Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-07-05


such repent and are saved. but confirm
ed gamblers hardly ever reform. Dur.
Ing the course OF a prolonged ministry
l have seen thousands redeemed, many
OF them who were clear gone In sin, by
Almighty grace rescued. In all parts
OF this land and in some parts Of other
lands have seen those who were given
up as incorrigible and lost recovered
for God and heaven. but how many
confirmed gamblers have I seen con
verted from their evil ways? A thou
sand: No. Five numbered? No. Elf.
ty? No. Two? No. One? No. /
read in a book of one such rescued. l
have no doubt there have been other
cases. but no evil does its work so
thoroughly and eternally as gambling.
Such almost bopelessness OF reforma-
ton ought TO call forth from you deeper
sympathy than you feel for any other
unfortunate. Pity. by all means. for
those who. shipwrecSed and bruised
among the timbers. have nevertheless
climbed up to the fisherman's cabin
and found warmth and shelter. but
more pity for these who never reach
shore. but are dashed TO death I'm the
breakers. BE angry at the sin. but
sympathize with it's victims.
An Evil 20 BE Avoided.
There is another sin that we are Of
tentimes called to be angry with, and
that is fraud. We all like honesty. and
when it is sacrificed we are vehement
in denunciation. We hope that the de.
tectives viii soon come upon the track
Of the absconding bank official, of the
burglar who blew up the safe. OF the
clerk who skillfuily changed the figures
in the account hook. OF the faisifler who
secured the loan on valueless property,
OF the agent who because of his per-
centage wrongfully admits a man to
the benefit of life insurance policy
when his heart is ready TO stop and
who comes from an ancestry character
iStically short lived. One act of fraud
told of in big headlines in the morning
papers rightfully arouses the nations
wrath. Ii is the interest of every good
man and good woman who reads of the
crime TO have il exposed and punished.
Let 1t go uDscathcd, and you put a pre-
MUM on fraud. you depress public
morals. you induce those who are on
the fence between right and wrong to
get down on the wrong side. and you
put the business of the world on a
down grade. The constabuiary and
penitentiary must DO their work. But
while the merciless and the goddess
cry. Good for him-I am glad be is
within the prison doorsr be ii your
work 10 Gad out If that man is worth
saving aud what were the causes OF his
moral overthrow. Perhaps he started
in business life under n tricky firm.
who gave him wrong notions of bust
ness integrity; perhaps there was q
of circumstances almost
unparalleled for temptation. perhaps
there were alleviations. perhaps he was
born wrong and never got over IL. per-
haps he did not realize what he was
doing. and If you are n mcrciful man
you will think OF other perhapses
which. though they will not excuse,
will extcnuate. Perhaps he has al
ready rcpcnted and is washed in the
heaven as you arc.
What an opportunity you have now
for obcyiug my text! You were angry
ct the mislemeapor. but you are hope
ful for the recovery of the recalcltrant.
blessed all prison rcformcrsi BLESSED
are those governors and presidents who
are glad when they have n chance to
pardonl Blessed the forgiving father
who welcomes home the prodigal!
Blessed the dying thief whom the Lord
took with him to glory. saying. This
day shalt thou be with me in para
diser'
There Is another evil that we ought
TO abhor while we try TO help the vic
tim. and that is infldclity. IL snatches
the life preserver from the man ailoat
and affords not so much as q spar or n
plank as substitute. 1t would extln-
guish the only light that has ever been
kindlcd for the troubled and the loot.
Let the spirit OF infidelity take hold OF
n ncighborlood. and In that town the
marriage relation is a farce. and good
morals give place TO all STYLES of Inn
morals. Let 1t take possession of this
earth. and there would be no virtue
left in all the worlds circumference.
All the sins rebulSed In the Ten Com
would be dominant. The
torch that shall kindle the connagra-
ton OF the earth I'm it's last catastrophe
VIII not do as much damage as would
inhdelity and agnosticism IL they got
n chance. BE angry with such theories
or unbelief and hatred OF God. Never
laugh ut the witticisms of those who
would belittle the Bible with their Joe.
ularity.
Pity the Sinner.
Have lightning In Your eye and a
flush in your cheek and a frown ON
your brow for a dastardy that would
blot out the sun and moon and stars OF
Christianity and leave all things In an
arctic night. the cold equal to the dark
ness You do well to be angry, but
how about those who have been flung
II skeptlcism, and that is more millions
than you Will ever know OF until the
Judgment day reveals everything. All.
mere comes your opportunity for gentle
ness, Kindness and sympathy. The
Is that IL you had been
pied with the same influences as this
nnbeliever there would not be o. Bible
IN all your house from cellar to attic.
Perhaps he was in some important
transaction swindled by member of
Ihe church whose taking OF the sacra-
ment was sacrilege. Perhaps he read
agnostic books and heard agnostic lee
lures and mingled in agnostic circles
until lie has been befogged and needs
Sour Christian help more than any one
mat you know of. Do not get into anv
abored argument about the truth of
Christianity. He may beat you at that.
Tic has a 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-
nent, but in humblest and gentlest
way, your voice subdued, ask him a
lew questions. Ask him If he had n
christian parentage, and IL he saws YES
lsk him whether the old folks died
happy. Ask him If he ever heard of
any one going out of this life In ran
HMN Il