Democratic messenger., 1893-12-16
IN the last hour, just how the heavens
kreW black In the facc nj tho tartnro

grew black In the face at the torture.
He heard that recited every day by people
who were acquainted with all the circum-
stances. and yet in the fresh memory of that
scene he goes tn prosecute Christ s disciples,
impatient at the time IL takes to feed the
horses at the inn, not pulling at the snaffie,
but riding with loose rein faster and faster.
oh, he was the chief of sinners, No out.
break Of modesty when he SAIL that. He
was murderer. He stood by when Stephen
died and helped in the execution of that
good man. When the rabble wanted to be
hnimpeded in their work Of destroying
Stephen and wanted to take Off their coats,
but did not dare To lay them down lest they
be- stolen, Paul said. "fll take care of the
roats, and they put them down mt the feet
NJ Paul. and he watched the coats. and he
watched the hOrrid mangling Of glorious
Stephen.
IL il a wonder that when he fell from the
horse he did not break his neck-that his
foot did not catch somewhere i'm the trap
pings Of the saddle and he wrs not dragged
or kicked to death! He deserved to die,
miserably. wretchedly and forever, not
withstanding all his metaphysics and his
eloquence. and his logic He was the chief
Of sinners. He said what was true when he
said that. And yet the grace Of God saved
him, and so it will you. IL there n any
man in this house who thinks he is too bad
to be saved and says, II have wandered
very grievously from God: I do not believe
there is any hope for me- tell you the
story Of this man In the text who was
brought to Jesus Christ in spite of his sins
and opposition.
| There may he some here who are as stout-
ly opposed to Christ as Paul was. There
may be some here who ARE captive of their
sins rs much 80 as the young man who said
In regard to his ,lissipating habits: II will
keep ON with them know | am breaking
my mothers heart. and know I am kill
ing myself. and I know that when die
shall go to hell. but it is now too late to
stop"
AN ENCOURAGING EXAMPLE.
The steed ON which you ride may be
swifter and stronger and higher mettled
than that ON which the Cilician prosecutor
rode, but Christ can catch il by the bridle
and hurl 1t back and hurl il down. There
Is mercy for you who say you are too bad
10 he saved. You say you have put of the
matter so long; Paul had neglected il a
great while. You say that the sin you have
committed has been among the most az
gravating circumstances; that was so with
Paul's.
You say you have exasperated Christ and
coaxed your own ruin; so did Paul And
yet he sits today on one Of the highest of
the heavenly thrones. and there Is mercy
for you, and good days for you and glad
ness for you. il you will only take the same
Christ which first threw him down and
then raised him up. IL seems to me as il
can see Paul today rising up from the high
way to Damascus. and brushing off the
dust from his cloak, and wiping the sweat
Of excitement from his brow, as he turns To
us and all the ages, saying This a faith
full saying and worthy of all acceptation
that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners, Of whom am chief
Once more, learn from this subject that
there is a tremendous reality in religion. If
1t had been mere optical delusion ON the
road to Damascus. was not Paul just the
man to find it out' II il had been a sham
and pretense, would he not have pricked
the bubble: He was man Of facts and
arguments, Of the most gigantic intellec-
tual nature. and not n man Of hallucina-
tions. And when I see him fall from the
saddle. blinded and overwhelmed, I say
there must have been something in il.
And, my dear brother. you will find that
there is something i'm religion somewhere.
The only question is. Where:
There was man who rode from Stam-
ford to London. % miles. ia five hours ON
horseback. Very swift. There was wom-
an of Newmarket who rUie ON horseback a
thousand miles in thousand hours. Very
swift. But there are those here. ave, all of
us are speeding ON at tenfold that velocity,
at II thousanifold that rate. toward eterni-
~. May Almighty God. from the opening
heavens. flash upon your souls this hour
the question of your eternal destiny. and
oh, that Jesus would this hour overcome
you with his parioning mercy as he stands
here with the pathos of broken heart and
sobs into your ear: Il have come for thee
l come with my back raw from the beat
ing. | come with my feet mangled with
the nails come with my brow aching
from the twisted bramhle. come with
my heart bursting for your woes. can
stand it no longer. l am Jesus whom
thou persecutest."