Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-10-12
Is THY HEART RIGHT
s1v. DR.. TklmAGE MAKES A POINT
BLANK QUERY.
.fehu's Question to Jehonadab-It Was Not
More Appropriate For That Hour and
Place Than II l. For This Hour and
Piace-An Eloquent Discourse.

Place Than IL Is For This Hour and
Piace-An Eloquent Discourse.
NEW YORK, Oct. Sin his sermon for
today Rev. ltr. Talmagc speaks directly "a
the hearts Of all who have not yet definite.
~ accepted the free offer OF salvation in
Christ Jesus The subject was "a Poin,
Blank Question" the text being ii Kings
\. ~. is thine heart rights''
With mcttlcd horses at full speed, for he
was celebrated for fast driving. Jehu. tho
warrior and king, returns from battle.
But seeing Jchonadab. an acquaintance.
by the waysilc. he shouts: Whoa
Whoa TO the laihcrcd span. Then lean.
Ing over 10 lehonadab, Jchu saluics him
In the words of the text-wor,ls not more
appropriate for that hour and that place
than for this hour and place lis thine
heart rightg''
should like 10 hear OF your physical
health. Well myself. like TO have every
body else well. and 50 might ask: l. your
eycsight right. your hearing rightf Art
your nerves right. your lungs right! Is your
entire body rights But am busy today
taking diagnosis Of the more important
spiritual conditions. I should like TO hear
81 your financial welfare. want every
body to have plenty Of money. ample ap.
parcl, largo storchouse ard comfortable
residence. and might ask: Is your bust.
ness right, your income right! Are your
worldly surroundings right. But what
are these financial questions compared
with the inquiry as 60 whether You have
been able to pay your debts Ia God; ms to
whether you are insured for eternity; as
20 whether you arc running yourself by the
long credit system Of the soult have
known men To have no more than one loaf
OF bread at time. and yet 10 own a gov
eminent bond OF heaven worth more than
tho whole material universe
The question ask you today Il not In
regard 10 your habits. make no inquiry
about your integrity. or your chastity, or
your sobriety. do not mean 90 stand ON
the outside Of the gate and ring the bell,
but coming up the steps l open the door
and come 10 tho private apartment Of the
soul, and with the earnestncss of a man
that must give AN account OF this days
work cry out, d man, o woman immor-
tai. Is thine heart righty
will not insult you by an argument TO
prove that we ARE by nature all wrong. II
there DO factory explosion, and tho
smokestack be upset, and the wheels be
broken In two, and the engine unjointed,
and the ponderous bars be twisted, and a
man should look In and say that nothing
was the matter, you would pronounce him
a fool. Well, IL needs no acumcn TO dis
cover that our nature Is all atwist and
askew and unjointcd. The thing doesn't
work right. The biggest trouble we have
In the world Is with our souls. Men some
times say that. though their lives may not
DO just right, their heart Is all right. I'm
possible. A farmer never puts tho poorest
apples ON top Of his barrel. nor does the
merchant place the meanest goods In his
show window. The best part Of us Is our
outward life. / do not stop to discuss
whether we all fell In Adam, for we have
been our own Adam, and have all eaten OF
tho forbidden fruit, and have been turned
out OF the paradise Of holiness and peace
and though the flaming sword that stood
at the gate TO keep US out has changed po-
sition and comes behind 20 drive us In we
will not go.
The Bible account OF us Is not cxagger-
nted when II says that we are poor and
wretched and miserable and blind and
naked. Poor. The wretch that stands
Ehivering ON our doorstep on "A cold day Is
not 81 much In need Of bread rs we are Of
spiritual help. Blind Why, the man
whose eyes persisted in the powder blast
and who for these ten years has gone feel
Ing his way from street TO street Is not In
such utter darkness rs we. Naked Why,
there Is not one rag OF holiness left 10 hide
the shame Of our sin. Sick Why, the
leprosy has eaten into the head, and the
heart, and tina hands and the feet, and the
marasnus OF an everlasting wasting away
has already seized on some Of us.
But the mcancst thing for n man TO do
Is TO discourse about an evil without point
ing way 20 have IL rcmcdlcd. speak OF
the thirst OF your hot tongue only that
may show you the living stream that
drops crystalline and sparkling from the
Rock OF Ages and pours n river of gladncss
mt your feet. II show you the rents In
your coat. IL Is only because the door Of
Gods wardrobe now swings open, and
here Is a robe white with the fleece OF the
Lamb Of God. and Of cut and make that
an angel would not be ashamed to wear.
IL i snatch from you the black, moldy
bread that you are munchlng IL Is only 10
give you the bread made out of the finest
wheat that grows ON the celestial hills
and baked In the fires Of the cross. and ono
crumb Of which would be enough to make
all heaven u banquet. Hear IL, one and
all, and tell It 20 your friends when you
go home, that the Lord Jesus Christ can
make the heart right.
First we need n repenting heart. II for
the last 10, 20 or 40 years OF life we have
been going on in the wrong way, it Is time
that we turned around and started In the
opposite direction. IL wo offend our
friends, we are glad TO apologize God Is
our best friend, and yet how many OF us
have never npologizcd for the wrongs we
have done him.
There is nothing that we ~ much need
20 get rid Of as sin. II Is horrible black
monster. 1t polluted Eden. IL killed
Christ. IL has blasted the world. Men
keep dogs In kennels, and rabbits In u
warren, and cattle In pen. What man
that would be who would shut them up I'm
his parlor! But this foul dog OF sin and
these herds Of transgr.ssion we have en-
tertained for many n long year in our
heart, which should bc the cleanest, bright
est room In all our nature. Out with the
vile herdi Begone, ye bcfoulers OF an im-
mortal naturcl
Turn out the beasts and let Christ come
m hcathcn came to an early Christian
who had the reputation Of curing diseases
The Christian said. You must have all
your idols destroyed
The heather gave TO the Christian the
key to his house. that he might go In and
destroy the idols. He battered to pieces
oil he saw, but still the man did not get
we'll. The Christian said to him, There
must be some idol In your house not yet
destroyed. The heather confessed that
there was one idol ~ beaten gold that he
could not bear 10 give up. After awhile,
when that was destroyed, In answer to tho
prayer ~ the Christian the sick man got
well.
Many a man has awakened in his dying
hour to find his sins all about him. They
clambered up ON the right side II the bed,
and ON tho left side, and over the head
board. and over the footboard, and horrf.
bly, devourcd the soul
Repent. the voice celestial cries.
Nor longer dare delay.
TIE wretch that scorns tho mandate dies
And meets fiery day.
Again, we need believing heart. A
good many years age weary one went up
one of the hills Of Asia Minor. ana with
two logs on his back cried out to all the
world, offering To carry their sins and sor.
rows. They pursued him. They slapped
him I'm the face. They Knocked him. When
he groaned, they groaned. They shook
their fists AZ him. They spat on him
They bounded him a. though he were n
Wild beast. His healing Of the sick, his
sight giving Ia the blind. his mercy 10 the
outcast silenccd not the revenge of the
world. His prayers and bencdictions WIRE