The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1896-01-10

was. DTS, wild
must l do to be saved?" Acts 1880.
1ncarcerated in a Philippian peniten
tlary, a place cold. and dark, and damp
and loathsome, and hideous, unillum'
n save by the torch of the oficia
VINO comes to see if they are alive
yet, are two ministers of Christ, Their
1eet fast in instruments of torture, theil
shoulders dripping from the stroke q
ieathern thongs, their mouths hot with
Inflammation Of thirst, their heads
faint because they may not lie down
In a comfortable room Of that same
building, and amid pleasant surround
ings, is a paid officer o. the govern
ment whose business it is to supervise
the prison. It is night and all is still
IN the corridors Of the dungeon save
as some murderer struggles with a hor-
rid dream, or a ruffian turns we in his
chains, or there is the cough of a dying
consumptive amid ,Le dampness; but
suddenly, crash! go the walls. The
TWO clergymen pass out free. TIE Jail.
keeper, although familiar with the
darkness and the horrors lowering
around the dungeon, is startled beyond
all bounds, and fambcau in hand he
PUSHES through amid the falling walls,
shouting at the top of his voice: "Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?"
stand now among those who are
asking the same question with more or
less earnestness and l accost you in this
crisis of your soul With a message from
heaven. There are those in this audi
ence who might be more skillful in
argument than 1 am; there are those
here who q dive into deeper depths
OF science, or have larger knowledge;
there are in this audience those be-
fore whom I would willingly bow as
the inferior to the superior: but I yield
to no n in this assemblage in a de-
sire to have all the people saved by
the power of an omnipotent Gospel.
l shall proceed to characterize the
question of the agitated jail-keeper.
And first, I characterize the question
as courteous. He might have rushed in
md said: paul and oilas, you vaga-
bonds, are you tearing down this pris-
on? Aren't you satisfied with disturb
Ing the peace of the city by your in
famous doctrines? And are you now
going to destroy public property? Back
with you to your places, you vaga-
bonds!" He said no such thing. The
word Of four letters, "Sirs!" equiva-
lent to lords" recognized the majesty
and honor of their mission. Sirs! If
a man with a captious spirit tries to
find the way to heaven he will miss
1t. II a mar m out and ~pronounces
all Christians as hypocrites and the
religion of Jesus Christ as a fraud, and
asks Irritating questions about the
mysterious and the inscrutable, say
Ing, Come, my wise man, explain this
and explain that; if this be true how
can that be true?'-no such man finds
the way to heaven. The question of
the text was decent, courteous, gentle |
d~eferential. Sirs.
Again, I characterize this question of
the agitated jail-keeper by saying that
It was a practical question. He did not
ask why God let sin come into the
he did not ask how Christ could
be God and man in the same person.
he did not ask the doctrine of the de-
crees explained or want to know whom
Cain married, OF what was the cause Of
The earthquake. His present and ever
welfare was involved in the
question, and was not that practical?
But l know multitudes of people who
are bothering themselves about the
lon-essentials of religion. What would
think Of a man who should, while
discussing the question of the light and
heat of the sun, spend his time down
n a coal cellar, when he might come
,ut and see the u and feel the other?
Yet there are multitudes Of men who.
n discussing the chemistry of the Cos
)el, spend their time down IN the dun
yeon Of their unbeIief, when God all
he while stands telling them to come.
'ut into the MONDAY light and warmth
f the Sun Of righteousness. The ques-
ion for you, my brother, to discuss is
lot whether Calvin or Arminius was
light, not whether a handful of water
n holy baptism or a baptistery is the
etter, not whether Generalization and
rec agency can be tarmonized. The
PRACTICAL question for you to discuss,
nd for me to discuss, is, Where will
spend eternity?"
Again, 1 characterize this question Of
he agitated jail-keeper as n personal
himself. 1 have no doubt he had
lany friends, and he vas interested in
heir welfare. I have no doubt he
)und that there we're persons in that
rison who, if the earthquake had de-
them, would have found their
ase desperate. He is not question
1g about them. The while weight of
is question turns on the pronoun "I."
What shall 1 do?" OF course, when
man becomes a Christian, he imme-
lately becomes anxious for the saliva
of other people, but until that poiut
reached the most important question
) about your own salvation. "W nat
to be my destiny?" What are my
5000 r. nf