The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-06-21
a DANGEROUS DELAY.
The Rev. DIR, Talmage breaches Through
The PreBe.

mage. who is now speeding aCl Oss the
Pacific to Honolulu on his round the
world Journey, has collected as the sub.
iect for sermOnic discourse through the
press today 1.-THE Excited Governor"
the text being taken from Acts XIV, rs:
"Felix trembled, and answered: Go thy
way for this time. When l have con-
venient season, will call for thee"
A city Of marble WAS CW,area-whar-
yes OF marble, houses OF marble, temples
OF marble. This being the ordinary
architecture Of tho place, you may im-
agine something of the splendor OF Gov.
ernor Felix's residence. In Il room Of
that palace, floor tesseliated, windows
curtained, celling fretted, the whole sceno
aflluent with Tyrian purple and statues
and pictures and carvings, sat q very
dark cOmpleXioned mau OF The name OF
Felix, and beside HIM q woman Of cx.
traordlnary beauty, whom he had stolen
by breaking up another domestic circle.
by birth and unWittin@lY waiting for her
doom--that OF being buried alive in the
ashes and scorir Of Mount Vcsuvius,
which IN sudden eruption one day put au
end to her abominations.
Well, ono afternoon Drusilla, seated
Ia the palace, weary with tho ma gnlli.
cent stupldities OF tho place, says to
Folk: "You have very distinguished
prisoner, believe, Of the uame Of Paul.
Do you know he ls one Of my country
mer? should very much like to SEQ
him: and l should very much like TO hear
him speak, for have heard 80 much
about his clCquenco. Besides that, the
other day, when ho was being tried IN
another room Of this place aud tho win,
doWs were open, l beard the applause
that greeted tho speech Of Lawyer Ter
tullus as he denounced Paul. Now ]
very much wish could hear Paul speak
Won't you let nc hear him speak?'
Yes" sald Felix, 81 will. | will or.
der him up now from the auartiroOm. ~
Clank, clank, comes n chain up the mar
bic stairway, and there is shunI, at the
door, and IN comes Paul, little old
man, prematurely old through exposure
only 60 years Of ago, but locking as
though he were 80. lie bows very
courteously before the governor aud tho
beautiful woman by fie side. They cay:
''Paul, wo havo heard q great deal about
your speaking. Give us now u specim en-
OF your elcquencc."
On, ii there ever was Il chance Of
man to show of, Paul had a chance
there! He might have harangued them
about Grecian art, atcuL the wonderful
waterworks he had SEEN at Corinth,
about the Acropolis by moonlight, about
prison life in Philippi, about "what | |
saw in Thessalonica," about the old
mythologies, but "No!" Paul sad to
himself. 81 am now on the way TO
martyrdOm, and this mau 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 |
III upon the scene a peal Of thunder. 1t |
was the voice OF judgment day sneak.
ing through the words of the decrepit
apostle. AS that grand old missionary
proceeded with his remarks tho stoop
begins to 60 out Of his shoulders, and he |
rises up, and his countcnance is lllumined
with the glories OF q future life, and his
shackles rattle and grind as he lifts hin
tettered arm, and with 1t hurls upon his
abashed auditors the bolts Of Gods in
dignati0n. Felix grew very white about
the lips. His heart beat uuevenly. lie
put his hand to his brow, as though 10
stop the quickness and violence of his
thoughts. lie drew his robe tighter
about him as under sudden chill. His |
eyes glare, and his knees shake, and ma
he clutches the side of his chair in yerv
parOxysm Of terror he orders the sheri0'
to take Paul back TO the guardroom,
"Felix trembled and said: Go thy way
tor this time. When l hove conyen.
lent season, will call for thee.n A
young man came one night to our ser
vice, with pencil IN hand, to caricature
tue whole scene and make mlrth OF those
who should express any anxiety about
thelr souls, but / met him at the door,
his face very white, tears running down
MS check, as he said, "Do you think
there is any chance for me?n Felix
trembled, and 30 may God grant it may
be 80 with others.
L propose to give you two or three
reasons why l think Felix sent Paul back
to the guardroom and adjourned this
whole subject of religion. The first req.
son was he did not want to give up his
sins. He looked around. There was
Drusllla. He knew that when he be-
came Christian he must send her back
TO Azlzus, her lawful husband, and ho
SAID TO himself, III will risk the deutruc.
tlon OF my immortal soul sooner than I
will do that" ~
HOW many there arc now who cannot
get to be Christians because thew viii
not abandon their sins! In vain ali their
prayers and all their church going. Won
cannot keep these darling SINS and win
heaven, and now some Of you will have
TO decided between the wine Gun and m.
lawful amusements and lasciyious graft.
fcatlons on the one hand, and eternal
salvation on the other. Delilah sheored
the locks of Samson; Salome danced
Herod into the pit; Drusilla blocked m
tho way to heaven for Felix. Yet whom
L present the subject now, fear that
some of you will say: mot quite yet.
Don't be 80 precipitate in your demands
/ have few tickets yet that I have to
use. L have a few engagements that
must keep. L want to stay O
little longer in the whirl of con.
few moro outlaws of
lnclean laughter, few more steps on
;he road to death, and then, cir, L will
isten to what you say. Go thy way for
his time. When I have convenient
eaaon T will call for thoe.,O