The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-05
Good And BAD COMPANY
Featured the rhouqhtful Sermon BY
Rev. Foster U. Gift.
EVIL WILL SEEK ITS LEVEL
And So win 0odliness-G Gates Of Heaven
and Enclosures for Hell Are Not
Really Necessary Souls viii
Not Go to the Wrong Place.

A thoughtful and interesting sermon
Illustrating the truth that "a man is
known by the company he keeps" was
delivered last night before the congre-
cation of Grace Lutheran church by the
pastor, Rev. Foster U. Gift. His text
was from Acts iv, %, And being let go
they went to their own company" Mr..
Gift said:
Prison walls are not usually sure
means of throttling the voice Of Chris
tianity. Dungeons. however dark and
dreary and desolate. cannot hide the
glorious raiment that enfolds the chill
dren of God. Gods voiceis often heard
best when 1t leaps over human obstruc-
tions and His praises and alteration
sound all the sweeter for coming from
the prison cell. Paul sang most sweet
ly in the Philipian Jail. There is scarce
ly, for the Christian music. better
sounding board than the walls Of
dungeon.
Peter aSld John are taken from their
own company and are imprisoned, II
being hoped that this will stop the
preaching of Christ and thus the on
ward march of Christianity will be
brought to a halt. 1t was hoped that
by bringing them Into new company
they would desert God. But seeing that
not even dungeons could compel these
devoted apostles to change their song
and sing of darkness. they were let go.
And being let go they went to their
own company-to their own kindred.
Their affections, their love and inter-
ests were all wrapped up In the midst
of their own kindred and so they sought
home.
Everything Seeks Its Own.
Well right here is wrapped up
truth that unravels many life. that ex-
plains many a deed. We don't know
what we are until we are let go. Let
your thoughts 60 unbridled and whittier
will they fiy-then you can see what
you love and what you hate.
The carrier pigeon, when let go,
whittier does it go? Look at the snow
capped mountain-great depths of snow
in bondage to grim winter But when
the sun of springtime let's Its gentle
rays beam forth, the snow Is freed
from its wintry grasp and whittier
does 1t go? 1t goes to its own-the lit
tie rivulet. So the captive lamb when
freed seeks its flock.
So in the Christian life: II we are
godly. we'll seek our own-the chaste,
the pure. the righteous; the ungodly
will seek that which Is unholy and un-
righteous. l see men lettering by the
side Of the saloon or where only un-
godly men cOngregate, then / conclude
that they, too, are wicked, for they are
with their own. unless they are there to
lift these out of degradation. Judas
by one mighty leap sought his own at
last; Demas. also, when freed, sought
his own kind.
Many in Bondage Today.
Now there are q great many men
and women today who really want to
be true Christians. but they are bound
down by Satan. Heavenly company Is
really their company. but they are kept
from 1t by bonds that Satan has
forged. Many weary, down-hearted
souls sick and tired of life, sunk in the
depths Of darkness are signing for their
own-God-but are fast, pinioned down
by the prince of darkness.
Often the conventionalities Of society
restrain men. The young. bound down
by society's tyrannical sway. often neg
lect God. The world may mock, friends
may desert, position may be forfeited,
a dread to give up the evil pleasures Of
the world. all these imprison men to-
day. II the prison walls Of pleasures
haunts would open, these souls would
at once fly to heaven company.
The Incorporate man, In moments Of
soberness, wants to seek nprightness,
but the prison walls OF 8; hold him
fast Free him and whittier will he go?
Let the prison walls Of habit be shat
tered and we can rob earth Of many
drunkards' graves.
We. as Christians, must reach down
and by using the sword Of the spirit.
the word Of God, cut asunder the cord
that binds men fast. Then they will
be among Gods elect. God can free
sinners. He will give strength to keep
Satan away. He can take away the de-
sire for the card table, for the saloon,
for evil associates. Through Christ we
can be freed. He died to free men.
The Last Letting 60.
But there will be a great letting 90
some day. There is a day coming when
we will be truly free and we can seek
our kind. When the last thread of life
is snapped and the lamp goes out, we
will be let go. The shackles will fall.
the bands will loosen and we can depart
to our company And We will hardly
nee the verdict Of God to tell us where
to go to. We will go to our own COM
pany. The good will feel at home only
in heaven; the wicked will feel at home
only In hell. Each to his own. Some
will rise as glorious ones treading the
way to the throne; others will go into
outer darkness, for they loved dark
ness rather than light. "He that Is
filthy let him be filthy still; he that Is
holy let him be holy still"
do not believe 1t is necessary to have
a gate at heavens entrance. I do not
believe hell will need an enclosure. No
iron bars are needed to keep souls from
getting into the wrong place. The sin
ner could not enjoy heaven. A man
who loves darkness cannot love light.
Tn. saint will not want hell. A man
used to the light would be lost in dark
ness. Before that last 1etting-go. we
can change our company. 1t We have
Satan for our standby we can change
and have God for our support. Our de-
sires, cur thoughts and affections. must
be born in heaven. must be favored by
heavens love, and then we'll love
heavens company. We love those with
whom we are in harmony We must
get into harmony with God. We must
be bern into the holy company.
But here comes up the great question
Of change. How can an unholy man
become holy? "Can the leopard change
his spcts?" ''Can a man change his
nationality? Yes, God provided for
this. Nicodemus was in Satan's COM
pany, but became one Of Gods. He
was born again. "Ye must be born
agair." Then we are in Gods COM
pany. "Believe and ye shall be saved"
Ihen. when the last letting-go takes
place, when life is ended, we'll seek our
own anu our own will be heavens COM
pany. BY grace we will be one Of His.
Let US make heaven our own, let
US choose the righteous company