The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-05-09
FILE pnMANp Fon COLD.


THE DEMAND FOR GOLD.
Brief of the Sermon Recently Preached
by Rev. oliver @. MILLER.
Matthew 23:16: ''whosoeycr ehall swear by
the temple 1t IL nothing; but whatsoever shall
swear by the gold of the temple no Is a debtor !"
No minister can in this day OF uni.
versal enlightenment presume to be a
cognizance OF the great currents Of
human thought and life. The Bible is
the great comprehensive book of com
mon sonse and its truths are of universal
application. The recent act OF our
bankers and citizens in sending the ir
mite of gold to relieve the strain on the
National Treasury makes our city an
example that is more far reaching than
ono at first sight might suppose, and
in another way she Is elevating herself
in the eyes of the whole State-namely,
By her stand in supporting her churches
and ministry. 1t is safe to say that
never since Roanoke has been q COR
porate town has public sentiment been
80 universally in favor of high stan
dard for Christian life and church
membership. The spiritual life of our
people was imperiled by their great
temporal prosperity. But Roanoke is
redeemed, her temporal reverses have
brought her people to fix their minds
on things eternal; turned the tide in
favor OF her churches and tho feet Of
her citizens to the sanctuary for bless
i0gs that make rich and add no sorrow
thereunto.
A UNITED MINISTRY.
The Minister'S Union of tho city is an
organization so potent for good that no
evil instrumentalities can disregard it.
Men OF God in pulpit and peir are banded
together to promote tho highest hap
piness and spiritual life OF our people
every faithful eye of Christian mayor
sustained by council and executive
force in which Christian sentiment pre-
walls. The churches of Roanoke are
making conquests for King Jesus, and
not among the last OF the instrument.
talities sustaining them is the press
with it's Brierian hands upholding and
sustaining every effort for high moral
standard in church and citizenship
believe that the very angels around the
throne shout for joy over the fact that
no man Of God need fear in his denuncia-
ton Of sin, the falling upon him of an
avalanche Of public opion.
HAPPY CITY.
Happy is that city where individual,
pulpit and pre- IS may without intimida-
ton in language keyed up to the high
moral tone OF Chri tian excellence, dc.
nounce all forms OF iniquity. AS tho
before unimportant city of Wittenberg
was forever exalted in history by being
the starting point of the great Protest
ant reformation that has since swept
over tho earth. So might Roanoke in
her heroic effort for consistency in
Christian profession, make her infn-
eDce felt far and wide throughout the
continent, only let her ministers bs
clothed with salvation, let them be
fearless and faithful-not like the
Pharisees whom the Savior roproves in
the text for esteeming the gold greater
than the temple and the gift greater
than the altar by (which it is sanctified.
Alas. we too often fall under tho severe
rebuke of Christ by allowing our inter
est to stop within the gifts of God,
while the great Giver is forgotten.
Men too often make the fatal mistake
of considering themselves proprietors
OF Gods bounties instead of stewards to
whom he says occupy" (not OWN till
l come. We often think that gold is
the chief thing and to he first sought
after, when most likely the Savior
never took the word upon His lips. but
this one time. Gold, the standard OF
values. is a mighty power, but not
almighty. 1t is the gift of God, as a
legend tells us that legions of angels
at the Creators bidding flew around the
earth in its molten form and scattered
the precious flakes like the snow from
heaven, which became en- bedded in tho
ilinty quartz Marshall, the frst dis
coverer of gold On the Pacific slope,
fell victim to his precious discovery.
THINGS GOLD CANNOT DO
Gold is powerless to redeem lost
character, purchase happiness, produce
domestic felicity, create and maintain
iiliai love or buy back lost opportunities.
e noted woman, who had lived in
worldly pleasure and died as she had
lived, screamed as she was going into
eternity: 80, call them back" and be.
ing asked by friend: call what back?"
replied: "Those lost opportunities" All
the gold in the universe and the shrewd
fiDanciers of the world cannot bring
prosperity to the masses in the face of
the enormous waste brought about by
wickedness. Let the Bible wrapped in
the stars aud stripes be the symbol of
our national strength and the prosperity
Of our country is assured.
THE gold and silver were mine" mot
thine) saith the Lord. and thew are
gifts not to be compared in preciousness
to 1.-THE trial of your faith" IA good
name and loving favor" 1.-The statutes
of the Lord that rejoice the heart"
The old prophesy was fulfilled which
said, II will make man more precious
| than gold, when God sent His Son to
redeem us, not with silver nor gold, but
with Ills own precious blood. In re-
Spouse to this priceless Offering let US
| oiler our treasures and lives upon the
n liar ~ tho Tord E;obt,e;,-