The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-18
NOVEMBER

ind sTer SiG %as ready '1s He knew that his soul
was safe; that 1t was well anchored; that
his anchor was sure and steadfast. and
that clinging to the Rock Of Ages. 1t
would hold him fast until he reached the
| Like that ship in the Adria there are
multitudes drifting on the treacherous sea
Of time. They are the sport of the ele-
pose in life. They just drift hither and
thither with the changing currents and
the shifting winds. 1t is their fault as
their misfortune that they are in such
steadfast is within the reach Of each, and.
therefore, II they drift into destruction
they have only themselves to blame.
Cause Of This Drifting.
What Is the cause Of all this drifting?
Bad habits have much, to do with 1t. The
never drift into good habits. Good habits
need cultivation. They require thought.
energy. self-control. The habits Of obedi-
ence, of prayer. Of Bible study. Of Sab.
reverence for Gods name and for Gods
house. and for holy ordinances--these are
habits into which young people do not
drift.
1t is well to form such habits, because
1t requires some effort to give them up.
The habit of prayer-a habit learned, per-
haps, at mothers knee-has kept many
a young man from drifting into the whirl-
pool OF sin. The memory OF home, OF the
family altar and parental love- and pray
ers and tears. has restrained many a
youth, and 1t has been to him a mighty
shield in the hour Of strong temptation.
1t has been as a sure and steadfast anchor
which held him fast, and which kept him
from drifting into the snare of the devil.
But human nature has more affinity for
evil than for good. Hence bad habits are
aoc eli IN ira nd har IN n
than good habits. 1t is very easy to drift
into bad habits. Many have done so
thoughtlessly but, by frequent indulg-
ence. the bad habit became a SECOND ma
ture. and the rough forces of evil became
very Euroelydon before which they
Idrifted to destruction.
Such thoughtless souls are far too nu-
merous. They forget that the descent to
Avernus Is easy. At first the river OF their
pleasures seems calm and harmless and
the prospect of delightful voyage was
all that one could desire. And, So on they
drift Quaflng their wine and singing
their songs Needless Of the fact that the
rapids were below. Though warned again
and again, on they went, saying to them
selves, We can turn back any time, we
please: we are in no danger. But at last
when it was too late. they realized their
danger. They were caught in the rapids.
and, with shrek, they went over the
cataract and sunk into the deep abyss;
they drifted to destruction.
What the Young Men say.
We can give up our evil ways when we
choose, says these young friends, But
Evil habits are allurlng. deceptive. ruin
Gus. Those who are led captive by the
| devil may try to throw out an anchor to
windward, they may try to tighten the
cargo and for tackling, they may UNDER
grid her, and throw out anchors fore and
aft; but all their efforts, will be useless.
Their anchor will drag. the current Is too
swift and the winds are too tempestuous.
Euroeydon has struck them; they have
made shipwreck of the faith and they
know It, They would heed no warning;
they would not listen to any entreaty.
When it was too late they wished for the
day-for the day of innocence, for the day
when the light and love of Christian
home shone upon them; for the day when
they might retrace their steps and aban-
don their sin and folly-but that wished
for day is gone. They are in the whirl-
pool; 1t is too late: they are total wreck.
a false life is closely related to false
faith. We are living In an age when many
are drifting out upon the treacherous sea
of speculation. ! do not mean speculation
in the shape of putting up margins or
gambling in stocks-though that is great
evil / mean, rather, the drift of thought
in respect Of philosophy, and morals. and
religion. Dogmatic theology in some
quarters Is at discount, while specula-
tive theology is far beyond par; nothing is
settled. The Bible doctrine OF sin, of our
Lords advent, of repentance, of pardon,
of Christ's atonement-these old and set
tied doctrines of Christianity, are. in the
minds Of some folks all adrift. The last
novel, or magazine article. or the latest
agnostic sQuib in the newspaper, or the
last conversation with some smart and
original CD thinker, has set this one or
that one adrift, and he does not know
what to believe. If such young man
would only read his Bible with half the
| On ha 10 . arif IN
drifting. His faith would be settled; he
would not become the sport of every
speculative Euroelydon that blew upon
| him.
10 Not object to Speculation.
No sensible person objects to specula.
tion, however bold and daring 1t be, Ii II
does not interfere with fundamental and
essential truth. But some things are set
tied, and the speculator in divinity, who
tries to unsettle them. Is guilty Of a crime
against Almighty God And yet there are
those who dare to enter the court Of con.
science to rob 1t Of Its divine will and OF
Its divine virtues. Those branches of the
their little understanding they cut off
They have such confidence In themselves
and such conceit, that they pull out their
watches to correct the sun.
adopts in vapery verbiage. They live In a
murky atmosphere; land of mists
Hence the difficulty of meeting them in
debate. You cannot wrestle with a vapOry
speculation any more than you can wrestle
with a shadow or with moonshine. You
cannot reply intelligiby to that which Is
unintelligible. Achilles could drive back
Trojan foemen, and Hercules could slay
the Nemean lion; but "the spear oil
Achilles could not draw blood from q
shadow, nor could the club of Hercules
strike down brainless ghost.
Those who leave the safe moorings OF
revealed truth, and who go out to sea un.
need not wonder If they find themselves
drifting upon the rocks and quicksands OF
doubt and despair; nor need they wonder
II their drifting should be the occasion OF
infinite and perpetual regret and woe.
But Is there any way Of escape? Car
this drifting be stopped? Yes. Turn right
about; port your helm; change your
course; steer for the port Of peace. Or, Il
you must wait until the storm ceaoes
throw out Gods anchor. That will hold
No lip Is safe from drifting that has no
in 1t true religion, and no religion Is true
that has not Jesus Christ In 1t as its sun
and substance, Its center and its all.
Those Who Arc Safe.
But those who trust in Him are safe
That anchor holds-whlch hope we have
as an anchor Of the soul, sure and stead
fast. Those who use this anchor are no
carried about by every wind Of doctrine
No EurOelydOn, however fierce or fearful
can harm them, for their life is hid with
Christ in God, and where He Is there shall