Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-11

people who knew Christ, people with
good oversight whom Jesus had
cured of blindness, people who were
dead, and who had been resurrected by
the Savior, and people who could tell
Paul all the particulars Of the crucifx-
ion-just how Jesus looked In the last
hour-just how the heavens grew
black in the face at the torture. He
heard that recited every day by people
who were acquainted with
ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
and yet in the fresh memory Of that
scene he goes to persecute Christ's d 5.
ciples, impatient at the time 1t 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 outbreak Of modesty
when be said 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
unimpeded in their work Of destroying
Stephen, and wanted to take of their
coats, but did not dare to lay them down
lest they be stolen, Paul said, "pll take
care Of the coats" and they put them
down at the feet of Paul, and he
watched the coats, and he watched the
horrid mangling Of glorious Stephen. Is
10 a wonder that when he fell from the
horse he did not break his neck-that
his foot did not catch somewhere In the
trappings Of the saddle and he was
dragged and kicked to death? He de-
served to die miserably, wretchedly
and forever, Notwithstanding all the
meta physics, 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. II there is any
man In this house who thinks he is too
bad to be saved, and says, Il have wan
dered very previously from God, 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 be some here who are as
sUoutly opposed to Christ as Paul was.
There may be some here who are cap
tive OF their sins as much as the young
man who said in regart to his dissipat-
ing habits, II will keep on with them.
know 1 am breaking my mothers
heart, and l know / am killing myself,
and / know that when die shall go
to hell, but it is now too late to STOP"
THE sTEED ON WHICH YOU RIDE
may ne swlfter, and stronger, and high
er-mettled than that on which the
Cilician prosecutor rode, but Christ can
catch il by the bride, and hurl it back
and hurl it down, There Is mercy for
you who say you are too bad to
be saved. You say you have put off
the matter so long. Paul had neglected
IL a great while. You say that the sin
YOU have committed has been amidst
the most aggFavating 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 to-day on one OF the highest OF
the heavenly thrones; and there Is
mercy for you, and good days for you,
II you will only take the same Christ
which threw him down and then raised
him up. 1t seems to me as II L can
see Paul to-day rising up from the hig IN
way to Damascus and brushing of the
dust from his cloak ard wiplng the
sweat of excitement from his brow, as
he turns to us and all the ages saying,
This 4 faithful saying, and worthy
Of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners, OF
when / am chief"
Once more: l learn from this subjecl
that there is a tremendous reality in re-
ligion. If it had been mere optical
delusion on the road TO Damascus, was
not Paul Just the man to find it out? If
it had been a sham and pretense, would
be not have pricked the bubble? He
was a man of facts and arguments, OF
the most gigantic intellectual nature,
and not man of Authorizations. And
when l see him fall from the saddle,
blinded and overwhelmed, l say there
must have been something in it.
AND, MY DEAR BROTHER,
you will find that there Is something in
somewhere. The only question
is, where?
There was a man who rode from SIAM
ford to London, ninety-6ve miles, in
five hours on horseback. Very swift.
There was woman of Newmarket who
rode on horseback thousand miles In
a thousand hours. Very swift. But
there are those here. aye, all Of US are
speeding on at teniold that velocity, at
a thousandfold that velocity, toward
eternity. May Almighty God, from the
opening heavens, flash upon your soul
this hour the question Of your eternal
destiny, and oh that Jesus would this
hour overcome you with his pardoning
mercy, eS he stands here with the pa
thos OF broken heart and sObs into
vonr ear. ~ have come for you. come