Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1896-08-26
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Whosoeyer Hath Anything to Offer in
this Great Trial
or Conscience Let Him Step Forth and
Give Tcstimony-God L. Plaintiff and
the soul IL Defrndant-The Issues
at Stake Tremendous.


drawn from the scenes in courtroom
with which DR. Talmage became famil-
lar when he was studying law. before
he studied for the ministry. The text
is: i. John H., /: We have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous"
Standing in IA courtroom, You say to
yourself; AT this bar crime has often
been arraigned; at this witness stand
the oath has often been taken; ut this
jurors bench the verdict has been rem
dercd; at this judges desk sentence has
been pronounced" But have TO tell
you to-day of trial higher than any
oyer and terminer or circuit or supreme
or chanccry. 1t is the trial of every
Christian man for the life of his soul
This trial is different from any other
In the fact that it is both civil and
criminal.
The issues at stake are tremendous,
and i shall in my sermon show you.
first, what are the grounds of com
| plant; then, who are the witnesses in
the cause, and lastly, who are the ad-
vocates
! When trial is called on the first
thing is to have the indictment read.
Stand up then, o Christian man, and
hear the indictment of the Court of
high Heaven against thy soul. 1t is
an indictment of ten counts, for thou
hast directly or indirectly broken all
the ten commandments. You know
how it Numbered on Sinai, and when
God came down how the mountain.
rocked and the smoke assembled as
darkness gathered thick, and the loud
deep trumpet uttered the words: THE
soul that sinneth it shall die" Are
you guilty or not guilty? DO not put
in negative plea too quick, for / have
to announce that "all have sinned and
come short of the glory of Cod There
is none that doeth good; no, not one.
WhoSoever shall keep the whole law,
yet offend in one point, he is guilty of
all. Do not, therefore, be too hastv
in pronouncing yourself not guilty.
This lawsuit before us also charges
you with tine breaking of a solemn CON
tract Many a time did we promise to
be the Lords. We got down on our
knees and said: 80, Lord. | am Thine
now and forever Did you keep the
promise? Have you stood up to
the contract? | go back to your
hrst communion. You remember
II as well as If it were yesterday. You
know how the vision of the cross rose
before you. You remember how from
the head and the hands and the side
and the feet there came bleeding forth
these two words: Remember Me-"
You recall how the cup of communion
IN in hn
took 1T; and as in Il seashcll Won NAV
hear, or think you hear, the roaring OF
the surf even after the shell has been
taken from the beach, so you lifted the
cup of communion and YOU heard
in it the surging of the great
ocean of Saviour's agony; and
you came forth from that com
munion service with face SHINING
as though you had been on the Mount
OF TRANSPORTATION; and the very air
seemed tremulous with the love of
Jesus, and the woods and the leaves
and the grass and the birds were
brighter and swceter-voiced than ever
before, and you said down in the very
depths of your soul: Lord. Thou
knoweSt all things; Thou knowest
that | love Thee" lave you kept the
bargain, Christian man? Have Won
not sometimes faltered when you ought
to have been true? Have you not been
proud when you ought to have been
humble? Have you not PLAYED
the coward when you ought to have
been hero? l charge it upon Won
and | charge it upon myself-we have
broken the contract
Still furt hpr. tb;s
damages at your hands. The greatest
Islander on the Christian religion is an
inconsistent professor. The Bible saws
religion is one thing; we, by our incon-
sistency, say religion is some other
thing, and what is more dcplorable
about 1T is that people can see faults
In Others while they can not see
any in themselves. II Won shall
at any time find some miserable
old gossip, with imperfcctions from
the crown Of her head TO the sole of
ncr foot, perfect blotch OF sin herself
she will 20 tattling. tattling, tattlin,
all the years OF her life about tic in
constituencies Of others, having no idea
that She is Inconsistent herself. God
save the world from the gossip. female
and male. ! think the males are the
worst. Now the chariot OF Christ's
salvation goes on through the world.
but II is our Inconsistencies. my broth
rem, that block mp the wheels. while all
along the line there ought 10 have been
cast nothing but palm branches. and
the shout should have been lifted.
"llosanna 90 the SON Of David"
Now, you have heard the Indictment
read. Arc You ready To- plead guilty or
not guilty? Perhaps you are not ready
yet 90 plead Then The trial will po
on. Tho witnesses viii bc called and
we shall hav" the matter decided. In
the name OF God now make procIama-
ton: Oycl' Oecz, Oyer. who.o.vc-
hath anything to offer ZOO This trial I'm
which God is the plaintiff and the
Christian soul the defendant. lot him
now step forth and give testimony in
this solemn trial.
The first witness call upon the
stand in behalf Of the prosecution +.
the World al. cri ioai aud obscrv.ut
" Christian character. You know that
there are people around sou who per-
potualIy banquet on fho f-ailtic- Of
1od's children You may know. II
you have lived m the c,untrv. That q
crow cares Tor nothing 80 much as
carrion
Incrc arc those who imagine that
out Of Che faults ~ Christians they can
make % bridge Of boats across tho
.