The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1896-01-08
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
rIIE NOTED DlVlNIrS SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.
Subject. "Tho philippian Jailcr."

Tnxr; .'slrs, what must DO to DO saycd2"
Acts xvi, 80.
a pluee cold IN dark aud dump and loath-
yOme and hidenus, unilluminod save by tho
torch OF tla official who comes to SEQ 4 they
nro aiyo yot, uro Two ministers OF Chris,
their feet fast In instruments tents Q. tortnrr; tnelr
]oatnern thongs, tlior mouths hot with In.
Illumination Of thirst their heals fnint be.
cause they may not Ito down. In u com.
Portable room Of that same building and
amid pleasant surroundings Is u paid officer
OF tho Government whose business 1t is to
suporyise tho prison. 1t Is night, and all is
still III the corridors Of tho dungeon snvo as
somo murderer struggles with u horrld
dream, or rufllan turns ovor IN his chains.
or thoro Is tho cough Of dying consumptiyo
amid tho dampncss, but suddenly, crash! 80
tho walls. Tho two ocrgymen pass out
FREQ. Tho jail keeper, although familiar with
tho darkness and tho horrors lowering
around tho dungeon, is startled beyond all
bounds and innbe.u In hand ho rushos
through, amid tho falling walls, shouting III
the top OF his voice, 'Sirs, what must do to
bo snved2'
stunt now among those who aro asking
tho same question with more or less earnest
ness, and nccost you in this crisis Of your
soul with II message from hcnYen. There nre
those in this audlencD who might be more
Sktllful in argument than l nm; thero are
those horo who can dive into deopor depths
Of sccnco or havo larger knowodgo; there
aro in this audionco those beforo whom
would willingly bow as tho inferior to the
superior, but yield to no ono in this assem-.
blagein u desire to have I'LL tho people saved
py tho power Of IN omntpotent gospel.
( shall proceed to charnctcrizo tho ques-
ton Of tho agtated jail keeper. And first
chnracter2D the question as courteous. Ho
might have rushed in md s3ald, paul ,innd
In u>{E All nyyp
this prison? Aren't you satisfied with dis
turbing tho penco OF tho city by your In
famous doctrinos2 Aud are you now going
to destroy public property? Bnok with YOU
such thing. Tho word Of four leiters, "sirs,"
equivalent to "lor,ls." recognized tho mai
esty AMI the honor OF their mission. Sirsl II
man with u captious spirit tries to find tho
why to heavan ho will miss It.. II man
comes out and pronounces oil Christians ns
hypocrtcs and tho religion Of Jesus Christ as
fraul aud asks irritating questions about
tho mysterious nnd inscrutable, saying
"Como, my wise man, explain this and OK
plain that; II this bo trne, how Gun that be
Tho question OF tho lcNt was dccnnt, cour-
teous, Bontl .mnnly, doferential. Srs!
Again, Gharactorize this question OF tho
agitntcd jail keeper by saying that It was
practical question. IIe did not usk why
God Let sin como into tho world; he did not
ask how Christ could be G od nnd man in tho
same person; he did not, nsk Tho doctrine OF
the dccreos explained or want to know whom
Cain married or what was tho cause Of tho
earthquake. His present and everlasting
welfare was involved In the question, and
was not that praotica2 But know multi
tudcs OF people who arc bothoring them
selves about tho nonesspntjnls OF religion.
What would you think of man who should.
while discussing tho question Of tho light
and heat OF tho sun, spend his time down in
Il coal cellar when ho might come out and
see tho one and fcel tho othc2 Yet there aro
mnliitudcs Of men who, in discussing tho
chemistry Of the gospel, spond their timo
down in tho dungeon OF their unbelief whom
God oil tho whicsu telling them to como
out into tho noonday light and warmth OF
tho sun Of Righteousness. The question for
You, my brother. to discuss Is not whether
Calvin or Arminins was right, not whother
handful Of wator in holy baptism ora bap-
tistcry is tho batter, not ,yhothor foreordt-
nation and FREQ agency can DO harmonized
Tho practical question for you to discuss and
for mo TO discuss is. "Whoro will I spend
ctDrnityY'
Again, characterized this question OF tho
agitatcd jail keeper rs ono personal to him
self. have no doubt ho ha many friends,
and ho was Interested In their welfare.
havo no doubt he found that there were por-
sons in that prison who. II the earthquake
had destroyed them, would have found their
case desperate. IIo is moi questioning about
thcm. Tho whole weight Of his question
i.
do?" Of course when u man becomes n
Christian ho immediately becomes anxious
Tor tho salvation OF other people, but until
that point is renonod tho most important
"What is to bo my destiny?" "What are my
prospects for tho fnture?'' 'Where am GO
ing?" ,Wlnat shall do?" The trouble is
wo shufiic tho responsibility off upon olho-9.
Wo prophcsy bad end to that inebriato, ind
terrific exposure TO that defaulter and aw-
tul catastrophe 10 that prohigate. We are
so busy in weighing other people wo forget
| ourselves to got into tho scales Wo aro so
busy Watching tho poor gardons Of other
people that wo lot our own dooryard 20
people into tho ifeboat wo sink in tho
wavo Wo cry 'tiitu" because our neigh
hors house Is burning down and soem
to bo uninterestea although our own house
IS in the conliagration. On. wandering
thoughts. lsnppnar to-day! Blot out this
ont ti'eaulenco except yoursoil Your sin,
is ii pardoned2 Your death, is 1t provided
Tor? Your heaven is 1t secured? A mightier
earthquake than hat which demolished tho
Phiippian penitcntinry will rumble about
your ears. Tho foundations Of tho earth
Will give way. The earth by one tremor will
ling oil tho American cities into tho dust.
Cnthcdrals am palaces and prisons which
have stood for thousands Of years will top
tho sen will submergo tho land and the At
lantic and Pacifi. Oceans above the Alps and
Tho Andes c!np their hnnds. What then will
become OF me2 What thcn will become of
you2 Idono! wonder ut tho anxiety Of this
man OF my text, for he was not only anxious
nbout tho falling Of tho prison, but the fall
ing Of II world,
Again. remark, charaotorizo this quos-
ton OF the agitatol jail keeper rs ono OF In
comparable Importance. Mon aro alike,
and suppose ho had scores OF questions OH
his mind, but nll questions for this world nro
hu3hcu up forgotten, annihilated in this
one question OF tho text: "What must do
to be savnd2" And hnvo you. my brother,
any question Of Importance compared with
that question? Is 1t II question OF busness2
Your common sense tolls you that you will
soon cease worldly business. You know very
well that you will soon pass out Of that part
horShtp. You know that, beyond n certain
! point. OF all tho millions Of dollars worth Of
| Roodssoid You will not handle yard Of cloth,
or @ q pound rt, Of sugar, or " penny's worth.
swcrp ali washington 'k into kioH ashos snou'a It
| you'd not touch you, and would not
damage YOU. II every cashicr should ab-
conh and every bank suspend payment and
! e!ery Insurance company fail. 1t would not
i affect you. Oh, how insignificant is bust
other side tho grave! Have you mndo any
purchases for eternity? Have you any secu-
rites that will last forever Arc you Job
bing. for timo whom you might bo whoesal-
ing for oiernity2 Is there any question 80
broad at the bnse. 30 nltitudinous, SO over
eh9dowing rs tho question. "What must do
tc DC say0af" OF, Is II Il domestic question
Is Il something. about father or mother or
husband or wife or son or daughter that is
the more important question: You know by
universal and inoxorablo law that relation
will SOON be brokon up. Father will be gone.
you will bo gone, bu, after that tle question
Of The tcXt will begin 10 harvest its chic