The free press., 1894-06-28
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S SUM-
DAY SERMON.
Subject: ssThe Excited Governor"

yenient season / will call for thee. Acts
xiv, IS.
A city of marble was Caesarea- OF
marble, houses of marble temples OF mar
BILE. This being the ordinary architecture OF
the place, you may imagine something ofthe
splendor OF Governor Felix's residence. In
a room Of that palace, floor tessellated. win
dows curtained, ceiling fretted, the whole
scene affiuent with Tyrian purple and stat
ues and pictures and carvings, sat very
dark complexioned man OF the name OF Fe
lix, and beside him woman OF extraordi'
nary beauty, whom he had stolen by break
ing up another domestic circle. She was
only eighteen years of age. princess by
birth. and unwittingly waiting for her doom
that of being buried alive in the ashes and
scoria OF Mount Vesuvius, which in sudden
eruption one day put an end to her abomi-
nations.
Well, one afternoon Drusila. seated in the
palace, weary with the magnificent stupidt-
ties OF the place. says to Felix you have
a very distinguished prisoner, l believe, oil
the name of Paul Do you know he is one
of my countrymen? should very much like
to see him, and should very much like to
hear him speak, for have heard so much
about his eloquence. Besides that the other
day, when he was being tried in another
room 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 l could hear
Paul speak. Won't you let me hear him
speak?'' eyes" said Felix, 81 will. I will
order him up now from the guardroom."
Clank. clank, comes a chain up the marble
stairway, and there is a shuttle at the door,
and in comes Paul, little old man. prema-
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 n great deal
about your speaking. Give US now specl-
men OF your eloquence." Oh, if there ever
was chance for man to show off, 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 ir Philippi, about "what saw in
Thessalonica," about the old mythologies,
but ''No." Paul said to himself. II am 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 peal of thunder 1t was the
voice OF judgment day speaking through
the words of the decrepit apostle. As that
grand old missionary proceeded with his re-
marks the stoop begins to go out of his
SnOulQeIS, anu llS TlStS up. duu HIS tOuutt-
nance Is illumined with the glories of a future
life, and his shackles rattle and grind as ne
lifts his fettered arm and with it hurls upon
his abashed auditors the bolts of Gods in
dignaton. Felix grew very white about the
lips. His heart beat unevenly. He put his
hand to his brow as though to stop the
quickness ana violence of his thoughts. Hd
drew his robe tighter about him, as under a
sudden chill. His eyes glare. and his knees
ahol nd hn nIt,tp hn af
chair in 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 q convenient
season, I 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 at the door, his face very
white, tears running down his cheek, as he
said. "Do you think there is any chance for
me2' Felix trembled, and so may God grant
1t may be 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 Drusila He knew that when he
became a Christian he must send her back to
Azzius, her lawful husband, and he said to
himself, 81 will risk the destruction of my
immortal soul sooner than L will do that
How many there are now 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 lascivi-
Gus qualifications on the one hand and eter-
nal salvation on the other.
Deilah sheared the locks of Samson Sa-
lone danced Herod into the pit Drusila
blocked up the way to heaven for Felix. Yet
when present The subject now l fear that
some OF you will say "Not quite yet. Don't
be so precipitate in your demands. 1 havea
few tickets yet that l have to use. l have a
few engagements that must keep. l want
to stay a little longer in the whirl OF con.
viviality-a few more outlaws of unclean
laughter, a few more steps on the road to
death, and then, sir, will listen to what you
say. 60 thy way for this time. When
have a convenient season, l will call for
thee.'"
Another reason why Felix sent Paul to the
guardroom and adjourned this subject was
he was so very busy In ordinary times h.
found the affairs of state absorbing. but
those were extraordinary times. The whole
land was ripe for insurrection. The Sicarii,
band OF assassins, were already prowlina
around the palace, and suppose he thought,
II can't attend to religion while l am &C
pressed by affairs of state" 1t 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. 1t is business in the store
losses. gains. unfaithful employees.
1t Is business in your law office-sub-
penas, writs you have to write out. papers
you have to file, arguments you have to
make. 1t is your medical profession. with
Its broken nights and the exhausted ankle
ties OF life hanging upon your treatment. 1t
1s your real estate office, your business with
landlords and tenants and the failure of men
to meet their obligations with you. Ave.
with some of those who are here it is the an
noyance OF the kitchen. and the sitting room.
and the parlor-the wearing economy oftry-
ing to meet large expenses with small in
come. Ten thousand voices of "business.
business. business" drown the voice of the
eternal Spirit, slencing the. voice of the ad-
vancing judgment day, overcoming the voice
OF eternity, and they cannot hear they can
not listen. They say. go thy way for this
time Some of you look upon your goods.
look upon your profession, you look upon
your memorandum books, and you see tho
demands that are made this very week upon
your time and your patience and your
money, and while / am entreating YOU about
your soul and the danger of representation