The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-04-04

the secular press7 Do you not remember
| q 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 discussion In the secular
papers on that subject, but every paper in
the United States and in Chrlstendom dis
eussed, sis There Such Thing as Retribu-
!ion?" 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 destiny?" So 1t wasin regard to Tyndall's
prayer gauge.
About twelve years ago, you remember,
the secular papers discussed that, and with
| Just as much earnestnsss as the religious
| papers. and there was not man in Chrtsten-
dom who did not ask himself the question:
''Is there anything In prayer May the
creature i'm mpress the Creator?" Oh what
mighty fact. what glorious 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
son-a 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 n1bbled
i here and there at story in the Bible, now
they are taken through from Genesis to Re-
yelation, and we shall have 5000,0 900 chill
dren forestalled for Christianity. My soul 1s
full OF exultation. feel as If could shout
Il will shout, "Alleluia, the Lord God om-
nipotent reigneth"
Then you notice q more significant fact, II
you have talked with people on the subject,
that they are getting dissatisfied with
philosophy and science as 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
1t ever transpired or was ever heard--that
ANYTHING like it ever occurred. point to
20, ,00O, 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 take2 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 consolation. Ask him II through
the long years of his pilgrimage the Lord
ever forsook him. Ask him if, when he looks
forward to the future, il he has not peace
and joy, and 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 seen2
You say morphia puts one to sleep. You
say in time OF sickness 1t Is very useful. l
deny it. Morphia never puts anybody to
| sleep IL u6VeE dllofialcS pau. IOu oon
me why say that. have never
tried It. I never took 1t. I deny
that morphia Is any soothing to the
nerves or any quiet In time of sickness. I
deny that morphia ever put ANYBODY to
sleep, but here are twenty persons who say
they have all felt the soothing effects OF a
physicians prescribing morphine. Whose
testimony will you take2 Those who took
the medicine or my testimony, l never nav,
| l. S.I.o kbo uara Ia fha aOCnAl
of Jesus Christ, an anodyne for all trouble,
the mightiest medicine that ever came down
| TO earth. Here Is man who says: II
don't believe in it. There Is no power in It.
Here are other people who say: "We have
found out Its power and know it's soothing
influence It has cured u.s." Whose tesd-
mony will you take in regard to this healing
medicine.
feel that have convinced every man in
this house that 1t is utter folly to take the
testimony ofthose who have Fever tried the
Gospel Of Jesus Christ in their own heart and
life. We have tens of thousands OF wit
nesses. believe you areready to take their
testimony. Young. man, do not be ashamed
to be friend Of the Bible. DO not put your
thumb In your vest, as young men sometimes
do, and swagger about talking OF the glort-
| GUS light OF the nineteenth century and OF
| there being no need Of q Bible. They have
all the dark places on earth. Did you ever
hear that the light OF nature gave them COM
| fort for their trouble? They have lancets to
| cut and juggernauts 10 crush, but no COM
fort. All, my friends, you had better stop
| yeur skepticism. Suppose you are put in
this crisis: Oh, father. your child is dying
What are you going to say to herr
Colonel Ethan Allen was famous tnadel
in his day. His wife was very conseerated
woman. TOE mother instructed the daugh-
ter in the cruths ofChristtanity. oil The daugh-
ter sickened and was about to die, and she
said TO her father: "Father, shall I take
your instruction, or shall 1 take mothers in
struction2 am going to die now. I must
have this matter decided" That man who
had been loud in his inadelity, said to his
dying daughter, "My 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.