Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-06-30
REV. DR. TALMAGE.
rHE BkODEI YIN DIVlSE'R Sun
DAY SERMON.

v.ni.nt season l will call for thee. Acts
xiv. Is.
A city OF marble wa. Cesa.Aa-wharves Of
marble. houses NJ marble. temples OF mar.
hl~. The rri.g the ordinary architecture OF
the risce. You may Imsgin. something o'fhe
.piendor o. Governor Felix's residence. In
n room Of that palace. floor tessellated. win
doxs cur.ainei. ceiling ~frettei. the whole
scene afhuant with Tyrian purple and stat
nes and pictures AMI carvings, N. a very
lark compiexionAi man oi the mama OF Fee
Tx, and beside him \ woman OF eY'raori;-
nary beauty, whom he hal stolen by break
ing up another domestic circle. She was
nniy eighteen years OF age. a princess by
birth. and uuwiftinf:iy waiting for her doom
that Of being buried alive In the ashes anil
scor;m OF Mount Veeuvius. which in sudden
eruption one day put al end to her aboni-
nations,
Well. one afternoon Drusilln. seated In the
palace. weary with the magnificent stupidi-
ties OF the place. says TO Felix You have
q very distinguishes prisoner. / believe. OF
the name OF Pau. Do You know he ia one
Of my countryman? should very much like
10 see him. and should very much like to
hear him speak. for I have heard so much
about his eloqnencr. Besides that the other
Hay. when ne was being tried in another
room Of this palace and the windows were
open. l heard the applause that greeted the
speech OF Lawyer Tertullus rs he denounced
Paul. Now, l very much wish / could hear
Paul speak. Won't you let me hear him
speak" Yes said Felix. II will. l will
order him no now from the guardroom.
Ciank. clank. comes a chain up the marble
stairway. and there Is a shuf1s at the door,
and in comes Paul., n little old man. prema-
tnrely old through exposure. only sixtyyears
~ age. hut looking as though he were eighty.
He bows very courteously before the COVER
nor aud the beautiful woman by his side.
Thnv n tSpunl W. h q IN haa rd n DYaaf an4t
about your speaking. Give US now a speci-
men Of your eloquencc." Oh. IL there ever
was a chance for q man to show of, Paul
had n chance there! He might have har-
nncued them abe ut Grccian art. about the
wonderful waterworks he had seen at Corinth.
about tho Acropolis by moonlight. about
prison life ir Philippi, about "what l saw in
Theesaionica.' about the old Inythologies,
Int NO" Pau said to himself. II an now
on the way to martyrdom. and this man and
woman will soon be dead. and this is my
only opportunity to talk to them about the
things of eternity"
And just there and then there broke in
upon the scene 4 peal OF thunder. 1t was the
voice Of n judgment day speaking through
tho words OF the de:repit apostle. AS that
grand old missionary proceeded with his re-
marks the stoop begins TO 90 out OF his
shoulders. and he rises up. and his counte-
nance Is illumined with the glories Of q future
wv. nIil us otttN I uhA III 80 LO
lifts his fe,tered arm and with 1t hurts upon
his abashed auditors the bolts OF Gods in
.tiCnation. Felix grew very white about the
lips. His heart beat unevenly. He put his
hand to his brow as though TO stop the
auickness ana violence OF his thoughts. He
,irew his robe tighter about him.. as under a
sudden chill. His eyes glare. and his knees
shake. and rs he clutches the side OF his
chair in IL 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 l have q convenient
season. l will call for thee"
A young man came one night TO our ser.
vices, with pencil in hand. to caricature the
whole scene and make mirth of those who
should express any anxiety about their souls.
but l met him ut tho door, his face very
white. tears running down his cheek, as he
said. dc you think there is any chance for
me?' Felix trembled. and 50 may God grant
It may he SO with others.
propose to give you two or three reasons
why l think Felix sent Paul back TO the
guardroom and adjourned the whole subject
Of religion. The first reason was, he did not
want to give up his sins. He looked around.
There was Drusilla. He knsw that when he
became n Christian he must send her back to
Azzius, her awful husband, and he said to
himself, II will risk the destruction OF nv
immortal soul sooner than | will do TINT"
How many there are now who cannot get to
ne Christians because they will NOT abandon
their sins, In vain all their prayers and all
heir ~churchgoinG. You cannot keep these
larling SINS and win heaven. and now some
Of you will have to decide between the wine
up and unlawful amuSenents AMI lasciyi-
Gus qualifications on the one hand and eter-
unl salvation on the other.
Dclilah sheared the locks of Samson Sa-
ONO danced Herod into the pit Drusilla
locked up the way to heaven for Felix. Yet
when | present tn. subject now l fear that
>ome Of YOU will say Not quite yet. Don't
Ne so preclpitate in your demands. 1 have a
ew tickets yet that | have TO use. l have a
cw enSageinentst that / must keep. want
To stay 4 little longer iii the whiri of con-
r.vial,fy-a few more outlaws OF unclean
laughter. n few more steps on tho roa 10
death. and then, sir. l will liste n to waat you
say. Go thy way Tor this time. When 1
have a convenient season, l will call for
thee
Another reason why Felix sent Paul 70 the
guardroom and adjourned this subject was
ho was SO very busy. In ordinary tiihes he
founi tho affairs OF state absorbing. ~,
those were extraor binary times. The wirol
land was ripe for Instruction. The Sjcsrii
n band o. assassins. were already prowitnt
around the palace. and l suppos he thought
Il can't attend to religion while I am 8
pressed by affairs Of state" 1t was husines
among other things that ruined his soul. an
L suppose there are thousands OF people VIII,
are not children OF Goi becausAthev have s.
much business. II is business in the store
Losses. gains. unfaithfuI employees.
Ii ia business In your law offre-sub
pcHnas. wriis you hav. TO write out. paper
you have 10 file. arguments YOU have 4
make. 1t IL your medical profession. wit
It's broken nights and the exhausted ankle
ties OF life hanging upon your treatment.
Is your real estate ONCE. your business witt
landlords and tenants and the failure OF me,
10 meet their obligations with Won. Ave
with some % those who are here il is 4 the an
noyance OF the kitchen. ani,he sitting room
and the parlor-:ha wearing ECONOMY oftrv
ms to meet large expenses with n small ia
come. Ten thousand voices OF business
business. business drown the voice OF RI
eternal Spirit. silencing the voice % the al
vancinc judgment day. overcoming the vote
OF eternity, and thew cannot hear they can
not listen. They say. go .hv way for thi
time. Sone Of you look upon YOU, goods
look upon your profession. YOU look upo
your memorandum books. and you see tn
demands tina. ARE made this very week upor
your tim" and your patience and YOU
money. and while / Am cnsrea,ing Won ahou
your soul and the danger OF procrAssinssio,