Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-07-20

at is only 2 o'clock in the afternoon. You
have lost that battle, but we have time
enough to win another. Charge upon the
foe"
Though the meridian of life has passed
with you, and you have been routed in
many a conflict, give not up in discourage
ment. There are victories yet for you to
gain. But sometimes monetary disaster
comes to a man when there is something in
his age or something in his health or some
thing in his surroundings which make him
know well that he will never get up again.
In 1857 it was estimated that for many
years previous to that time annually there
had been 10000 failures in the United
States Many of those persons never re-
covered from the misfortune. But let me
give word of comfort in passing The
sheriff may sell you out of many things,
but there are some things of which he can
not sell you out. lie cannot sell out your
health. lie cannot sell out your family.
He cannot sell out your Bible. lie cannot
sell out your God. He canuot sell out your
heavenl You have more than you have lost.
Sons and daughters of God, children of
an eternal and all loving Father, mourn
not when your property goes. The world
is yours, and life is yours, and death is
yours, and immortality is yours, and
thrones ofimperial graudeurare yours, and
rivers of gladness are yours, and shining
mansions are yours, and God is yours The
eternal God has sworn it, and every time
you doubt it you charge the king of heav-
en- and earth with perjury. Instead of
complaining how hard you have it, 90
home, take up your Bible full of promises,
get down on your knees before God and
hot N n
spending so much time in complaining
pbout what you have not.
THE ARK OF SAFETY.
Some of you remember the shipwreck of
the Central America. This noble steamer
had, think, about 500 passengers aboard.
Suddenly the storm came, and the surgcs
trampled the decks and swung into the
matches, and there went up a hundred voiced
death Shrek. The foam on the jaw of the
wave. Tho pitching of the steamer as
though it were leaping mountain. The
dismal flare of the signal rockets. The
long cough of the steam pipes. The hiss of
the eXtinguished furnaces. The walking of
God on the wavel The steamer went not
down without a struggle.
AS the passengers stationed themselves
in rows to bail out the vessel, bark to the
thump of the buckets, as men unused to
toll, with blistered hands and strained
muscle, tug for their lives. There is sail
seen against the sky. The flash Of the dis
tress gun sounded. Its voice is heard not,
for it is chokcd in tho louder booming of
the sea. A few passengers escaped, but
the steamer gave one great lurch and was
gonel So there are some men who sail on
prosperously in life. All's we'll, all's well
But at last some financial disaster comes
a euroclydon. Down they go! the bottom
of this commercial sea strewn with shat
tered hulks.
But because your property goes, do not
let your soul go. Though all else perish,
save that. For have to tell you Of more
stupendous shipwreck than that which
have just mentioned. God launched this
world G,000 years ago. 1t has been going
on under freight of mountains and lmmor-
tails but one day it will stagger at the cry
of fire. The timbers of rock will burn, the
mountains flame like masts and the clouds
like sails in the judgment hurricane. Then
God shall take the passengers off the deck,
and from the berths those who have long
been asleep in Jesus, and he will set them
far beyond the reach of storm and peril.
But how many shall go down, that will
never be known untilit shall be announced
one day in heaven, the shipwreck of Il
world Oh, my dear hearers whatever you
lose, though your houses 60, though yoIr
lands 90, though all your earthly posses
siOns perish, may God Almighty through
the blood of the everlasting covenant, save
all your souls