Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-07-06

probability is that If you had been
plied with the sarpe influences as this
unbeliever there would not be n Bible
in all your house from cellar to attic.
Perhaps he was in some important
transaction swindled by member OF
the church whose taking Of the sacra-
ment was sacrllege. Perhaps he read
agnostic books and heard agnostic LED
lures and mingled In agnostic circles
until he has been befOgged and needs
your Christian help more than any one
that you know Of. Do not get into any
labored argument about the truth OF
Christianity. He may beat you at that.
He has n whole artillery Of weapons
ready TO open fire. Remember that no
one was ever reformed for this life or
saved for the life TO come by an argu-
ment, but in humblest and gentlest
way, your voice subdued, ask him
few questions. Ask him If he had
Christian parentage, and If he says yes
ask him whether the old folks died
happy. Ask him If he ever heard OF
any one going out Of this life In rap
lures of infidelity and agnosticism.
Ask him II 1t is not somewhat re-
markable fact that the Bible, after so
many years, sticks together and that
there are more copies Of 1t In existence
than ever before Ask him if he knows
Of any better civilization than Chris
al, nd EOf ~ a THINKS
the teachings of Confuclus or Christ
are preferable. Ask him If be thinks 1t
would be a fair thing In the Creator OF
all things to put In this world the hu-
man race and give them no direct COM
munication for their guidance and, If
they did wrong, tell them of no way
of recovery.
think II q famous infidel OF our
time instead Of being taken away in
simultaneously had died in his bed after
weeks and months Of illness he would
have revoked his teachings and left for
his beloved family consultations which
they could not find in obsequies at
which not one word of holy Scripture
was read or at Fresh Pond crematory.
where no Christian benediction was
pronounced. do not positively say
that IN q prolonged illness there would
have been q retraction, but think
there would.
The renowned infdel, Mr.. Barker
after spending his long life In lecturing
against Christianity in all our cities and
I'm publishing large and elaborate books
in depreciation Of the Scriptures, in the
closing years Of his life wrote me that
he had changed and that he would like
TO stand In my pulpit and undo the evil
that he had wrought for the most OF
his lifetime wrote him in congratu-
latIon for his souls sake that he had
turned back from infidelity. but that |
thought he could not undo the work OF
n lifetime and that he had talked so
long on the wrong side did not think
he could do anything by talking on the
right side. The mercy Of God Is so
great that many Of the mightiest antag
onists Of our religion have In their last
DAYS been brought TO repentance and
eternal life. Let the thunder OF your
wholesome Indignation be followed By
tho kindly rain of pity and love. "Be
ye angry and sin not"
The Sin of Hate.
BIT let me confess at this Crisis OF
nv sermon that there is not an inJunc-
ton In the Bible more difficult to obey
than the words of the text While II
applauds a wholesome indignation. II
warns against sinful anger. And there
| Is in all the realm of passion nothing
more destructive than lndscriminate
hate First Of all. it frenzies the nery-
Gus ganglia. Those people who easily
fare up on little proyocatlon. 90 into
high dudgeon, take umbrage without
reason, snap you up quick, have ruined
their nerves, and there Is only one
thing worse 10 ruin. and that Is the
brain. and we say Of one that Is given
to frequent ebullltions NJ temper that
he is an unbalanced man. A business
man Of our acquaintance said. IL can
not afford to get mad; 1t hurts me So
And If sinful anger damages the body
how much more it rives the disposi-
toni There are thousands OF men
clerks in stores who would have been
members of great business firms, and
undcrmechanics who would have beer
boss carpenters. and attorneys who
would have been leading advocates
and preachers to congregations who
are starving thcm to death who nigh
have had appreciative surroundings
who have been kept back and KEEP
down by ungoyernable tempers. Th'
outbreak lasted only little while. but
it mpcded n lifetime.
A man thoroughly mad can sayenougf
In two minutes 10 damage him for y
years 1t took only five minutes for th'
earthuuake to destroy Caracas. one
unfortunate sentence uttered In akron
IN a speech 10 the United States senate
shut forever the door OF the Whlt'
House against one of the most brilllan
men of the last century. You can ney
| pr trust morse tlidt udo OhNS ~
away. and you do not feel Ike trustini
a man who has Just once lost bis equi
librium. You need to drive your tenn
per as q man drives q fractions spar
amid the explosions Of Fourth o
July morning or the pyrotechnics OF
Fourth of July night. with curoed Di'
taut rein, commanding voice, master
ing yourself and mastering what yo'
drive. II you are naturally high ten
neyed, do not unnecessarily go anon
Irritations and provocations. DO nc
build O blast furnace next to gu
powder mill. Then also such demon
strations of ungovernability belittl
one. Men take out their lead pencll
and in estimating such a one take
, per cent off About the most hideou
, spectacle on earth is an angry man 9
woman, burning not with the ange
commended in my text, but with I'll
, ain renrehended. After such dlspla