The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-15


the gospel invitation are exposed Oh
the text, Luke xiv, Is. land they all
with one consent began to make ex-
euse."
After the invitations to q levee are
sent out the regrets come in. One man
apologies for nonattendance on one
ground. another on another ground.
The most of the regrets are founded
on prior engagements. So in my text
q great banquet was spread, the in
vitations were circulated, and now the
regrets come in. The one gives an
agricultural reason. the other q stock
dealers reason, the other a domestic
reason. All poor reasons. The fact
was. they did not want to go. And
they all with one consent began to
make excuse"
So now God spreads q great banquet.
1t is the gospel feast. and the table
reaches acr SIS the h~emispheres. and
the invitations 90 out. and multitudes
come and sit down and drink out of the
chalices of Gods love. while other null
titudes decline coming, the one giving
this apology. and the other giving that
apology. land they all with one cen
sent begin 10 make excuse" | propose,
so far rs God may help me. to examine
the apologies which men make for not
entering the Christian life.
Apology the first: | am not sure
there is anything valuable in the Chris
tian religion. 1t is pleaded that there
are so many imnositions in this day: so
many things that seem to be real are
sham. A gi!ded outside may have a
hollow inside. There is so much Quack-
cry in physics. in ethics. in politics. that
men rome to the habit Of i%ncredulity,
and after awhile they allow that in
credulity to collide with our holy re-
ligion. But. my friends. | think reli-
gion has made Il pretty good record in
the world How many wounds ii has
salved. How many pillars of fire it
las lifted in the midnight Wilderness!
How many simOOm struck deserts it
hath turned into the gardens of the
Lord How it hath Stilled the chopped
Sea. What rosy light il hath sent
streaming through the rift of the Storm
cloud. What pools OF cool water it
hath gathered for thirsty Hagar and
lshmael! What mamma whittier than
eoriander seed it hath dropped all
around the camp Of hardly bested pill
Grims! WHAT promises it hath sen out
like holy watchers to keep the lamps
burning around d~eathbeds. through the
darkness that lowers into the sepul-
cher. What flashes of resurrection
morn!
Religion Of Heroes.
Besides that. this religion has made
so many heroes. 1t brought Summer
field. the Methodist. across the Attain
tic ocean with his silver trumpet to
blow the acceptable year of the Lord
until il seemed as il all our American
cities would take the kingdom Of
heaven by violence. Ii sent Jehudi
Ashman into Africa alone. in a CONT
nent of naked barbarians. to lift the
standard OF civilization and Christian
ity. 1t made .IOhn Milton among po-
cts. Raphael among painters. Christie
pher Wren anon architects. Thorwall-
sen among sculptors. Handel among
musicians. Dupont among military
commanders. and to give new wings
to the imagination and better balance
to the Judgment and more dPtPrmina-
ton to the will and greater usefulness
to the life and grandPr nobility TO the
soul there is nothing in all the earth
like our Christian religion. Nothing
In religion? Why. then. all those
Christians were deceived when in their
dying moment they thought they saw
the castles OF the blessed. and your
child. that with unutterable agony you
put away into the grave. you will new
er see him again nor hear his sweet
voice nor feel the throb of his young
heart. There is nothing in religion?
Sickness will com upon you. Roll
and turn OIL your pillow: no relief. The
medicine may be bitter. the night may
be dark. the pain may be sharp: no re-
lief. Christ never ONE to the sick
room. Let the pain stab: let the fever
burn: curse ii and die. There Is meth
ing in religion: After awhile death
will come. You will hear the paving
CT the pale horse on the threshold.
The spirit will be breaking away from
the body. and it will take t~ight-whith-
er. whittier? There is no Cod. no min
"-+SN as " NSLoA . hO Vii ASls
no heaven. no home. Nothing in rPli-
giOn? Oh. you are not willing to adopt
such q dismal theory!
The Use of q skeptic.
And yet the world is full OF skeptics.
And let the say there is no class Of
people fer whom | have Il warmer sym
pathy than for skeptics. We do not
know how 10 treat them. We dpride
them. we caricature them. We. instead
OF taking them by the soft hand Of
Christian love. clutch them with the
iron pinchtrs CT ecclesiasticiSm. Oh. IL
you knew how those men had fallen
away from Christianity and become
skeptics you would not be sc rough on
theni Some were brought up in homes
where religion was overdone. The most
wretched day in the week was Sunday.
Religion WAS driven into them with a
friDh1 rnrapr- They had . sT1rfpit Of