Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-10-11
A DIRECT QUESTION.
REV. DR.. TALMAGE PUTS IT POINT
BLANK TO MEN AND WOMEN.

Who Have Not Definitely Accepted the
Free Orer Of Salvation In Christ Jesu%
els Thine Heart Right?"
New YORK, Oct EN- his sermon
for today Rev. DR.. Talmage speaks di-
rectly to the hearts Of all who have not
vet definitely accepted the free offer Of
salvation in Christ Jesus. The subject
was, "a Point Blank Question, " the
text being II Kings x, 10, "Is thine heart
right?"
With mettled horses at full speed, for
he was celebrated for fast driving, Je-
hu. the warrior and king, returns from
battle. But seeing Jehonadab, an ac-
quaintance, by the wayside, he shouts,
''Whoa! Whoa ~ to the lathered span.
Then leaning over to Jehonadab Jehu
Ialutes him in the words Of the text
words not more appropriate for that
hour and that place than for this hour
and place, "Is thine heart rightF'
I should like to hear Of your physical
health. Well myself, like to have ev-
erybody else well, and so might ask, Is
your eyesight right, your hearing right,
your nerves right, your lungs right,
your entire body right; But am busy
today taking diagnosis Of the more i'm
portant spiritual conditions. l should
| like to hear Of your financial welfare. |
want everybody to have plenty Of mon
ey. ample apparel, large storehouse and
comfortable residence, and might ask,
Is your business right, your income
right, your worldly surroundings right?
But what are these financial questions
compared with the inquiry as to wheth-
er you have been able to pay your debts
to God; as to whether you are insured
for eternity; as to whether you are
running yourself by the long credit sys-
TEN of the soul? l have known men to
have no more than one loaf Of bread at
a time, and yet to own government
bond Of heaven worth more than the
whole material universe.
Gospel Truth.
The question l ask you today is not
in regard to your habits. l make no in
ouiry about your integrity or your chas-
titv or your sobriety. do not mean to
stand on the outside Of the gate and
ring the bell, but coming up the steps,
I omen the door and come to the private
apartment Of the soul, and with the
earnestness Of a man that must give an
account for this days work l cry ont,
Oh, man, oh, woman immortal, is thine
heart right
Twill not insult you by an argument
to prove that we are by nature all
wrong. If there be a factory explosion
and the smokestack be upset, and the
wheels be broken in two, and the engine
uniointed, and the ponderous bars be
twisted, and man should look in and
say that nothing was the matter, you
,,ould pronounce him fool Well, II
needs no acumen to discover that oul
nature is all atwist and askew and un-
iointed. The thing doesn't work right,
The biggest trouble we have IN the
world is with our souls. Men sometime;
say that though their lives may not bt
lust right, their heart is all right. I'm
possible. A farmer never puts the poor
est apples on top Of his barrel; nor does
the merchant place the meanest goods
in his show window. The best part Of
Ms is our outward life. l do not stop t(
discuss whether we all fell in Adam, fol
we have been our own Adam, and have
all eaten Of the forbidden fruit, anC
have been turned out Of the paradise o.
holiness and peace, and though th'
flaming sword that stood at the gate t
keen US out has changed position an(
comes behind to drive us in, we will no
60.
The Bible account Of us is not exag
cerated when it says that we are poo
and wretched and miserable and blint
and naked. Poor The wretch that stand
shivering on our doorstep on cold da.
is not so much in need Of bread as VI
are of spiritual help. Blind Why, tn
man whose eyes perished in the powde
blast and who for these ten years ha
gone feeling his way from street t.
street, is not in such utter darkness a
we Naked Why, there is not one RAJ
Of holiness left 10 hide the shame OF GU
sin. Sick! Why, the leprosy has cate
into tho head and the heart and tn
hands and the feet, and the marasmu
OF an everlasting wasting away has al
ready seized on some OF us.
Our Needs.
But the meanest thing for a man t
do is TO discourse about an evil witho1
pointing a way to have it remedied.
sneak of the thirst Of your hot tongu
only that 1 may show you the liyin
} stream that drops crystalline and spai
king from the Rock Of Ages and pour
a river Of gladness at your feet. II
show you the rents in your coat, 1t Is on
" because the door Of Gods wardrob
now swings open, and here is a robe
| white with the fleece Of the Lamb c
} God. and of a cut and make that a
angel would not be ashamed to weal
If snatch from you the black, mold
, bread that you are munching, 1t is onl
10 give you the bread made out Of tn
= finest wheat that grows on the celestl'
D hills and baked in the fires Of the eros
and one crumb of which would /
e enough to make all heaven a banquet
r Hear it, one and all, and tell it TO you
t friends when you go home, that I'll
t Lord Jesus Christ can make the heal
= right.
t First we need a repenting heart.
o for the last 10, 20 or 40 years of life "
q have been going on in the wrong way,
s is time that we turned around an
9 started in the opposite direction. II "
r offend our friends, we are glad to apol'
t Rize. God is our best friend, and y
{ how many of us have never apologize
! for the wrongs we have done him
There is nothing that we so muC
! need to get rid Of as sin. II Is a horr
i BILE black monster 1t polluted Eden.
d killed Christ. 1t has blasted the worl'
y Men keep dogs in kennels, and rabbi
It i'm warren, and cattle in a pen. VIII
J. man that would be who would SIN
= . them up in his parlori But this fo'
L. i. 80 TFFrg