The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-27
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S sun
DAY SERMON.
Subject: tsThe Excited Governor"

Texr: "Felix trembled and answered, Go
thy way for this time. When I have con-
yenient season I will call for thee. Acts
xiv, 25.
A city OF marble was CHsarea-wharves OF
marble. houses OF marble. temples OF mar.
Ible. This being the ordinary architecture OF
the place, YOU may imagine something oitne
splendor OF Governor Felix's residence. In
"a room OF that palace, floor tesseliateo, %ln-
dows curtained, ceiling fretted. the wno!e
scene af1uent with Tyrian purple and STAB
ues and pictures and carvings, SAT very
dark complexioned man OF the name OF Fe-
liz. and beside him a woman OF extraord1-
nary beauty, whom he had stolen By break
jne up another domestic circle. She was
only eighteen years of age. princess by
birth, and uuwittinyly waiting for her doom
that OF being buried alive In the ashes ana
scoria OF Mount Vesuvius, which IN sudden
eruption one day put an end TO ner aoom1-
nations. =,
Well, one afternoon Drusila, seated IN the
palace. weary with the magnificent stuptd1-
|. Ties Of the place, says to Felix "You have
a yery distinguished prisoner, believe, OF
the name Of Paul. Do you know he IS one
of nv countrymen? Ishould very much like
to see him, and should very much like 10
hear him speak, for have heard 30 much
about his eloquence. Besides that the other
tlay. when he was being tried in another
room M of this palace and the windows were
open, heard the applause that greeted the
speech Of Lawyer Tertullus as he denounced
Paul. Now, very much wish could hear
Paul speak. Won't you let me hear MIN
speak?" :'Yes," said Felix, II will. Will
order him up now from the guardroom;;
Cank, clank, comes chain up the marble
stairway, and there is shuttle at the door,
sr<la al A.
turely old through exposure, only sixty years
of age. but looking as though he were eighty.
He bows very courteously before the COVER
nor and the beautiful woman by his side:
They say: "Paul. we have heard great deal
about your speaking. Give US now speci-
men Of your eloquence." Oh, II there ever
was chance for a man to show on, Paul
had chance there! He might have har-
angued them abe ut Grecian art. about the
wonderful waterworks he had seen at Corinth,
about the Acropolis by moonlight. about
prison life il Philippi, about "what saw IN
Thessalonica," about the old nythologies,
but sNo!" Paul said to himself, II am now
on the way to martyrdom, and this man and
woman will soon be dead, and this fs my
only opportunity to talk to them about the
things Of eternity"
And Just there and then there broke IN
upon the scene peal Of thunder. It was the
VOlCS vi u juuSuCll ooS SpSonAtAS
the words OF the decrepft apostle. As that
grand old missionary proceeded with his re-
marks the stoop begins to go out OF his
shoulders, and he rises up, aud his counte-
nance is illumined with the glories OF future
Life, and his shackles rattle and grind as ne
lifts his fettered arm and with 1t hurls upon
his abashed auditors the bolts OF Gods in
dignation. Felix grew very white about the
lips. His heart beat uneyenly. he put his
hand to his brow as though to stop the
|. uuickness ana violence OF his thoughts. He
drew his robe tighter about him, as under
sudden chill. His eyes glare. and his knees
shake, and as he clutches the side OF his
chair in a very paroXysm OF terror he orders
the sheriff to take Paul back TO the guard
room. Felix trembled and said Go thy way
for this time. When have convenient
season, will call for thee"
A young man came one night to our SER
vices. with pencil in hand, to caricature the
whole scene md make mirth of those who
should express any anxiety about their souls,
but I met him ut the door, his face very
white, tears running down his cheek, as he
said, 1sDo you think there Is any chance for
meY" Felix trembled, and 80 may God granf
1t may be 90 with others.
propose to give you two or three reasons
why think Felix sent Paul back to the
guardroom and adjourned the whole subject
OF religion. The trst reason was, he did not
want to give up his sins. he looked around.
There was Drusilla. He knew that when he
became Christian he must send her backto
Azzius, her lawful husband, and he said to
himself, ~ will risk the destruction OF my
immortal soul sooner than will do that"
HOW many there are low who cannot get to
be Christians because they will not abandon
their sins In vain all their prayers and all
their churchgoing. You cannot keep these
darling sins and win heaven, and now some
of you will have to decide between the wine
cup and unlawful amusements and lascivt-
ous qualifications on the one hand and eter-
nal salvation on the other.
Delilah sheared the locks Of Samson; Sa-
lone danced Herod into the pit; Drusilla
blocked up the way to heaven for Felix. Yet
when present the subject now fear that
some OF you will say: ''Not quite yet. Don't
be so precipitate in your demands. I havea
few tickets yet that have to use. have
few engagements that must keep. want
to stay little longer in the whiri Of con-
VITALITY few more outlaws OF unclean
laughter, few more steps on the road to
death, and then, sir, I will listen to what you
say. go thy way for this time: When l
have convenient season, l will call Tor
thee"
Another reason why Felix sent Paul TO the
guardroom and adjourned this subject was
he was 50 very busy. In ordinary times ne
i found the affairs OF state absorbing, but
those were extraordinary times. The whole
land was ripe for insurrection. The Sicarii,
a band Of assassins, were already prowling
around the palace, andI suppose he thought,
ST can't attend to religion while I am 80
pressed by affairs Of state" It was business
among other things that ruined his soul, and
suppose there are thousands Of people who
are not children OF God because they have so
much business. It is business In the store
i losses. gains. unfaithful employees.
It is business In your law oface-sub-
poenas, writs you have to write out, papers
! you have to file, arguments you have to
make It Is your medical profession, with
fits broken nights and the exhausted ankle
ties OF life hanging upon your treatment. II
is your real estate office, your business with
landlords and tenants and the failure of men
to meet their obligations with you. Aye,
with some Of those who are here II Is the an
noyance Of the kitchen, andrhe sitting room,
and the parlor-the wearing economy ottry-
ing to meet large expenses with small in
come. Ten thousand voices Of "business,
business. business" drown the voice of rhe
eternal Spirit, silencing the voice of the ad-
vancinS judgment day, overcoming the voice