian Quakeress doing, when at
ghty years of age she arose in the
Getting one day and said: The time
my departure is come. My grave
othes are falling off" She was d.
ding the spoil.
She longed with wings 10 fly away
And mix with that eternal day.
hat is Daniel now doing. the lion
mer? and Elijah, who was drawn by
e flaming coursers? and Paul, the
ttling of whose chains made kings
lake? and all the other victims of
,od, and fire, and wreck, and guillo-
are they? Dividing the
oil
Ten thousand times ten thousand,
In sparkling rainrnt bright
The armies OF the ransomed saints
Throng up the sleeps OF light
IT'S finished all is finished, -
Their FIGHT with death and sin;
Lift high your golden gates
And let The victors in.
o. what grand thing il is to be