The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-11
Constipation


fore me. DO all this, but save me. mer-
ciful God! Save me from the fate of a
drunkard. Amen
You see this sermon Is not so much for
cure rs far prevention Stop before you
start, if you win forgive the solecism. The
clock of st. PauTs cathedral struck thir-
teen one midnight and so saved the life of
a sentinel. The soldier was arrested and
tried for falling asleep at his post one mid
night; but he declared that he was awake
at midnight, and in proof that he was
awake he said that he had heard the I'M
usual occurrence of the clock striking thr-
teen instead of twelve. He was laughed
to scorn and sentenced to death; but three
or four persons. hearing of the case, came
up in time to swear that they, too heard
the clock strike thirteen that same mid
night, and so the mans life was spared.
My hearer, if you go on and thoroughly
learn the Drunkard's Song perhaps in the
deep midnight of your soul there may
sound something that will yet effect your,
moral and eternal rescue: But it is
risky perhaps" 1t is exceptional Go
ahead on that wrong road and the clock
will more probably strike the twelve that
closes your day of opportunity, than that
it viii strike thirteen, the sound of your
deliverance
A few Sabbaths ago, on the steps of this
church, a man whom had known in 9th
er years confronted me. At the first glance
] saw that he was in the fifth and last act
of the tragedy of intemperance. Splendid
even i'm his ruin The same brilliant eye,
and the same courtly manners, and the
remains of the same intellectual endow-
ments; but a wreck 1 had seen that craft
when it ploughed the waters, all sails set
and running by true compass; wife, and
children, and friends on board, himself
commanding in a voyage that he expected
would be glorious putting into prosperous
harbors OF earth and a last putting into
the harbor of heaven. But now a wreck,
towed along by low appetites, that ever
and anon run him into the breakers-a
wreck of body, wreck of mind, a wreck
of soul. Where is your wife," Il do not
know" Where are your children?' I do
not know" "Where is your God?" Il do
not know" That man is coming to the
last verse of that long cantata, that pro-
tracted threnody, that terrific Song of the
Drunkards.
But if these words should come--for
you know the largest audience I reach l
never see at ALL say if these words
should come. though at the ends of the
earth. to any fallen man, let me say to
him: BE the exception to the general rule,
and turn and live, while I recall to you a
scene in England, where some one said to
an inebriate, as he was going out of
church where there was a great awaken
ing, why don't you sign the pledge?" He
answered, Il have signed it twenty times,
and will never sign it again" "Why them
said the gentleman talking to him, don't
you go up and kneel at that altar, amid
those other penitents?" He took the al
vice and went and knelt. After awhile a
little girl, in rags and soaked with the
rain. looked in the church door, and some
one said, What are you doing here, little
girl?" She said. please, sir heard as my
father is here Why that is my father up
there. kneeling now" She went up and
| put her arms around her fathers neck,
and said. Father, what are you doing
here2' and he said, Il am asking Goa to
forgive me" Said She IF He forgivcs
you will we be happy again." yes, my
dear" "Will we have enough to eat
again?" Eyes, my dear" "And Will YOU
never strike us again. mo, my child
wait here" said she, "tiu 1 go and call
mother" And soon the child came with
the mother, and the mother kneeing be-
side her husband, said: Save me, too!
Save me, too" And the Lord heard the
prayers at that altar, and one of the hap
| pest homes in England is the home over
| which that father and mother now loving
| ly preside. So if in this sermon, l have
warned others against disspated life,
| with the fact that so few return after they
! have once gone astray, for the encOura ge-
ment of those who would like to return, 1
| tell you God wants you to come back,
| every one of you. and to come back now,
| and more tenderly and luv.ngly than any
mother ever lifted a sick child out of a
! cradle, and folded it in her arms. and
! crooned over it a lullaby, and rocked it to
! and fro the Lord will take you up and
! fold you in the arms of his pardoning
| love.
There's Wilderness in Gods mercy,
Like the Wilderness of the sea.
There's kindness in his justice
Which is more than liberty.