Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-09
an EXCELLENT SERMON
By Rev. Mr.. Buck at the Baptist
Church Yesterday Morning.
PRISON WALLS AND PRISON
KEYS" THE THEME-SOME-
THING ABOUT PAUL AND SILAS
AS INMATES OF THE ROMAN
PRISON AT PHILIPPI, SERVING
AS A LESSON TO Us.


mon upon the subject Prison Walls
and Prison Keys" his text being ac-
cording to Acts xvi 25. The minis
ter's remarks. which were thoroughly
appreciated by the congregation, were
in part as follows:
THAT was a sorry plight in which
Paul and Silas found themselves at the
close of day Of missionary effort.
Had they been so disposed they
might well have questioned whether it
paid to serve God by preaching the
gospel to the Gentiles.
There they were at the hour of mid
night, bruised, bleeding, sore-inmates
of the Roman prison at Philippi-thrust
into the innermost cell. doubtless the
filthiest as well as the most secure IL
the prison, with hands and feet made
fast in the shacks, to preclude the pos
sibility of escape.
in that cell it was always night, but
there was no repose for them. In the
homes of the city, the inmates were
resting peacefully, in the adjacent cells
their fellow-p prisoners were sleeping
soundly, wholly oblivious to their mis-
cradle condition or more wretched sur
roundings; but there was no sleep for
these two victims of injustice; their
lacerated and smarting backs; their
bodies racked with pain, intensified by
their cramped positions and the gnaw-
ing pangs of hunger precluded the pos
sibility of sleep for even one brief mo-
ment. What did they do, do you sup
pose, during those long, wearisome
hours of the night as they crept slowly
by?
did they do as you and I would
doubtless have done? Did they do as
we often do when we get into troubles
and ifficulties-bemoan our lot, pity
our condition, dwell upon our wretch
edness.
"The disposition or tendency of our
poor, weak human nature is to do that
very thing-think of SELF dwell upon
our sufferings and injuries, and pity
ourselves.
1--WE should not have been greatly
surprised if we had read that Paul and
Silas had conversed somewhat after
this fashion.
'But no. They did no such thing.
The first thing they did was to look
away from self, with all its pain and
suffering, to God. The prison cell was
dark, but not enough so to shut out
thoughts and visions of God; and so
they looked to Him, instead of self.
I'm that look we have the secret that
explains all the subsequent wonderful
events.
"Oh! would to God that we might
all learn that lesson, of looking to God
instead of self in the dark, trying, sor-
rowful experiences of life. Out Of the
midnight gloom; out of the prison dark
ness; out from their bitter disappoint-
ment, physical anguish and wretched
surroundings, they looked to God, The
omnipresent and omnipotent one, who
is an ever-present help in trouble.
as there not a lesson here for us?
No matter how sad our circumstances,
how painful our lot, how thick our
prison walls or how dark our night,
let us think less of self. in our looking
and praying to God our thoughts should
be for Gods glory and the welfare, the
conviction and conversion of those
around us.
"There is nothing that so tighten our
burdens and illumine our darkness as
looking to God and praying for and
helping our fellow man.
They could not run on errands for
God, nor point anyone to the cross, for
hands and feet were fast, but they had
lips and voices and here was an OPP
.portunity to use them, and use them
they did, saying:
PRAISES UNTO GOD.
"Those cruel keepers heard them ana
wondered The prisoners listened in
establishment That old, dangerous, I'll
thy and loathsome prison had resound-
ed again and again with the cries OF
pain and the groans Of anguish of the
poor unfortunate wretches who had
been thrust within; yes they had even
heard the cries and means of the poor
victims as they writhed in the agonies
of cruel brutal death.
''But never had they resounded with
songs, Never had glad Inscriptions of
praise sounded through those corridors!
Never before had those dismal calls
echoed and re-echoed the praise of God!
rs there not a lesson here for each
one Of us this morning."
MANY of Gods children are often
Saban's prisoners. In his dungeon are
many cells. some of his prisoners are in
the dark cell of trouble, others in the
cell of sorrow; others still in the cell
of Encouragement; of doubt; of world
illness: each of them dark and cheer
less; each of them places of suffering
and torture They admit no ray at