The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-10-07

not hurt them. But there is another
man who starts out in worldly enter
prise, and he depends upon the uncer-
| tanties of this life. He has no God to
| help him. After awhile the storm
comes and losses off the masts of the
ship: he puts out his life boat, the
sheriff and the auctioneer try to help
him off: they can't help him off; he
rust go down; no Christ in the ship.
Here are young men ust starting out
in life Your life will be made up of
sunshine and shadow. There may be
in it arctic blasts or tropical tornadoes;
| know not what is before you, but
know if YOU have Christ with you all
shall be well.
You may seem to get along without
the religion of Christ while everything
goes smoothly. but after awhile, when
SORROW hovers over the soul, when the
waves of trial dash clear over the hur-
ricane deck, and the bowsprit is shiv-
cred, and the hailiards are swept into
the sea, and the gangway is crowded
with pratical disaSters-Oh, what
would YOU then do without Christ in
the ship? Young man, take God for
your portion. God for your guide. God
for your help; then all is well; all is
we'll for time; all shall be well forever.
Blessed is that man who puts in the
Lord his trust. He shall never be con-
founded.
But my subject also impresses me
with the fact that when people start to
follow Christ they must not expect
smooth sailing. Those disciples got
into the small boats, and | have no
doubt they said: "What a beautiful
day this is. What "a smooth sea. What
bright sky this is! How delightful
IS sailing in this boat; and as for the
waves under the keel of the boat, why,
they only make the motion of our little
boat the more delightful" But when
the wind swept down, and the sea was
tossed into wrath, then they found
that following Christ was not smooth
sailing. SO YOU have found it, SO |
have found it. Did you ever notice the
end Of the life of the apostles of Jesus
Christ? You would say that if ever
men ought to have had smooth life,
smooth departure, then those men, dis
ciples of Jesus Christ, ought to have
had such a departure and such life.
St. James lost his head. st. Philip
was hung to death on Il pillar. st.
Matthew had his life dashed out with
a halbert. St. Mark was dragged to
death through the streets st. James
the Less was beaten to death with
fuller's club. st. Thomas was struck
through with a spear. They did not
find following Christ smooth sailing
Oh, how they were all tossed in the
tempest. John Huss in the fire; Hugh
Mckail in the hour of martyrdom; the
Albigenscs, the Waldenscs, the Scotch
sailing?
But why go to history when | can
find all around me score Of illuStra-
tons of the truth of this subject?
That young man in the store trying to
serve God, while his employer SCOTS at
Christianity, the young men in the
same store antagonistic to the Chris
tian religion, teasing him, tormenting
him about his religion, trying to get
him mad. They succeed in getting him
mad, saying: "Iou're a pretty Chris
tan Does this young man find it
smooth sailing when he tries to follow
Christ? Here is a Christian girl. Her
father despies the Christian religion;
her brothers and sisters scott at the
Christian religion; she can hardly find
quiet place in which to say her pray
Ni.l Il,
when she tried to follow Jesus Christ?
Oh, no; all who would live the life of
the Christian religion must suffer per-
secutiOn; if you do not find it in one
way, you will get it in another way.
The question was asked: "Who are
those nearest the throne?' and the an
swer came back: These are they who
came up out of great tribulation;''
great failing" as the original has it;
great failing, great pounding-''and
had their robes washed and made
white in the blood of the Lamb" Oh,
do not be disheartened. Oh, child of
God. take courage. You are in glor-
Gus companionship. God will see you
through all these trials, and He will
deliver you.
My subject also lmpresses me with
the fact that good people sometimes
get very much frightened. In the
tones of these disciples as they rushed
to the back part of the boat, find
| they are frightened almost to death.
They say: Master, carest Thou not
that we perish?' They had no reason
to be frightened, for Christ was in the
boat. l suppose if we had been there
we would have been just as much af-
frighted. Perhaps more.
SO men come, spinning their sophis-
tries and skepticism bout Jesus Christ;
lie seems to be sleeping. They say:
1--WE have captured the Lord; He will
never come forth again upon the ma
ton; Christ is captured, and captured
forever. His religion will never make
any conquest among men," But after
awhile the Lion of the tribe of Judah
will rouse Himself and come forth to
shake lightly the nations.
But there are great many good peo-
pie who get atfrighted in other re-
spects; they are affrighted in our dav
about revivals. They say, "Ohr' this