Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-12-18
riven with tho llghtnings.

STANCES that pulled down the temple OF
Dagon about Samsons ears, and tens
of thousands Of giants have gone down
to death and hell through the same i'm
pure destinations. 1t seems to me that
it is high time that pulpit and platform
and printing press speak out against
the impurities of modern society Fas-
tidiousness and prudery say: BETTER
not speak You will rouse up adverse
criticism. you will make worse what you
want to make better. Better deal in
glittering generalities. The subject is
too delicate for polite ears. " But there
comes voice from heaven overpower-
ing the mincing sentimentalities of the
day, saying, CRY aloud, spare not. lift
up thy voice like q trumpet and show
my people their transgressions and the
house of Jacob their sins -
The trouble is that when people write
or speak upon this theme they are apt
to cover it Up with the graces of bellies
ettres, so that the crime is made at
tractive instead of repulsiye. Lord By
ron in don Juan" adorns this crime
until it smiles like May queen. Mich
elet, the great French writer, covers it
up with Lewitching rhetoric until it
CLOVIS like the rising sun, when it
ought to be made loathsome as small
pox hospital. There are today influences
abroad which if unresisted by the pull
pit and the printing press will turn our
modern cities into Sodom and Gomor-
rah, fit only for the storm of fire and
birthstone that whelmed the cities Of
the plain.
You who are seated in your Christian
homes, comprised by moral and reli-
gious restraints, do not realize the gulf
of iniquity that bounds you on the
north and the south and the east and
the west. While speak there are tens
of thousands of men and women going
over the awful plunge of an impure
life, and while I cry to God for mercy
upon their souls call upon you to mar
shall in the defense of your homes your
church and your nation. There is ban
quoting hall that you have never heard
described You know all about the feast
of Ahasuerus, where thousand lords sat
You know all about Belshazzar's Ca
rousal, where the blood of the murdered
king spurted into the faces Of the ban
queters You may know Of the scene Of
riot and wassail when there was set be-
fore Esopus one dish of food that cost
$500, 900. But l speak now Of differ
ent banqueting hall. Its roof is fretted
with fire. Its floor is tessellated with
fire. Its chalices are chased with fire.
It's song is song Of fire. Its walls are
buttresses of fire. Solomon refers to it
when he says, Her guests are in the
depths of hell. "
Death the Invincible.
Behold also in this giant Of the text
and in the giant of our own century
that great physical power must crumble
and expire The Samson Of the text
long ago went away. He fought the
lion. He fought the Philistines He
could fight anything, but death was too
much for him. He may have required
longer grave and q broader grave, but
the tomb nevertheless was his terminus
If, then, we are to be compelled to go
out Of this world, where are we to go?
This body and soul must soon part
What shall be the destiny Of the former
l l1now-dust to dust. But what shall
be the destiny of the latter? Shall it rise
into the companionship of the white
robed, whose sins Christ has slain, or
,r;1l - rr DOW, op,Ouo tho ,,Dlo1iaviuo
who tried to gain the world and save
their souls but were swindled- out Of
both? Blessed lie God, we have cham
pion! He is so styled il the Bible-a
champion WHO has conquered death and
hell, and lie is ready to fight all our
battles from the first to the last. WHO
is this that cometh from Edom with
dyed garments from Bozrah, mighty to
save?' If we follow in the wake of that
champion death has no power and the
grave no victory. The worst man trust
ing in him shall have his dying pangs
alleviated and his future illumined.
In the light of this subject | want to
call your attention 10 fact which may
not have been rightly considered by FIVE
men in all the world, and that is the
fact that we must be brought into judg-
ment for the employment of our physi-
cal organism Shoulder, brain, hand,
foot-we must answer in judgment for
the use we have made Of them. Have
they been used for the elevation of So
ciety OF for it's depression? In proportion
as our arm is strong and our step elastic
will our account at last be intensified.
Thousands of sermons are preached to
invalids. preach this morning to stout
men and healthful women. We must
give to God all account for the right use
of this physical organism.
These invalids have comparatively
little to account for perhaps They could
not lift 20 pounds They could not walk
half mile without sitting down to
rest. In preparation of this subject l
have said to myself, How shall account
to God in Judgment for the use OF
body which never knew one moment OF
real sickness? Rising up in Judgment,
standing beside men and women who
had only little physical energy and yet
consumed that energy in confagration
of religious enthusiasm, how will we
feel abashed
The Weak That Are Strong.
Oh, men of the strong arm and the
stout heart, what use are you making
" your physical forces? Will you be
able to stand the test of that day when
we must answer for the use Of every
talent, whether it were physical ener-
gy or a mental acumen or spiritual
power?s
The day approaches, and see one
who in this world was an invalid, and
as she stands before the throne Of God
to answer she says II was sick all my
days had but very little strength
but did as we'll as could in being
hind tn those who were more sick and