Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-08-15

trials. and the first trial does not amount
to much, the second trial being every
thing, everything depending upon that,
l must have the most eloquent attorney,
and l must have all my witnesses
present, and 1 will expend my money
on that" If these men who are i'm
penitent and who are wicked felt
there were two trials, and the first was
of no very great Importance and the
second trial was the one of vast and III
finite Importance, all the preparations
for eternity would be post mortem, post
funeral. post sepulchral, and this world
would be jerkod off into impenitency
and godlessness. Another chance in an
other world means the. demolition of
this world.
AT the Banquet.
Furthermore, my friends-for l am
preachingt to myself as well us to-you;
we are Oh. 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 platform, and l
am talking to my soul while I talk to
yours-my friends, why another chance
in another world when we have declined
so many chances in this? Suppose you
spread banquet and you invite q vast
number of friends, and among others
you send an invitation to man who
disregards it, or treats it in an obnox-
ious way. During 20 years you give 20
banquets, banquet aycar; and you IN
vite your friends, and every time you
invite this man, who disregards your
invitation or sends back some indignlty.
After awhile you move into larger
house and amid more luxuriant sur
roundings and you invite your friends,
but you do not invite that man to whom
20 times you sent IN invitation to the
smaller house. Are you to blame? You
would only make yourself absurd before
God and man to send that man another
invitation. For 90 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 finer house,
will he have any right to say: "Let
me in. declined al those other offers,
but this is larger house, brighter
house, q more luxuriant abode. Let me
in. Give me another chancc?" God has
spread banquet Of his grace before us.
For 8G5 days of every year, since we
knew the difference between our right
hand and our left, he has invited us by
his providence and by his spirit. Sup
pose we decline all these offers and all
this kindness. Now the banquet is
spread in a larger place. in the heavenly
paluce Invitations are sent ont, but 10
invitation is sent to u.s. Why? Because
we declined all those other banquets
Will God be to blame? Will we have
any right to rap Oh the door of heaven
and say, II 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 u gates close we rush on the
bosses of Jehovah's buckler. saying,
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 steam
er's sailing. You see it for two weeks.
You see it in the morning papers, and
you sec it IN the evening papers; you
see it placarded on the walls. Circulars
are thrown into your Office telling you
all about that steamer. One day you
come down or the wharf and the steamer
has swung out into the stream. You
say: "Oh, that ism fair. Come back;
swing up again to the docks Throw the
plank ashore that may come Oh board
1t isn't FUR. I want to 60 to Germany
by thut steamer. Give me another
chance. Here is magnificent offer for
heaven. 1t 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
81 at any moment. Suppose we let
tina, opportunity sail away. and then we
look out and say: Send back that OPP
portunity. 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 Oh the High
lands ut the Navcsink three days after
the Majestic has gone out and shout:
Captain, come back. ! want to go to
Liverpool OIL the Majestic Come back
over the sea, and through the Narrows,
and up to the decks. Give ne 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! 1t c;imo Oh me yester-
day in my study with overwhelming
impressiveMcss Just think Of it. All
heaven offered US as u gratuity for
whole lifetime, and yet we wanting to
rush against God. saying, GIVE me
another chanccIh There ought to be,
there will be, no such thing as postum
nous opportunity.
You see common snrse agrees with
my text In saying that If the tree fall
toward the scllh or to"a!yl lie forth,
in the place where The ,we f.:ileth
there 1t shau ~. You s% this Idea
lifts this wGxld from an unimportaut
way station to platforms Of stupcndous
issues and makes I'LL eternity whirl
around this hour. Oh. ruy soul. my
scal Only enc trial, and al the prcpa
rations for l!;,i trial to be made i'll this
world CT .cyer made at all. Oh, my
soul, ny ss&il You see this piles ZIP oil
the emphasis and all the climaxes, and
all the destinies into this life. Nc other
chance. Oh, Eow that intcnsiiics the
value ana The impcitarce Of this chance!
Alexander r,d lis army used to como
arori:,,. { city, und they would kinda
gre;.; light, With the understanding that
as lcIg rs that light was burning the
city r.isill :prrcnlot, ard all would be
well, L;.t if they lot siat light go out,
then the battering ra.ns would swing