Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-03-30
on, so in Boston, so in Philadelphia, 50

ton, so in Boston, 80 in Philadelphia, 80
everywhere.
l know the tract societies are doing 4
grand and glorious work, but tell you there
is no power on earth to day equal to the
tactthat the American printing press Is tax
ing up the sermons which are preached to
few hundred or a few thousand people and
on Monday morning and Monday evening, in
the morning and evening papers, scattering
that truth to the millions. What thought
it is What an encouragement for every
Christian man.
Besides that, have you noticed that during
the past few years every one OF the doctrines
OF the Bible came under discussion In
the secular press? Do you not remember
few years ago, when every paper in the
United States had an editorial on the sub
ject, ''Is There Such Thing as Future Pun
ishment?" It was the strangest thing that
there should be a discussion in the secular
papers that subject, but every paper III
the United States and in Christendom dis
cussed. SIS There Such a Thing Retribu-
lionP' 1 know there were small wits who
made sport of the discussion, but there was
not an intelligent man on earth who, as the
result of that discussion, did not ask himself
the question, ''What is going to be my eter-
nal destiny7'' So it was in regard to TYndalIs
prayer gauge.
About twelve years ago, you remember,
the secular papers discussed that, and with
lust as much earnestness the religious
papers, and there was not a man in Christen-
dom who did not ask himself the question
SIS there anything in prayer? May the
creature impress the CreatOr?" Oh, what a
mighty fact. what a gloriouG fact-the secu-
lar printing press and the pulpit OF the
church of Jesus Christ harnessed in the same
team
Then look at the international series OF
Sunday-school lessons. Do you know that
every Sabbath, between and o'clock, there
are 5000, 900 children studying the same les
soma lesson prepared by the leading minds
OF the country and printed in the papers
and then these subjects are discussed and
given over to the teachers, who give them
over to the children2 So, whereas, once, and
within our memory, the children nibbled
here and there at story in the Bible, now
they are taken through from Genesis to Re-
velation, and we shall have 5000, 900 chill
dren forestal1ed for Christianity. My soul is
full of exutation. l feel as if l could shout
I will shout, "Alleluia, the Lord God ON
nipotent reignethn n'
Then you notice a more significant fact, If
you have talked with people on the subject,
that they are getting dissatisfied with
philosophy and science as a matter of
comfort. They say it does not amount to
anything when you have dead child in the
house. They will tell you, when they were
sick and the door of the future seemed
opening, the only comfort they could find
was in the Gospel. People are having
demonstrated all over the land that science
and philosophy cannot solace the trouble
and woes of the world, and they want some
other religion, and they are taking Chris
tianity the only sympathetic religion that
ever came into the world.
Now, there are some men who say they
have never seen Christ crowned in the heart,
and they do not believe it is ever done. There
is group of men who say they have never
heard the voice of Christ they have never
heard the voice of God. They do not believe
frau Ua ho1rd-that
anything like it ever occurred. l point to
1000, 900 or 100000 people who say
"Christ was crowned in our hearts affec-
tiOns; we have seen Him and felt Him in our
souls. and we have heard His voice we have
heard it in storm and darkness we have
heard it again and again" Whose testimony
will You take? These men who say they
have not heard the voice, have not seen the
coronation, or will you take the thousands
and millions of Christians who testify of
what they saw with their own eyes and heard
with their own ears?
Yonder is an aged Christian after fifty
years experience of the power Of gOdliness
In his soul. Ask this man whether. when he
buried his dead, the religion of Jesus Christ
was not a consolation. Ask him if through
the long years of his pilgrimage the Lord
ever forsook him. Ask him if, when he looks
forward to the future, if he has not peace
and Joy, and a consolation the world can
not take away. Put this testimony Of what
he has seen and what he has felt opposite to
the testimony of man who says he has not
seen anything on the subject or felt anything
On the subject. Will you take the testimony
of people who have not seen or people who
have seen?
You say morphia puts one to sleep. You
say in time OF sickness it is very useful.
deny 1t. Morphia never puts anybody to
S5e'Pi me why T I say that. t have never
tried It. never took it. I deny
that morphia Is any soothing to the
nerves or any quiet in time Of sickness.
deny that morphia ever put ANYBODY to
sleep, but here are twenty persons who say
they have all felt the soothing effects of
physicians prescribing morphine Whose
testimony will you take? Those who took
the medicine or my testimony, I never hav-
Ing taken the medicine? Here is the Gospel
of Jesus Christ, an anodyne for all trouble,
the mightiest medicine that ever came down
to earth. Here is a man who says: II
don't believe in it. There is no power in 1t. :"
Here are other people who say "We have
found out its power and know its soothing
influence. It has cured u.s." Whose testi-
mony will you take in regard to this healing
medicine.
I feel that have convinced every man in
this house that it is utter folly to take the
testimony of those who have never tried the
Gospel of Jesus Christ in their own heart and
life. We have tens Of thousands of wit
neS9eS, / Upll6V0 you dEeTSdty ~ ldhS IllSII
testimony. Young man, do not be ashamed
to be- friend of this Bible. Do not put your
thumb in your vest, as young men sometimes
do, and swagger about talking of the glori-
Gus light of the nineteenth century and Of
there being no need Of Bible. They have
the light of nature in India and China and in
all the dark places on earth. Did you ever
hear that the light of nature gavethem COM
fort for their trouble? They have lancets to
cut and juggernauts to crush, but no COM
fort. All, my friends, you had better stop
your skepticism. Suppose you are put in
this crisis: Oh, father, your child is dying.
What are you going to say to her?
Colonel Ethan Allen was famous inf1del
in his day. His wife was a very consecrated
woman. The mother instructed the daugh-
ter in the truths of Christianity. The daugh-
ter sickened and was about to die, and she
said to her father: "Father, shall I take
your instruction, or shall take mothers i'll
struction? I am going to die now. / must
have this matter decided" That man who
had been loud in his infidelity, said to his
dying daughter, "NTy dear, you had better
take your mothers religion" My advice is
the same to you--oh, young man, you had
better take your mothers religion. You
know how it comforted her. You know
what she said to you when she was dying.
You had better take your mothers religion
Surgery on Tiger.
An ioit