The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-09-02


stroke for stroke. but when I come
and knock at the door Of your heart.
you open II and say. Come in. my
brother. and tell me all you know
about Christ and heaven"
Listen 10 two or three questions;
Are you as happy as you used 10 DO
when you believed In the truth OF the
Christian religion? Would you like TO
have your children travel on IN the
road In which you are now travellng1
You had a relative who professed TO
be a Christian. and was thoroughly
consistent, living aud dying In the
faith OF the Gc0pel. Would you not
like TO live the same quiet life and
die the same peaceful deathl | hold
In my hand a letter. sent me by one
who has rejected the Christian reli-
glon. II says: Il am old enough 10
know that the Joys and pleasures Of
life are evaneseent. and to realize the
fact that Il must be comfortable In old
age TO believe Ia something relative
10 the future. and 10 have faith In
some system that proposes 10 save. !
am free 10 confess that / would be
happier II | could exercise the sim
pie and beautiful faith that IA possess
ed by many whom know. / am not
willingly out OF the church or out Of
the faith. Ny state Of uncertainty Is
one OF unrest. Sometimes | doubt my
immortality and look upon the death
bed a. the closing scene. after which
there Is nothing. What shall ! do
that have not donef" All scepti-
eism IL a dark and doleful land. Let
me say that this Bible Il either true
or false. n II be false. We are as well
on as you: II il be true. then which Of
us IL safer7
Let me also ask whether your trouble
has not been that you COMPOUNDED
Christianity with the inconsistent
character OF some who profess ~ You
are a lawyer In your profession there
are mean and dishonest men. Il that
anything against the law fou are a
doctor. There are unskilled and con-
temptible men In your profession. l.
that anything against medlclne1 You
are a merchant. There are thieves and
defrauders In your business. II that
anything against merchandise Be
hold. then. the unfalrness Of charging
upon Christianity the wlckednesa Of its
disciples We admit some OF the
charges against those who profess re-
ligion. Some Of the most gigantic
fwindles Of the present day have been
carried on by members OF the church
There are men standing In the FROM
rank In the churches who would not
BE- trusted for ave dollars without
good collateral security. They leave
their business dlshonestles In the vesti
bule OF the church az they 10 IN ant
sit az the communion. Having con
eluded the sacrament. they get up
wipe the wine from their lips 20 out
and take up their sins where they LET
on. To serve the devil Ia their regu
lar work: 70 ferye.God a sort Of play
spell with a sunday sponge they En-
peci 10 wipe OF from their business
, slate all the past weeks inoonsisten
cies You have no more right TO TAX
/ such a mans liie az a specimen Of re
! llglon than you have TO take III
J twisted irons and split timbers tina
lie on the beach AZ Coney Island az
( specimen OF an American ship. Il
J time that We draw a line between r.
!. liglon and the frallties Of those wh
. profess Il.
. DO you not feel that the Bible. TAX
b q an In all. IL about the best boo
/. that the world has ever seem DO 20
b know any book that has as much .
b Il? Do you no, think. upon the whol'
b that its influence has been benehoent
2 come 20 you with both hands extend
b Cd towards you In one hand ] hay
J. the Bible. and IN the other hand
b have nothing This Bible In one han
e viii surrender forever just az 500
o a. Ia my other hand you can put
= book that Il better.
p I invite you back into the good Old
2 fashioned religion Of your faihers-i
g the God whom they worshipped. 10 n
o Bible they read. to the promises o
y which they leaned. to the cross o
which they hung their eternal expec,l
p tons You have not been happy a "a
Z since you swung on; you will not I
: happy a minute until you swim
I. tack.
q
II. with an the influences 'avorab
for a right lie. men make 40 maj
mistakes. how much harder Is II whe
for instance. some appetite thrusis l
: iron gFapple into the roots Of u
tongue. and pulls a man down vii
I, hands Of destructlon1 II. under ~,
!, circumstances. be break away. the
" will be no sport In the undertaking.. I
holiday enjoyment. but a struggle
which the wrestlors move from sil
!, 10 side. and beni. and twist. and watt
y for an opportunity TO get In a heavl
q. stroke until with one final Effort.
" which the muscles are dls,ended. Al
the veins stand out. cnd the bio,
starts. the sWarthy habit falls und
!, the knee OF the victor escaped al IA
a. with the skin Of HE teeth"
a -.