Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-02-08

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REv. DIR. TALMAGE
first do the right thing. Over here in
the next street was a man who I'm great
misfortunes lost all he had and was
positively beggared. but n letter comes
from some European city, where the
land records are Kept. announcing 10
him that a great fortune is his. Now
he is as opulcnt as be was pauperized.
He doffs his rags and puts on respect
able attire and moves into a home an
propriate for n man OF vast estate.
His worldly circumstances were all
wrong last year; they are all right this
year. On the next street Is man
who was from perfect health prostrat-
cd, and he seemed 10 be sick unto
death. but skillful physician took
correct diagnosis OF his disease and by
prompt and vigorous treatment restor-
co MIN TO his former vigor. AS TO his
health he was all wrong before. Now
ne Is all right In these two ways I
illustrate my theme.
BY sin we have all been morally bank.
rupted. Christ the Lord from his inf
mite riches pays our debts and empara.
discs us In his mercy. From his rich.
est wardrobe he put on us the clean
robe or his righteousness and gives us
palace In the heavens when we are
ready 10 go up and take IT, Now, as
TO our spiritual estate we are all right
we were morally diseased, but Christ
Z inc physician, by n bath I'm the foun-
tain or his grace. cures us.
Bankruptcy of sin.
Now, as TO our spiritual health we
are all right That is the way we come
to the righteousness spoken OF In the
text. IL Is a contributed righteousness.
made over righteousness. an imputed
righteousness The moment you get
into right relations with Christ the
Lord that moment you can appreciate
the magnificent comfort OF the text,
and defy you IN all this great
book, from the first verse OF the
first chapter OF Genesis to the last
verse OF the last chapter OF Revela-
ton. TO find me n passage with higher
and deeper and broader and longer
comfort than that OF the text, which is
as deep as the Atlantic ocean half way
between the continents and high as the
sun when the clock Is striking IL at
noon But ! shall be swamped with
the oceanic tides OF this subject unless
the Lord help me to keep foothold.
Say ye TO the righteous that 1t shall
be well with him"
Bear In mind that but few people can
stand worldly success. Water Is a good
thing. but too much OF II will drown
Fire Is good thing. but too much of II
VIII destroy. Light Is a good thing,
but too much OF II dazzles aud blinds.
Success Is good thing. but too much
or IL has overwhelmed many for this
world and the next, IL 1t were best
Tor us. we would all be millionaires.
live In palaces like the Alhambra and
be as personally attractive as Cleopa-
ira appeared TO Antony. But the most
or folks could not endure such super
abundance. and II is absolutely neces.
sary In order to keep them right thai
o99 men out OF 1000 should find life a
struggle. II keeps them out OF mis-
chief. After Adam was elected from
the premises where by ten minutes OF
employment a day he could keen the
garden and dress 1t the best thing that
could happen to him was compulsion
10 work and fight. The ground that
Dioomed with spontaneous flowers and
rushed with harvests that owed moth |
ing 10 Piow or hoe became hostile. and |
oramDie was substituted for rose. and |
the panther growled where before he |
iawned, and horn and fang and boof |
became belligerent. That Edenic eject. |
ment shows us as nothing else ever
could that idleness or only q few min. |
u'es OF employment a day are doom
anu overthrow. Put it down among
your blessings instead OF your misfor.
tunes that you have to work hard with
brain or hand or foot or all three OF
them.
Changes Bitter Into sweet.
HOW many men do you know worth
e<oo'oOo who are devout and consecrat
ed and humble and generous and EN-.
pioying their means for the worlds re.
oemption? You could count them mn
on the fingers of your two hands even
IL Dy accident or war you had lost one
or TWO OF the fingers AS to the realm
Oh personal attractiveness, how MANY
women radiant of countenance and
gracefui OF form do you know who are
and natural of manner and
deeply pious before God, using their
beauty for the betterment Of the world
and not for selfish purposes? only
take the risk OF asking the question
and leave to you the risk OF answering
IT, These things ! say to show You
mat IN order TO have the promise of
the text fulfilled In your case il Is not
necessary you have phenomenal world
ly success.
Notice. also, that God gives the rigat
eous the power TO extract good out of {
evil and by n divine chemistry 10 |
,hange the bitter into the sweet ana
me harmful into the beneficial III, 1
promise that II shall be we'll with you {
loes not imply that you are to De free {