The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-02-14

the Holy Spirit took that text for his eternal
redemption. might speak OF my own case.
will tell you was brought to the peace OF the
gospel through the Syro-Ph ~n;cian woman's
cry to Christ. "Even the ia : eat Of the
crumbs that fall from the Masters table"
Do you know that the holy spirit almost
always uses insignificant means? Eloquent
sermons never save anybody. Philosophical
sermons never save anybody. Metaphysical
sermons never save anybody. But the
minister comes some Sabbath to his pulpit
worn out with engagements and the jang-
ling of frenzied doorbell. He has only a
text and two or three ideas, but he says ::
30 Lord. help me. Here are good many
people may never meet again. have not
much to say. Speak Thou through my poor
lips" And before the service Is done there
are fearful eyes and q solemnity like the
judgment.
The great French orator, when the dead
King lay before him. looked up and cried,
God only is great !" and the triumph OF
his eloquence has been told by the his
torians. But have not heard that one soul
was saved by the oratorical flourish. Worldly
critics may think that the early preaching
of Thomas Chalmers was u masterpiece.
But Thomas Chalmers says he never began
to preach until he came out OF the stckroom,
white and emaciated, and told men the
simple story OF Jesus. In the great day OF
eternity it will be found that the most souls
have been brought to Christ not by the
Bossuets and Massillons and Bourdaloues.
but By humble men, who, in the strength OF
God and believing in the eternal spirit, in
vited men to Jesus.
There were wise salves. there were excel
lent ointments, suppose, In the time OF
Christ for blind and inflamed eyes. But
Jesus turned His back upon them and put the
tip OF His finger to His tongue, and with the
spittle that adhered to the finger He anoint-
ed the eyes OF the blind man, and daylight
poured into his blinded soul. So It is now
that the spirit Of God takes that humble
prayer meeting talk, which seems to be the
very saliva Of Christian influence, and anoints
the eyes of the blind and pours the sunlight
OF pardon and peace upon the soul.
Oh, my friend, wish we could feel it more
and more that II any good is done 1t is by the
power Of Gods omniporent spirit. do not
know what hymn may bring you to Jesus. lido
not know what words ofthe Scripture lesson ]
read may save your soul. Perhaps the spirit
of God may hurl the very text into your
heart, s'Come, for all things are now ready"
Again, the church Is ready. man, II l
could take the curtain off these Christian
hearts. could show you great many ankle.
ties for your redemption. You think that
old man Is asleep because his head Is down
and his eyes are shut. No he Is praying for
your redemption and hoping that the WORDS
spoken may strike your heart. Doyou know
the air is full Of prayer? Do you know that
prayer is going up from Fulton street prayer
meeting and from Friday evening prayer
meeting. and going up every hour OF the day
for the redemption of the people? And II
YOU should Just start toward the door OF the
Christian church, how quickly it would fly
open! Hundreds OF people would say "Give
that man room at the sacrament: Bring the
silver bowl for his baptism. Give him the
right hand of Christian fellowship. Bring
him into all Christian associations"
Oh, YOU wanderer on the cold mountains,
come into the warm sheepfold. 1 let down
the bars and bid you come In. Win the
shepherds crook point you the way. Hun
dreds Of Christian hands beckon you into
the church Of God. great many people 40
not like the church, and say 1t is a great
mass OF hypocrites, but 1t Is glorious
church with all its imperfections. Christ
bought it, and hoisted the pillars, and swung
its gates, and lifted its arches, and cur
tanned il with upholstery crimson with cru
eiHxion carnage. Come into it.
We are garden walled around.
Chosen and made peculiar ground,
A little spot inclosed by grace
Out of the worlds wild wilderness.
Arain. the angels OF God are ready. A
great many Christians think that the talk
about angels is fanciful. You sayit Is very
good subject for theological students who
have just begun to sermonize, but for elder
men it is improper: There is no more PROOF
In that Bible that there Is God than there
are angels. Why, do not they swarm about
Jacobs ladder? Are we not told that they
conducted Lazarus upward that they stand
before the throne, their faces covered up
with their wings. while they cry, "Holy,
holy is the Lord God Almighty" Did not
David see thousands and thousands? Did
not one angel slay 5000 men in SIENNA.
cherib's army? And shall they not be the
chief harvesters at the judgment?
There is line Of loving, holy, mighty
angels reaching to heaven. suppose they
reach from here to the very gate, and when
an audience is assembled for Christian wor-
ship the air Is full OF them. II each one OF
you has guardian angel, how many oeles-
tials there are here! They crowd the place,
they hover, they fit about, they rejoice.
Look, that spirit is just come from the
throne A moment ago it stood before Christ
and heard the doxology Of the glorif1ed.
Look: Bright, immortal, what news from
the golden city! Speak, spirit blest The
response comes melting on the air, Come,
for all things are now ready"
Angels ready to bear the tidings, angels
ready to drop the benediction, angels ready
to kindle the joy. They have stood in glory
they know all about 1t. They have felt the
Joy that is felt where there are no tears and
ism; songs, but no groans wedding bells,
but no funeral torches eyes that never weep,
hands that never blister. heads that never
faint, hearts that never break, friendships
that are never weakened,
Ready. all OF them Ready, thrones, prin.
cipallties and powers! Ready, Ieraphim and
cherubim! Ready, Michael the Archangel
Again, your kindred in glory are all ready
for your coming. pronounce modern
spiritualism fraud and sham. II John
Milton and George Whitefeld have no better
business than to crawl under table and rat
tie the leaves, they had bettsr stay at home
in glory. While believe that modern spir-
itualisn is bad because OF its mental and
domestic ravages, common sense, enlight-
ened by the word Of God, teaches US that
our friends in glory sympathize with our re-
demption.
The Bible says plainly there is joy in
heaven among the angels Of God over one
sinner that repenteth, and II angels rejoice
and know of it shall not our friends stand
ing among them know il? Some OF these
spirits in glory toiled for your, redemption;
When they came to die, their chief grief was
that you were not Christian. They said,
meet me in heaven" and put their hands
out from the cover and said, "Goodby,' y
Now, suppose you should cross over from
Il sinful life to holy life. Suppose you
should be born into the kingdom. Suppose
you should now say: Farewell, o decsitful
world! Get thee gone, nv sin! File upon
all the follies! o Christ. help me or per.
ish take my promise. believe Thy word.
Ienter Thy service"
Suppose you should say and do this? Why,
80 angel sent to you would shout upward,
ssHe Is comingn' and the angel poising