The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-08-24

' | who seoff at the church seen principally | because they are not ready to surrender some secret sin. But as you have given me one honest answer I want you to | give me another to question Just as l important. If you are not ready to sur render your secret sin and join the church where is that sin goin to send yon2 Some time ago l stood in the depot of our na- tional capitol watching a little eolored boy about five years old asleep upon one of the benches This little baby had | card pinned to his coat which read like this "Conduetor will you please see that this little ipy is put in the right train and sent td Atlanta, Ga where friends will meet him?'
 As 1 stood there watching that little child, [ said to myself: Some people seem to be sleeping in the great depot of sin as unconscious of. their surroundings as that colored baby They care not what Is going to happen to them. And Satan has pinned a tag upon them to send them through. like baggage. to the great city of eternal despair"
 My unrepentant brother, as you are un- willing to join tho church because you are reluctant to give up your secret sin, ask you where will that secret sin ul- timately send you? You need to be aroused from your spiritual lethargy and to realize your awful danger, l would especially plead with you to surrender your sins and dedicate your life to Jesus Christ by joining the church because. in your heart. you know well what you ought to -. have always shrunk from the thought that people who were born in sin and ignorantly reared in sin and who ignorantly died in sin and unrepent- ant were totally lost. It has always been a question Tn my mind whether some of tlAose poor. 1oathsome creatures who were q who never. heard the name of Jesus ex- cept in blasphemy might not in Gods mercy be made as fit for the celestial city as some who having been born in Chris tian homes, have led a very different Christian life. God will never condemn one who is born blind because he cannot see. He will never destroy one who is born deaf and dumb because he cannot speak or hear; but, my brother, though there may be some excuse for those born in the sinful slums of a great city for not renouncing their sins and joining the church. there is no excuse for you You were born in a Christian home, you were reared amid Christian surroundings, you were started out with Christian prayers, and the mere fact that you made such an excuse as you have proves that the Holy Spirit is nightly striving with you to- day to confess Christ and join the church
 
 You are in exactly the same position as was Dr. Farley when he was dssi- pated college stuGent. One morning. when he was trying to sleep off the debauch of the previous night. a classmate came into his room and sitting upon the bed by his side. said: Farley. have been thinking of what you are doing You are wasting your life for time and eternity Now, Farley, it does not matter much fa mo I nm nAh ad4r a4af you have the best brain in college Be- sides that. you were born of good blood You have d praying mother. and pray ing father. Unless you stop your sins l shall cut your acquaintance" So to- day all the Christian influences which surround your past life. all the Christian influences which surround your present life, all your hopes for eternity, are pleading and begging you, in Christi s name to turn from your sins They are pleading with you to come into the church of Jesus as a repentant sinner because you know and feel-you intensely feel to- day-that you ought to come Are you man enough in Chrstrs name to come to his altar now?
 Your Duty to the Church.
 But there is one answer yet to the question of my text This answer comes from many troubled heart You say to me: "Dr. Talmage. I do not despise the church except by my actions in public way The reason I do not join the church Is because 1 have so many home duties that I cannot do my share In church work. If I should join. In few years I expect to take my place as a member at the church altar" Now, my friend, want you to realize this great truth: God never ordained that one duty should con hict with other duties. He never wants a mother to leave the bedside of her sick child In order to attend missionary meeting. He never 'compels man to do for the church more that he can consci- entiously do. But Christ does demand this: He does demand that you profess and confess his love before men. And you cannot do that in better way than at the church altar. Then let the most immi- nent Christian duty decide what you ought to do thereafter.
 And I would especially plead with you | to confess Christ in the church before men because, as you have others de- pending upon you. your present actions will probably decide how your loved ones 1 will act and feel toward the church of | Christs establishment This fact was demonstrated some years ago In Smyrna. Two sailors for some weeks had beeen attending the mission services. One night, | Tn answer to the invitation to come for ward and confess Christ and join the church, one of the sailors turned and said: Well. I will come if Bill will" But Bill would not come But the night before the ship was to sail the two sail ors came forward and gave their hearts to Christ and joined the church. Then the Christian workers in Smyrna asked Bill how it was that he come to join the ! church. In rough sailor fashion he said: Well. I liked to attend your meetings because they made me feel good. used 10 think of the old times when on Sun day afternoons in the old home at New ] Bedford we used to sing the same songs. -.-other was there and my sisters and brothers and father were all there, and I really wanted to join your church; but when Tom said he would come if did IL made me mad. What had I to do with Toms actions? But a couple of nights 1 ago Tom was sick I sat up with him. | and as he was tossing around In his bunk 1 l heard him muttering something and as I put my ear down to his mouth 1 heard him say: oh, Bill, won't you come. Bill? It's my last chance for heaven Bill Oh. Bill, won't you come? Won't you come?' And then and there said to myself If my actions are going to keep Tom out of heaven, why I'll come And here we are, sir, Tom and Bill!" So today the loved ones in your home and in the store and those who are dependent upon you are pleading with you to come into the church for their sakes well as for your own saRe and for Christs. "Despise ye I