The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-20


/ post-mortem, post-funeral POSTSCRIPT
chral and this world would be jerked
off into impenitency and godlessness.
/ Another chance in another, world
means the demolition of this world.
| Furthermore, my friends-fOr 1 am
preaching to myself as well as to you;
we are on the same level, and though
the platform be little higher than the
pew, it is only for convenience, and
that we may the better speak to the
people; we are all on the same plat
form, and I am talking to my soul
while I talk to yours-my friends, why
another chance in another world when
4 we have declined SO many chances in
this? Suppose you spread banquet
and you invite a vast number Of
friends, and among others you send an
invitation to a man who disregards it,
OF treats it in an obnoxious way. Dur
ing twenty years you give twenty ban
quets, a banquet year; and you in
vite your friends, and every time you
| invite this man, who disregards your
+ invitation or sends back some indig-
nifty. After a while you move into
larger house and amid more luXuriant
surroundings. and you invite your
friends, but you do not invite that man
to whom twenty times you sent an in
vitatiOn to the smaller house. Are YOU
to blame? You would only make your
self absurd before God and man to
send that man another invitation. For
twenty years he has been declining
your offers and sending insult for your
kindness and courtesy and can he
blame you? Can he come up to your
house on the night of the banquet?
Looking up and seeing it is a finer
house, will he have any right to say:
''Let me in. I declined all those other
offers, but this is q larger house, a
brighter house, a more luXuriant abode.
Let me in. Give me another chance?"
God has spread banquet of his grace
before us. For: 800 days OF every year
since we knew the difference between
our right hand and our left he has in
vited us by his Providence and by his
Spirit. Suppose we decline all these
offers and all this kindness. Now the
banquet is spread in larger place, in
the heavenly palace. Invitations are
us. Why? Because we declined all
those other banquets. Will God be to
blame? Will we have any right to rap
on the door Of heaven and say: Il
ought not to be shut out Of this place;
give me another chance?" Twelve
gates of salvation standing wide for
free admission all our life and then
when the twelve gates close we rush
on the bosses Of Jehovah's buckler say
ing: "Give me another chance"
A ship is to sail for Hamburg You
want to go to Germany by that line.
You see the advertisement of the
steamers sailing. You see it for two
weeks. You see it in the morning pa
pers, and you see it in the evening pa
pers; you see it placarded on the walls.
Circulars are thrown into your Office
telling you all about that steamer.
One day you come down to the wharf
and the steamer has swung out into
the stream. You say: ooh, that isn't
fair. Come back, swing up again to
the docks Throw the plank ashore
that [ may come on board. It isn't
fair. 1 want to go to Germany by that
| steamer. Give me another chance"
Here is magnificent offer for heaven.
It has been anchored within our sight
year after year, and year after year,
and year after year, and all the benign
voices Of earth and heaven have urged
us to get on board, since it may sail
at any moment Suppose we let that
opportunity sail away, and then we
|
portunity; 1 want to take it; it isn't
treating me fairly. Give me another
chance" Why, my brother, you might
as well go out and stand on the high
lands at the Navesink three days after
the Majestic has gone out and shout:
captain, come back; want to go to
Liverpool on the Majestic. Come back
over the sea and through the Narrows
and up to the docks. Give me another
chance" You might as we'll do that
as, after the last opportunity of heaven
has sped away, try to get it back again.
Just think of it! It came on me yes
terday in my study with overwhelming
impressiveness. Just think Of it, All
heaven offered us as a gratuity for a
whole lifetime, and yet we wanting to
rush against God, saying: "Give me
another chance!' There ought to be,
there will be-, no such thing as postum
nous opportunity.
You see, common sense agrees with
my text in saying that eff the tree fall
toward the SOUTH or toward the north,
in the place where the tree falleth,
there it shall be- You see, this idea
lifts this world from an unimportant
way station to platform of stupen-
dous issues, and makes all eternity
whirl around this hour. Oh, my soul!
my soul! Only one trial, and all the
preparations for that trial to be made
in this world, or never made at all.
Or, my soul! my soul! You see, this
piles up all the empE;. sis and all the
clinlaXes and all the destinies into this
life. No other chance. Oh, how that
intensihes the value and the import
ance Of this chance. Alexander and
his army used to come around city,
and they would kindle a geat light,
with the understanding that as long as
that light was burning the city might
surrender, and all would be WE'LL but
if they let that light go out, then the
battering rams would swing against
the walls and there would come dis
aster and demolition Oh, my friends,
all you and need to do to prepare for
eternal safety is just to surrender to
the king and conquerer, Christ. Sur
render hearts, surrender life, surrender
everything. The great light keeps burn
ing, light kindled by the wood Of the
cross, light flaming up against the dark
night Of our sin and sorrow. Oh, let us
surrender before the light goes out,