Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-08-28
about christ and heaven. .
Questions Asked.

you as happy as you used to DO When
you believed in the truth of the Chris
tian religion? Would you like to have
your children travel OIL in tho road in
which you are now travelling? You had
q relative who professed to DO a Chris
tian and was thoroughly consistent, liv-
ing and dying in the faith of the COS
pel. Would you not like to live the
same quiet life and die the same peace
ful death? l hold in my hand letter,
sent me by one who has rejected the
Christian religion. 1t says: 1 am old
enough to know that the joys and pleas
ures of life are evanescent and to real
ize the fact that it must be comfortable
in cid age to believe in something rela-
tive to the future and to have faith
i'll some system that proposes to save.
am free to confess that | would be hap
pier if could exercise the simple and
beautiful faith that is possessed by
many whom know. lam not willingly
out of the church or out of the faith.
My state of uncertainty is one of un-
rest. Sometimes doubt my immortal
ity and look upon the deathbed as the
closing scene, after which there is moth
ing. What shall do that have not
done?" ALI, skepticism is dark and
doleful land Let me say that this Bible
is either true OF false If it be false, we
are as well off as you; if it be true,
then which of us is safer?
Let me also ask whether your trouble
has not Eeen that you COMPOUNDED Chris
tianity with the inconsistent character
of some who profess it? You are law
yer. III your profession there are mean
and dishonest men. Is that anything
against the law? You are doctor.
There are unskilled and contemplate
men in your profession. Is that any
thing against medicine? You are amer
chant. There are thieves and defrard-
ers III your business. Is that anything
against merchandise? Behold, then, the
unfairness of charging upon Christian
ity the wickedness Of its disciples. We
admit some Of the charges against those
who profess religion. Some of the most
gigantic swindles of the present day
have been carried on by members OF
the church.
There are men standing in the front
rank in the churches who would not be
trusted for SO without good collateral
security. They leave their business dis
honestics in TIE vestibulo of the church
rs they 90 i'll and sit at the communion.
Having concluded the sacrament, they
get up, wipe the wine from their lips,
90 cut and take up their sins where they
left off. TO serve the devil is their reg
ular work, to serve God sort of play
spell. With Sunday sponge they eX-
poet to wipe off from their business slate
all the past weeks Inconsistencies. You
have no more right to take such man g
life as a specimen of religion than you
have to take Inc twisted irons and split
imbers that lie on the beach at Coney
Island as specimen of al American
shin. 1t is time that we draw line be-
tween religion ard tile frailties OF those
who profess it.
Do YOU not feel that the Bible, take
it all in all, is about the best book that
the world has ever seen? Do you know
any book that has as much in it? DO
You not think, upon the whole, that It's
influence has been beneficent? leone to
you with both hands extended toward
YOU. In>one hand l have the Bible and
in the other hand have nothing. This
Bible in one hand will surrender for
ever Just as soon as in my other hand
YOU can put book that is better.
invite you back into the good old
fashioned religion of your fathers, to
the God whom they worsliped, to the
Bible they read, to the promises on
which they leaned, to the cross Oh
which they hung their eternal expecta-
lions. You have not been happy day
since YOU swung off You will not be
happy minute until you swing back.
Great Hindranccs.
Again there may be some who in the
attempt after a Christian life will have
to run against powerful passions and
appetitcs. Perhaps it is disposition to
anger that you lave to contend against,
and perhaps, while in very serious
mood, you hear Of something that makes
Won feel that you must swear or die. l
know Christian man who was once SO
exasperated that he said to'a mean GUS
toner, 81 cannot swear at you myself,
for am q member of the church, but if
you will 80 down stairs my partner III
business will swear at you. :" All your
good resolutions heretofore have been
torn to tatters by explosion of temper.
Now, there is no harm i'll getting mad
if you only get mad at sin. You need
to bride and saddle those hot breathed
passions and with them ride down in
Justice and wrong. There are thou
sand things III the world we ought to
be mad at There is 10 harm in getting
redhot if you only bring to the forge
that which needs hammering. A man
who has 10 power of righteous indig-
nation is III imhecile But be sure 1t is
righteous Indignation and not petu-
lancy that blurs AID unravels and de-
pletes the soul.
There is Il large class CT persons in
midlife who have still in them apretites
that were aroused in curly manhood, at
tine when they prided themselves on
being Little fast, ;" "high livers, !"
''free and easy, 'hail fellows well
metz They arc row paying i'll COM
pound interest fer troubles they collect
ed 90 years ago. Seine OF you are trying
to escape, and you will, get very mar
rowly, cas- with the skin CT yonr teeth. .
God and ycur own soul Only Know what
the struggle is 0mnipotent grace has
pulled out many soul that was deeper
in the mire than you are. They line the
be .ch Of heaven-the multitude whom
Gcd has rescued from the thrall OF sui.
cidal habits. If you this day turn bach
on the wrong and start anew, God VII
help you. Oh, the weakness of human
help! Men will sympathize for awhile