The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1894-02-03

S'Nc unto tle lOru, lie Is good,
FOR His mercy endureth forever" Aud there
IS young man in the house TO whose heart
the Holy Spirit took that text for his eternal
redemption. might speak OF my own ease.
VIII tell you was brought to the peace OF the
gospel through the Syro-Phpu!cian woman's
cry to Christ, even the dogs eat o; tho
crumbs tha. fall from the Masters table"
Do you know that the holy spirit almost
always uses Insignificant means? Eloquent
sermons never save auybo ~. Phiosop ,icll
sermons never save anyhn ly. Metaphysical
sermons never savu ANYBODY. But the
minister comes somn Sahbrth TO his pulpit
worn out with engagements and the iang-
ling OF n irenzicd doorbali. He has only a
text and two OF thraa ideas, but he saws!
% Lord. help me. Here are good many
people may never meet again. | have not
much 10 say. Speak fhou throu III my poor
'ips. And before the service is done thers
IRE fearful eyes and solemnty like tho
IL iGment.
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
torans. But have not heard that one soul
was saved hy the oratOrical flourish. Worldly
"ritlcs may think that the early preaching
OF Thomas Chalmers was n masterpiece.
But Thomas Chalmers says he never began
TO preach until he came out of the sickroom,
white and emaciated, and told men the
simple story OF Jesus. In the great day OF
eternity II 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
tent olntments, suppose, in the time of
Christ for blind and inlamed 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-
l ta.,, .f q l.
poured into his blinded soul. SO II 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
he eyes of the blind and pours the sunlight
oi pardon and peace upon the soul.
oh, my friend, wish we could feel it more
and more that II any good IL done IL is by the
power OF Gods omnipotent spirit. I do not
know what hymn may bring you to Jesus. ! do
not know what words ofthe Scripture lesson 1
read may save your soul. Perhaps the spirit
ot God may hurl the very text into your
heart, "Come. for alfthings are now ready"
Again. tho church Is ready. man, If I
could take the curtain of these Christian
hearts. | could show you great many ankle
ties for your redemption. You think that
old man is asleep because his head IL down
and his eyes are shut. No he is PRAYING for
your redemption and hoping, th9i .h -
spoken may strike no.-.I,''tg ''n. .ne WORDS
I he air ~ 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 people2 And IL
you should just start toward the door of the
Christian church, how quickly 1t would fly
| open Hundreds OF people would say "Givo
that man room ut the sacrament. Bring tho
| silver bowl for his baptism. Give him the
| right hand OF Christian fellowship. Bring
! him into all Christian associations.
! Oh, you wandCrer on tho cold mountains,
come into tho warm shs"pfold. | lot down
| tho bars and bid you cone in. With tho
| shepherds crook point you the way. Hun
| d-eds Oi Christian hands hrrkon You into
the church Of God. \ great many people 10
| not like the church. and say 1t Is II great
mass oi hypocritcs, but 1t Is II glorious
| church with all it, impcrlections. Christ
| bought IL. ami hoiste the pillars an swung
| It's gates, and lifted its arches. and cur
tanned il with upholstery crimson with cru
cillxion carnage. Come into ii.
wearc n garden waited around.
| Chosen and made cculiar grouni,
| little spot incln'"t hy grace
| out OF the WORLDS wild wilderness
| Again, the angels OF God are ready A
great many Christians think that the talk
| about angels Is fanciml You say IL is - very
| good subject for theological students who
| lave just begun to sermon2", but for sidcr
| men IL IL improper There " 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 iaces covered up
| with their wings. while they cry, "Hoy
holy is the Lord God Amighty?' Did not
| David see thousands and thousands? Did
| not one angel slay lS5, 900 men I'm Senna-
cheribs army And shalt they not be the
| chief harvesters AT the judgment2
There is a line of loving, holy, mighty
angels reaching to heaven. I suppose they
| reach from here to the very gate and when
IN audience is assembled for Christian wor-
| ship the air Ia full of them. III each one OF
| you has guardian angel, how many celes-
| tials there are here They crowd the place,
| they hover. they fit about. they rejoice
| Look, that spirit Is just come from tho
| throne! moment ago IL stood before Christ
and heard the doNology OF the gioritied.
| Look Bright. immortal, what news from
| the golden city! Speak, spirit blest Tho
response comes melting on the air, Come,
for all things ARE now ready -
Angels ready 10 bear the tidngs, angels
ready TO drop the benediction, angels ready
| TO kindlc the JOY. They have stood in glory
they know all about IL. They have felt tho
| Joy that is felt where there arc no tears and
no graves immortal health. but no invalid
| ism songs, but no grOans wedding bells.
| but no funeral torches 4; eyes that never weep.
bands that never bliste-. heads TINT never
faint hearts that never break. frien ishin,
that are never weakened
Ready. all OF them Ready thrones nri,
"ipalities and powers Ready, seranhim an
cheruhim Ready. Michael tho Archan..eIl
Again. your kindred in glory are ali rca iy
Iot yonr coming. | pronouncn mo Tern
sp,rnuai'sm frau | AMI u sham IL Jo,n
Milton and George WhiteaeId have no hcttcr
business than 10 crawl uudera table aud r 4
tie the leaves, they In better stay ot homo
IN glory. While believe that mo Icrn sp,r-
uunlis'n Is bad because OF its mental anil
domestic ravnGes, common sense enIignt-
en"d ny the wort OF Col. teaches uS that
our friends in glory sympithizs with our re-
demptiun.
The Bible says plainly there is iov in
heaven among the angels OF God over ona
sinner that repcntcth. AMI IL angels reioias
AMI know OF " shall not our friends stand
Ing among them know II? Some Of these
spirits an glory toilod for your redemption.
When they came to die. th,ir chief grief was
that you were not Christian Tnev said
Meet me IN heaven an I put their hands
out from the cover an said. "Gooiby." :"
Now. suppose you should cross over from
a sinful life To holy life. Suppose YOU
should be born into the kingdom. SUPPOSE
you should now say Farewell. O decettiul
world Get thee gone, my sin Fie upon
all the folies o Christ, help mo or per-
ish take my promise. believe Thy word.
enter Thy service"
suppose you should say and do this? why,
| The angel sent 10 you would shout upward.
| lie is coming! and the angel poising
| higher In the air wonld shout u upward
''He Is coming :" and II would run all up the
| line OF llght from wing - vino from,