The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-12-10

ing, between IL ana II O'Clock, you
could by certain financial transaction
make $4,000, but that on Tuesday per-
haps you might make it, but there
would not be any positiveness about it,
and on Wednesday there would not be
SO much, and Thursday less, Friday
less, and so on less and less-when
would you attend to the matter? Why,
yosr common sense would dictate,
Immediately will attend to that mat
row, Monday morning, for then | can
surely accomplish it, but on Tuesday
may not, and ON Wednesday there is less
prospect and less and less. | will attend
to it tomorrow" Now, let us bring our
common sense in this matter of religion.
Here are the hopes of the gospel. We
may get them now. Tomorrow we may
get them and we may not. Next day we
may and we may not, the prospect less
and less and less and less, the only
sure time now-now. | would not talk
to you in this way if did not know
that Christ was able to save all the PEG
pie. l would not go into hospital and
tear off the bandages from the wounds
if had no balm to apply. l would not
have the face to tell man he is sim
ner unless l had at the same time the
authority for saying he may be saved.
The Divine Raphael.
Suppose in Venice there is Raphael,
a faded picture, great in its time, bear
ing some marks of it's greatness. History
describes that picture 1t is nearly faded
away. You say, ooh, what pity that
so wonderful picture by Raphael
should be nearly defaced!' After
awhile a man comes up, very unskillful
in art, and he proposes to retouch it.
You say: "Stand off. l would rather
have it just as it is. You will only make
it worse" After awhile there comes an
artist who was the equal of Raphael.
He says, 81 will retouch that picture
and bring out all its original power. .
You have full confidence in his ability.
He touches it here and there. Feature
after feature comes forth, and when he
is done with the picture it is complete
in all it's original power.
Now, God impresses his image on our
race, but that image has been defaced
for hundreds and for thousands of years,
getting fainter and fainter. Here comes
up divine Raphael shall call him a
divine Raphael. He says II can restore
that picture. " He has all power in heav-
en- and on earth. He is the equal of
the one who made the picture, the equal
of the one who drew the image of God
in our soul. He touches this sin and it
is gone, that transgression and it is gone,
and all the DETACHMENT disappears, and
"where sin abounded grace doth much
more abound" Will you have the de-
facement or will you have the restora-
ton? 1 am well persuaded that if l
could by touch of heavenly pathos in
two minutes put before you what has
been done to save your soul there would /
be an emotional tide overwhelming.
Mamma, said little child to her
mother when she was being put to bed
at night, mamma, what makes your
hand so Starred and twisted and unlike
other peoples hands?' "Well, said
the mother, "my child, when you were
younger than you are now, years ago,
one night after had put you to bed,
heard cry, shrek, up stairs. came
up and found the bed was on fire, and
you were on fire, and | took hold Of you,
and | tore off the burning garments,
and while l was tearing them off and
irving to it Won away | burned nv
nand and it has been SCARED and twist
I'd ever since and hardly looks any more
ike hand, but got that, my child,
N trying to ave you"
o man, O woman, 1 wish today
could show you the burned hand
If Christ-burned in plucking you out
If the fire, burned in snatching you
lway from the fame Aye, also the
burned foot, and the burned brow, and
he burned heart-burned for you. "By
lis stripes ye are healed"