The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-02
lev. DIR. TALMAGE
EDAY'S DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE
tect: "Shall We Have Another
Chance?o

:: eff the tree fall toward the south,
ard the north, in the place where the
lleth, there it shall be-" -Eccl. H.. 8.
e is a lowering hope in the minds of q
ultitude of people that there will be an
unity in the next world Of correcting
stakes Of this; that however complete
wreck we may make of our earthly life,
be on a beach up which we may walk
,alace; that US defendant may lose his
In a Circuit Court and appeal 1t and
1t go up to the Supreme Court or Court
iancery and ali the costs thrown over on
ather party, so man may lose his case
this world. but in the higher jurisdiction
eternity have the decision Of the earthly
70 set aside, all the costs remitted and the
#endant be triumphant forever.
he object Of my sermon is to show you
It common sense declares with the text
t such an expectation IS chimerical. III
tree fall toward the south, or toward the
.rth, in the place where the tree falleth,
ere it shall be-" There are those who say
kt il the impenitent and unfortunate man
ers the next world and sees the disaster,
result of that disaster he will turn, the
ress the cause of his reformation; bat we
Re ten thousand instances all around
out us OF people who have done wrong
3d disaster suddenly came upon them
Hid the disaster heal, them? No,
by went on. There is man flung
dissipations. The doctor says to him:
Eow, nv friend, If you don't stop drinking
Id don't stop this fast lite you are living,
.u will die" The patient thanks
p physician for his warning and gets bet
+: he begins to sit UP. begins 10 walk around
" room, begins to 90 to business and takes
3 same round OF grog shops where no got
) morning dram and his evening dram and
b drams between. Down again. Same
4 Ictor. Same physical anguish. Same med
Ill warning. But now the sickness
more protracted. the liver more
Estimate, the stomach more irri-
(ble, the digestive organs more re5 5allious.
|lt still, under medical skill, he gets better.
bes forth. commits the same sacri!ege
kainst his physical health. Sometimes he
Fakas up to see what he Is doing. and he
Falizes be is destroying his family and that
Is life is a perpetual perjury against his
|arriage VOWS. and that that broken-hearted
(oman is so different from the roseate wife
married that her old schooimates do not
lcognize her on the street, and that his sons
ke going out in life under the taunt of
fher's drunkenness, and that his daughters
70 SOluS Out Ill lliO UuOCl llO SSotih-
ltidn of a disreputable ancestry. His
erves are all insle. From crown Of
BAD to sole of foot he is one aching, rasp-
|g, crucifying, damning torture. Where is
b? He Is In hell ON earth. Does it stop
i'm? Ah! 10. After awhile delirium tre-
lens pours out upon mis- pillow a whole
,nGle of Kissing reptiles. His screams hof-
fly the neichbors as he dashes out or bed
-ying, Take these things off OF me-" BE
drinking down the comfort OF his family,
le education of his children, their pros
Gets for this life and perhaps their
respects for the life to come. Pale
nd convalescent he sits up. Physician
lys to him, NOV, my good fellow,
am going to have a plain talk with
ou. II you ever have an attack Of this
ind again you will die. I can't save you,
nd all the doctors in creation can't
I've YOU" The patient gets up, starts out,
oes the same round OF dissipation and Is
OWN again; but this time medicines do not
,uch his case. Consultations OF physicians
~ there is no hope. Death ends the scene.
hat process Of inobriation and physical suf-
ring and medical warning and dissolution
taking place within stones throw OF
here you sit and in every neighborhood OF
hristendom. Pain does not reform. Suf-
ring does not cure. What Is true in re-
ard to one sin is true in regard to
1 sins, and yet men are expecting
the next life there will be opportunity for
lrgatorial regeneration.
Again, I wish you to further notice that
mother chance in another world means the
lin OF this. Now. suppose a wicked man
assured that after lifetime of wicked
ess he can fix it all right in the future?
hat would be the decentralization OF soci-
y, that would be the demolition Of the hu-
an race. There are now men who are kept
q the limits OF sin by their fear. The fear
lat If we are bad and unforgiven here i.
il! not be well for US in the next existence.
the chief influence that keeps civilization
ON rushing back into semi-barbarism, ard
eeps semi-barbarism from rushing back
ito midnight savagery. and keeps midnight
Lvagery from rushing back into extinction.
mother chance In another world means the
emoliton of this world.
Furthermore, my friends-for am preach
lg to myself as we'll rs 10 you've ARE on
lie same level, and though the platform is
little higher than the pew. it is only for
ami that we may the better
)eak to the people: we are all on the same
Iatform, and am talking to my soul while
talk TO yours-my friends. why another
nance in another world when we have de-
lined so many chances in this? Sup
ose you spread banquet and you in
lie Il vast number Of friends, and among
theirs YOU send an invitation to man who
isregarls it. or treats it in an obnoxious
ay. During twenty years you gave twenty
anquets, Il banquet a year, and you invite
our friends, and every time you invite this
ian, who disregards your Invitation or sends
ack some indignity. After a while you
love into larger house and amid more
surroundings, and You invite
our friends, but You do not invite that
ian to whom twenty times you sent
D invitation to the smaller house. Are
ou to blame? You would only make
ourself absurd before God and man to send
nat man another invitation. For twenty
ears he has been declining your offers and
ending insult for your kindness and cour-
'sy, and can he blame you? Can he come
p to your house on the night Of the ban
uet? Looking up and seeing 1t is finer
ouse will he have any right to say: "Let me
/. have declined all those other offers,
ut this is larger house. Il more luXurant
hode. Let me in. Give me another
nance"
God has spread banquet Of His grace be-
ore us. For three hundred and siyty-fve
avs of every year. since We knew the differ
nee bet ween our right hand and our left.
[e has invited US bv His Providence and by
lis Spirit. Suppose we decline all these Of
srS Of Kindness. Now the banquet is spread
l q large place, in the heavenly palace. In
itations are sent out. but no invitation is
,Et to Us. Why? Because we declined
Il those other banquets. Will God
i to blame? will we have any
cht to rap on the door of heaven and say;
l ought not to be shut out of this place:
i've me another chance?" Twelve gates Of
alvation standing wide for free admission
il our life and then when the twelve gates
lose we rush on the bosses of Jehovah's
Lckler. saying: "Give me another chance. !"
ship is to sail for Hamburg. You want to
b to Germany by that line. You see the
advertisement OF the steamers sailing. You
be il for two weeks. You see it in the
)orning papers and YOU see 1t In the evening
hpers: you see it placarded on the walls.
Erruiars are thrown into your office
Hing you all about that steamer. One