Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-01-26

amid the petroleum excitement. Th
company owned no land. or. If the
/ did, there was no sign of oil produced
But the president Of the company wa
a Presbyterian elder and the treasure
an Episcopal vestryman and one d
! rector was a Methodist class leade
] and the other officers prominent mem
bers of Baptist and Congregations
+ churches. Circulars were got out tell
ing what fabulous prospects opene'
before this company. The circular hat
all the hues Of earth and sea and sky
The letters famed with all the beaut,
of gold and jasper and amethyst. In
nocent men and women who had lii
tie money to invest and that llttl
their all said, ~ do not know anything
about this company. but so man.
good men are at the head Of It that |
must be excellent. and taking stock II
it must be almost as good as joining
the church" So they bought thel
stock and perhaps received one divi
I dend to keep them still. But aftel
awhile they found that the company
had reorganized and had a differen
president. different treasurer anC
different directors. Other engagement:
or an overcoming modesty had caused
the former officers of the company
with many regrets. to resign, and al
that the subscribers of that stock haC
to show for their investment was q
beautifully ornamented certificate
Sometimes that man. looking over his
old papers, comes across that certif
cate. and 1t is so suggestive that he
vows he wants none of the religion
that the president and directors Of that
oil company prOfessed.
Forsake the Desert of UnbeIief.
But do not stop now to know how
you came into rejection Of Christianity
You frankly tell me that you do reject
it. You do not believe that Christ is a
divine being. although you admit that
he was a very good man. You do not
believe that the Bible was inspired Of
God. although you think there are some
very fine things In 1t. You believe that
the Scriptural description of Eden was
only an allegory There are 80 things
that | believe that you do not believe
and yet you are an accommodating
man. Everybody that knows you says
that of you. If should ask you to do
q kindness for me. or If any one else
should ask Of you a kindness. you
would do it. If when you are Ill |
should come to you with a phial Of
medicine and say: This kind Of medi.
cine has cured 80 people who were
just as badly off as you are. Take it,"
and you replied: 81 do not want to take
It, | have no confidence In it," | would
say, "Take 1t to oblige me-" and you
would say. "Well, If it will accommo.
date you will take it," Now. you have
found that this world Is insufficient.
and you are sick of sin. come to you
with a gospel medicine. 1t has cured
hundreds and thousands and millions.
VIII you take it? mo" you say, 81
have no confidence in it," Take 1t. then,
to oblige ne | tell you Of physician
who has cured more blind eyes and
bound up more broken hearts and heal
ed more CHASTITY wounds than all the
doctors since the time of Esculapius
Be obliging. and just make the expert
ment II you are tot acquainted with
the ordinary modes Of prayer. say in
"Oh, Lord Jesus. this Is a
strange thing for me to do. | know
nothing about the formulas of religion
These Christian people have been talk
ing so long about what thou canst do
for me, | am ready to do whatever
thou commandest me. If there be any
power in religion. as these people say.
let me have the advantage Of it," Will
you not try that experiment?
I do not now say there is anything In
Do not take my counsel or
the counsel Of any clergyman. for you
may dislike clergymen. Perhaps we
may talk professionally. Perhaps we
may be prejudiced in the matter. Per
haps our advice Is not worth taking
Then take the counsel Of some very
layman. AS John Milton |
the poet as William Wilberforce. the
as Isaac Newton the
as Robert Boyle. the phi |
Osopher; as Locke. the metaphyslclan;
Is Morse, the telegrapher; as Washing |
ton, the statesman They never |
preached. or pretended to preach. yet.
putting down one his telescope and an.
other his parliamentarian' scroll and |
another his electricians wire, came
forth and commended the religion Of
Christ as the best thing for the cure
Of the worlds woes. If you will not
lake the recommendation Of ministers
If the gospel. take the recommendation
If highly respectable laymen.
Oh, men. skeptical and struck
through with unrest. beg you come
)ff that great Sahara desert Of doubt
nto the bright and luXuriant land Of
gospel hope and peace. You do not
want your children to come up in that
If you do not believe in
lnythng else. you believe in love-a
'ather's love. n mothers love, a wife's
owe. a childs love. Then let me tell
-ou that God loves you more than all
hese together. The great heart Of
yhrist aches to have you come In, and
le looks into your eyes this moment,
aging, "Other sheep have which are
lot of this fold"
G1oriOus1y Rescued.
Again, I remark that the heavenly
hepherd is going to find a great many
f the sheep among those who have
cen full Of evil habit. They were all
heated into sin. The spider does not
ay to the fly, "Come into the e
here l kill insects" Oh, no. The S.
er says, Dearest fly, come and take\
lorning walk with me on this suspen,
ion bridge of gossamer, glittering with