Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-06-16

Office, let me have some of the high
positions of trust and power, and then
/ will attend to religion, but not now.
go thy way for this time. When l
have a convenient season, l will call
for theel'"
And now my subject takes a deeper
tone, and it shows what a dangerous
thing is this deferring of religion.
When Paul's chain ratified down the
marble stairs of Felix, that was Felix's
last chance for heaven. Judging from
his character aftcrward, he was repro
bate and abandoned. And so was Dru-
silla.
One day in southern Italy there was
a trembling CT the Garth, and the air
rsat black with smoke intershot with
liquid rocks, and Vesuvius rained upon
Drusilla and upon her son a horrible
tempest of ashes and fire. They did not
reject religion. They only put it off.
They did not understand that that day,
that that hour when Paul stood before
them, was the pivotal hour upon which
everything was poised, and that it tip
ped the wrong way. Their convenient
season came when Paul and his guards
man entered the palace. 1t went away
when Paul and his guardsman left.
Have you never seen men waiting for a
convenient season. There is such a
great fascination about it that, though
you may have great respect to the truth
of Christ, yet somehow there is in your
soul the thought. Not quite yet. 1t is
not time for me to become a Chris
tian." ] say to a boy. Seek Christ. "
He y mo Wait until | get to be q
young man. ! say to the young man,
"Seek Christ. He says, ''Wait until !
come to rnidlife. ] meet the same per,
son in midlife. and | say, Seek
Christ" He says, "Wait until l get
old. ] meet the same person in old
age and say to him, Seek Christ 3"
He says, "Wait until l am on my dying
bed" am called to his dying couch.
His last moments have come. | bend
over the couch and listen for his last
words | have partially to guess what
they are by the motion Of his lips, he is
so feeble. but rallying himself lie whis-
pers until ] can hear him say, lam
-waiting-for-a- more-convenient
season.. and he is gonei
Now Is the Time.
can tell you when your convenient
season will come. ] can tell you the
year. 1t Will be 1894. | can tell you
what kind Of a day it will be. 1t will
be the Sabbath day | can tell you what
hour it will be. 1t will be between s and
10 O'Clock. In other words, 1t is now,
Do you ask nc how | know this is your
convenient season. ! know 1T because
you are here. and because the Holy
Spirit is here, and because the elect sons
and daughters of God are praying for
your redemption All ! know it is your
convenient season because some of you,
like Felix. tremble as all your past life
comes upon you with its sin and all the
future life comes upon you with its ter
ror This night air is aglare with torch
es to show You up or to show you down
1t is rustling with wings to lift you
into light or smite you into despair, and
there is q rushing to and for, and a beat
ing against the door Of your souls with
agreat thunder of emphasis, telling you,
Now. now is the best time, as it may
be the only time
May God Almighty forbid that any of
you, my brethren or sisters, act the part
Of Felix and Drusilla and put away this
great subject If you are going to De
saved ever. why not begin tonight
Throw down your sins and take the
Lords pardon. Christ has Eeen tramp
ing after you many a day An Indian
and a white man became Christians.
The Indian, almost as SOON as he heard
the gospel. believed and was saved, but
the white man struggled on in darkness
for a long while before he found light.
After their peace in Christ the white
man said to the Indian, Why was it
that was kept 50 long i'll the dark
ness and you Immediately found peace?'
The Indian replied: II will tell you. A
prince along. and he offers you q
GOAT. Yor look at your coat, and yo3
say, My coat Is good enough, and you
refuse his offer, but the prince comes
along. and he offers me the coat, and
look at my old blanket, and | throw that
away and take his offer. You, sir
continued the Indian, ARE clinging to
your Owl righteousness, you think you
are good enough, and you keep your
wv righteouness, but have nothing.
nothing, and so when Jesus offers me
pardon and peace | simply take it.
My reader, why not now throw away
the wornout blanket of your sin and
take the robe of a Saviour's righteous
Hess-a robe SO white, SO fair. SO lps-
lrous, that no fuller on earth can whit
en- 1T q Shepherd. tonight bring
home the lost sheepi O Father, to-
night give a welcoming kiss TO the wan
prodigall o friend Of Lazarus, tonight
break down the door Of tho ~sepulcher
and say to all these dead souls as by IT,
resistible fiat: Live! Livei''