The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-09-03

might come down from the top OF Noun
Hermon and lash Gennesaret into foam
and into agony, but it could not hur
them. But here is another man whC
starts out in worldly enterprise, and hi
depends upon the uncertainties of this
life. He has no God to help him. After
awhile the storm comes and tosses OF
the masts of the ship. He puts out hii
lifeboat. The sheriff and the auctioneel
try to help him off. They can't helI
him off. He must go down-no Christ
i'll the ship. Here are young men just
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 we'll.
You may seem to get along without
the religion of Christ while every
thing goes smoothly, but after awhile,
when sorrow hovers over the soul, when
the waves of trial dash clear over the
hurricane deck and the bowsprit is shiv-
cred and the halyards are swept into
the sea and the gangway is crowded
with piratical 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.
There Must Be Rough Weather.
But my subject also impresses me
with the fact that when people start to
follow Christ they must not expect
smooth sailing These disciples got into
the small boats, and l have no doubt
they said: "What a beautiful day this
is! What a smooth seal What bright
sky this is! How delightful is sailing
in this boat! And as for the waves un-
der the keel Of the boat, why, they only
make the motion of our little boat the
more delightful But when the winds
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
a smooth life, "a smooth departure, then
those men, the disciples of Jesus Christ,
ought to have had such departure and
such life.
ST. James lost his head. st. Philip
was hung to death on pillar. st. Mat
thew had his life dashed out with a
halberd. St. Mark was dragged to death
through the streets. ST. James the Less
was beaten to death with a fuller's
club. st. Thomas was struck through
with spear They did not find follow
ing 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 Albigenses,
the Waldenses, the Scotch Covenanters |
did they find it smooth sailing?
But why go to history when l can
find all around me score of illustra-
tions of the truth of this subject-that
young man in the store trying to serve
God while his employer SCOTS at Chris
tianity, the young men in the same
store antagonistic to the Christian re-
ligion, teasing him, tormenting him
about his religion, trying to get him
mad? They succeed in getting him
mad. saying, You're a pretty Chris
tianr' Does this young man find it
smooth sailing when he tries to follow
Christ? Here is a Christian girl. Her
father despises the Christian religion;
her mother despises the Christian re-
ligion; her brothers and sisters scott at
the Christian religion; she can hardly
find quiet place in which to say her
prayers. Did she find it smooth sailing
when she tried to follow Jesus Christ?
Oh, no; all who would live the life of
The Christian religion must suffer per-
'ecution. If you do not find it in one
way, you will get it in another way.
The question was asked, ''Who are
hose nearest the ii rone?" and the an
iwer came back, These are they who
anne up out of great tribulation"-
great failing" as the original has it;
,reat failing, great pounding-"a
lad their robes washed and made white
II the blood Of the Lamb. 4" Oh, do not
oe disheartened! o child of God, take I
courage! You are in glorious oompan-
onship. God will see you through all !
hese trials, and he will deliver you. t
My subject also impresses me with i
he fact that good people sometimes get
cry much frightened. In the tones of S
hese disciples as they rushed into the |
ack part of the boat l find they are {
frightened almost to death. They say, I
Master, carest thou not that we per-
sh?'' They had no reason TO be fright L
ned, for Christ was in the boat. l sup i
ose if we had been there we would G
ave been just as much affrighted. Per- f
APPS more. l
No Need of Worry.
In all ages very good people get very 6
luch atfrigbted 1t is often so in our 4
ay, and men say: why, look at the
ad lectures; look at the spiritualistic
0cieties; look at the various errors GO t.
lg over the church of God. We are 60 s.
az to founder; the church is going to I
erish; she is going down." Oh, how n
lany good people are affrighted by tri- d
mphant iniquity in our day and think b
ne church of Jesus Christ and the c.
ause of righteousness are going to be c.
1.