The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-08-20
Or. 1AlAAGES SUNDAY SERMON
A GOSPEL MESSAGE.
Subject, "shali we Have Another
Chancc?n

~
vast multitudeo OF people that there will be an
opportunityin the next world OF correcting
the mistakes OF this; that however complete
n shtpwreck we may make Of our earthly life.
II will bo on beach up which we may walk
to palaces; that as defendant may lose his
case in Circuit Court aud appeal II and
have II go up TO the Supreme Court or Court
OF Chancery and ali the costs thrown over on
the other party. so mau may lose his case
IN this woild, but in the higher jurisdiction
OF eternity have the decision OF the earthly
case set aside, all the costs remltted and the
defendant be Triumphant forever.
The object OF my sermon Is to show you
that common sense declares with the text
that such an expectation is chmerical "If
the tree fall townrd the SOUTH or toward the
north, IN the place where the tree falleth.
there II shall be-" There are those who say
that II the impenitent and unfortunate man
enters the next world and secs the disaster,
az result OF that disaster he will turn. the
distress the cause OF his reformation: bst we
have ten thousand instances all around
about us OF people who have done wrong
and disaster suddenly came upon them
did the disaster heal them2 No.
they went on. There Is man flung
OF dissipations. The doctor says TO him:
NOW, my friend. II you don't stop drinking
and don't stop this fast lite you are living.
you will die" The patient thanks
the physician for hig warning and gets bet.
ter; he begins TO sit ,. begins TO walk around
the room, begins TO 80 TO business and takes
the same round OF groc shops where no got
his morning dram and his evening dram and
the drums between. Down again. Same
doctor. Same physical anguish. Same med
ical warning. But now the sickness
IS more Protracted. tho liver more
obstinate, the stomach more irri-
table, the digestive organs more rebellious.
But stu, under medical skin, he gets better.
goes forth. commits the same sacrllego
against his physical health. Sometimes he
wakes up 60 see what he is doing, and he
realizes he Is destroying his family and that
his lie is perpetual perjury against his
marriage VOWS, and that that broken -heartel
woman IS so different from the roseate wife
he married that her old schoolmaies do not
recognize her on the street, and that his sons
are going ont In life under the taunt OF u
fathers drunkenness, and that his daughter,
are going out in life under the scarf-
cation OF disrepuiablo ancestry. His
nerves are all ianglp. From crown o!
head TO sole of foot he Is one aching, rnsr-
ing, crucifying, damninc torture. Whore Is
hef He Il In hell on earth. Does II stop
him2 All! no. After awhile dellrium tire.
mems pours out Npon his pillow whole
jungle OF Kissing reptiles. His screams hof-
riiy the neichbors ~ he dashes out OF bed
crying, "IRko these things OF OF mo-" He
Is drinking down the comfort OF his family,
the education Of his children, their pros
poets Tor this life and perhaps their
prospects for the life to come Pale
and convalescent he sits up. Physician
says to him, "Now, my GOOD fellow
l am going to have plain talk with
you. IL YOU ever have an attack cf thi.
kind again you will die. l can't save you,
and all the doctors in creation cnn't
save you" The patient gets up, starts out.
goes the same round OF dissipation and is
down again; but this time medicines do not
touch his case. Consultations OF physicians
say there Is no hope. Death ends the scene.
That process ot inobrintlon and physical suf-
fering and medical warning and dissolution
Is taking place within stones throw OF
where you sit and in every ncighborhood OF
Christendom. Pain does not reform. Suf-
fering does not cure. What Is true in re.
gard to one sin is true in regard TO
all sins. and yet men are expecting
In the next life there will be opportunity for
purgatorial regeneration.
Again, wish you to further notice that
another chance in another world means the
ruin OF this. Now. suppose wicked man
Is assured that after q lifetime OF wicked
ness he can fix it all right in the future?
That would be the decentralization OF socl-
ETY.. that would bo the demolition OF the hu.
man race. There are now men who are kent
on the limits Of sin by their fear. The fear
that II we are bad and unforgiyen here /.
Will not be well Tor US in the next existence.
IS the chief influence that keeps civilization
from rushing back Into semi-barbarism. ard
keeps semi-barDarism from rushing back
into midnight savagery. and keeps midnight
faVagery from rushing back into extinction.
Another chance in another world means the
demolition Of this world.
Furthermore, my frlends-for | am preach-
ing to myself rs well us to you've lare on
the same level and though the platform Is
n little higher than the pew. It Is only for
convenience, ana that we may the better
speak to tho people, We are all on the same
platform, and um talking TO my soul white
j talk to yours-my friends, why another
chance in another world when we have de-
cllncd so many chances in this? Sun
pose you spread u banquet and you in.
vite vast number OF friends, and among
Others you send an invitation 20 u man who
disregards it, or treats it in an obnoxious
way' During twenty years You gave twenty
bnnquets, banquet year, and you invite
your friends, and every time you invite this /,
man, who disregGrds your invitation or sends |
back some indicnitv After while You
move into q larger house and amid more |
luxurious surroundings, and you invite !
your friends, but you DO not invite that |
man 10 whom twenty times you sent |
an invitation to the smaller house. Are
you to blame? You would only make
that man another invitation. For twenty |
years he has been declining your offers and !
sending insult for your kindness and cour- |
tesy, and can he blame you? Can he come |
up to your house on the night Of the ban |
quetP Looking up and seeing Il Is finer |
house will he have any right to say. "I.et me |
In. have declined all those other offers !
but this is n larger house. more luxurinnt !
abode. Let me In. Give me another
chance"
God has spread q banquet Of His grace be- !
fore us. For three hundred and sixty-nyo |
days OF every year, since we knew the differ |
ence between our right hand and our left |
He has invited us by His Providence and by |
His Spirit. Suppose we decline all these Of. !
iers Of kindness. Now the banquet Is spread !
In large place, in the heavenly palace. In !
vltations are sent out. but no invitation is !
sent TO us. Why? Because we declined |
all those other banquets. Win God |
be TO blame? VIII we have any |
right 10 rap on tho door OF heaven and say; |
II ought not TO be shut out OF this place: |
give me another chancef" Twelve gates OF !
salvation standing wide for free admission |