The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-08-08

an arctic night. the cold equal to the
darkness. You do we'll to be angry,
Gut how about those who have, been
lung of scep:icism, and that is more
millions than You will ever know o.
until the jud~:acnt day reveals every
thing, Al, here comes your oppoI tu-
nifty for gentleness, Kindness and
sympa;hy. The probability is that if
you had been pliCG with the same in
fuerces as this unheliever there
would not be 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 sacrament was
sacrilcge. Perhaps he read agnostic
books and heard agnostic lectures
and mingled in agnostic circles until
he has been befoggcd and needs your
Christian help more than anyone
that you know of. Do not get into
any labored argument about the
truth Of Christianity. He may beat
you at that. He has whole artil-
lcry of weapons ready to open fire.
Remember mat no one was ever re-
formed for this life or saved for the
life to come by an argument, but in
humbest and gentlest way, your
voice subdued, ask h,'u a Few lues-
tions. Ask him if he lad Christian
parentage, and if he says yes ask
him whether the old folks died happy.
Ask him if he has ever heard OF any
one going out of this life in raptures
of infidelity and agnossicism. Ask
him if it is not a some what remark
able fact that the Bible, after so
many years. sticks together and that
there are wore copies of it in exist
encc than ever before. Ask him il
he knows of any better civilization
than Christian civilization and
whether he thinks the teachings of
Confucius or Christ are preferable.
Ask him IL no thinks IL would be
fair thing in the Creator of all things
to put in this world the human race
and give them no direct coRnunica-
ton for their guidance and, il they
did wrong, tell them OF NO way Of
recovery. think il famous infdel
OF our time. instead OF being taken
away instantaneously. had died in
his bed after weeks and months of
tlluess he would have revoked his
teachings and left for his believed
family consultations which they ceuld
not find in obsequies at which not
ono word Of Holy Scripture was yead.
or at Fresh Pond crematory. where
no Christian benedictisu was pro.
nounced. I do NOT positively say thst
IN . prolonged illness, there would
have been . retraction. but I think
there would.
But lot me confess s< this crisis Of
my sermon that there 10 not an In.
Junction in the Bible moro difficult 70
obey thaa tho words Of tie tsHt.
While IL applauds o wholesome indig-
nation, IL warns against sinful A.
ger. And there 10 in al the rssIa
of passion nothing more destructive
than indiscrimlnsts hate. First Of
ell, Il fesnzies the nervous Raaglss.
Those peo9is who easily hsr. W en-
httis prov6cation 90 into high dad
gssn, tske umbrago without reason,
snap you up quick, have ruined their
nerves, and there IL only one thing
worse to ruin, and that Is ths brain,
and we say Of ono that 10 given to
frequent ebullitions Of temper nat
ne is an unbalanced man. A business
man of our acquaintance said: "1
caanot afford to get mad. II hurts
mo So"
A man thoroughly mad. can ssy
enough in two minutes to dansge
him for 20 years. II only took Avs
minutes for the earthquake - de-
stroy Caracas Ono unfortunate SEN
tence uttered in affrsnt in . speech
in the United States senate shut for
ever tho door Of the white house
against ono OF the most brilliant men
Of the last century.
Surprising all other characters IN
the worlds biography stands Jesus
Christ. wrsthful against sin, neroiful
70 tho sinner. Witness His behavior
toward the robed ruiflans who de-
manded capital punishment for an
offending woman-denunciatioa for
their sinful hypocrisy. pardon for
her sweet penitence. He did net
speak of Herod as "his ajessy" or
his royal highness," but dared TO
compare him to a cunning fox. say
ing: "Go ye and tell that fox" But,
alert to the cry of suffering. He Hnds
ten lepers and to how many Of the
ten awful invalids did He give con.
valescencs and health? Ten. Rebuk.
Ing Pharisaism in the most com.
pressed sentence in all the vooab-
ulary Of anathema-"Ye serpents, 70
generation Of vipers, how can ye 60.
cape tho damnation Of hsll"-yet
looking upon Peter with such tender.
ness that no word was spoken-snd
not q word was needed, for the look
spoke louder than words. "A,d tho
Lord looked upon Peter. and Peter
went out and wept bitterly" Oh, what
\ look 1t must have been TO break
down the swarthy fisherman apostle!
It was such hurt look. such q be.