The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-07-19

can uOb ue SdNcu dS uctdphy oiSiutti
you can not be saved as scholar; you
can not be saved as an artist; you can
not be saved as an official If you are
ever saved at all, it will be as sinner.
Another characteristic of the prayer
of the publican was, it had ring OF
confidence. 1t was not a cry of despair.
He knew he was going to get what he
asked for. He wanted mercy. He
asked for it, expecting it. And do you
tell me. o man, that God has provided
this salvation and is not going to let
you have It?
If a man builds bridge across riv-
err, will he not let people go over it2 If
physician gives prescription to a
sick man, will he not let him take it?
If an architect puts up a building, will
he not let people in it? If God provides
salvation, will he not let you have
it? Oh, if there be pharisee here,
man who says: am all right My
past life has been right. don't want
the pardon of the Gospel, for have no
sin to pardon, let me say that while
that man is in that mood there is no
peace for him, there is no pardon, no
salvation, and the probability is that
he will go down and spend eternity
withe the lost pharisees of the text.
But if there be here one who says,
| want to he, better; want to quit my
sins; my life has been very imperfect
life; how many things have / said that
should not have said; how many
things l have done ! should not have
done; want to change my life; want
to begin now; let me say to such a soul,
God is waiting, God is ready, and you
are near the kingdom, or rather you
have entered it, for no man says, am
determined to serve God and surrender
the sins of my life; here, now, l conse'
crate myself to the Lord Jesus Christ
who died to redeem memo man from
the depth of his soul says that he is al
ready Christian.
Nv uncle, Rev. Samuel X. Talmage,
of Augusta, Ca, was passing along the
streets of Augusta one day, and he saw
a man, black man, step from the side
walk out into the street, take his hat
off and bow very lowly. My uncle was
not a man who demanded obsequious-
ness and he said, What do you do
that forg' ooh, says the man, ''massa,
the other night was going along the
street, and l had a burden on my
shoulder, and l was sick, and | was
hungry, and / came to the door of
your church, and you were preach
ing about God be merci-
full to me- sinner!' and l stood there
at the door long enough to hear you
say that if man could utter that
prayer from the depths of his soul God
would pardon him and finally take him
to Heaven. Then ! put my burden on
my shoulder, and l started home
got to my home, and | sat down, and
said, God be merciful to me, sinner
but it got darker and darker and then,
massa, got down on my knees, and
said, God be merciful to me, a sinner
and the burden got heavier, and it got
darker and darker. ! knew not what
to do. Then l got down on my face,
and cried, Cod be merciful to me, a
sinnern and away off ] saw light
coming, and it came nearer and nearer
and nearer until all was bright in my
heart, and arose. am happy now
the burden is all gone-and | said tc
myself if ever l met you in the street
would get clear off the sidewalk, and
would bow down and take my hat of
before you. feel that l owe more to
, you than to any other man. That il
the reason bow before YOU"
, Oh, are there not many now who car
utter this prayer, the prayer of the
black man, the prayer of the publican
God be merciful to me, sinnerH
While / halt in the sermon, will you
not all utter it? l do not say audibly
I but utter it down in the depths of YOU
! souls consciousness Yes, the sigh goes
, all through the galleries, it goes al
through the pews, it goes all through
9 these aisles, sigh after sigh-God b'
, merciful to me, sinner!
Have you all uttered it? No, there i:
a one soul that has not uttered it-tot
:. proud to utter it, to hard to utter it. {
Holy Spirit, descend upon that on,
q heart Yes he begins to breathe i
now. No bowling of the head yet, bu
a the prayer is beginning-it is born. Coz
, be me merciful to me, sinner. Hav,
p all uttered it? Then ! utter it myself
, for no one in all the house needs i
Z more than my own soul-God be merci
Z full to me, a sinner!