The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-19

The Reverend Doctor W. F. McMurry
preached at Centenary Church yesterday
morning from the text: Felix trembled.
and answered. Go thy way for this time:
when 1 have a convenient season. I will
call for thee Acts xiv, IS. He said in
part:
These words are from the lips Of Felix.
the Roman Governor. in response to Paurs
argument in behalf Of Christianity. Tho
great apostle had pressed the claims Of
personal religion upon the Governor with
convincing earnestness and argument. and
Felix, unable to answer the argument.
sought to relieve himself from a delicate
situation BY promising TO hear him fur
ther at q more convenient season. he DE-
clared in substance his belief in the claims
Of religion. and by that declaration. doubt
less hoped TO ease his conscience. and con-
cluded the interview with the statement
that there Is time enough for the settle
msnt Of this great question; ,.,o
Men who offer excuses Tor not becom-
ing Christians are, for the most part, NOT
satisfied themselves with the excuses they
ofier. They know and feel that they are
man Will say when you press the claims
Of personal religion upon him: am not
good enough or course you are Iso mot good oSi
would have no need Of Christ. nor would
there be any occasion for the church TO
deliver her message % you. The sick, and
not the WHOLE. need a physician. Jesus
came to call sinners. and not the right
eous. to repentance But there are some
people in the church whom do not like.
That also may be very true But what
has that to do with your relation to Christ!
Eternal interests are at stake. The likes
and the dislikes of this life. which are
temporary, should not enter IN and divert
US from the main course. God never In
tended for you to be an enthusiastic ad-
mirer Of every other man in the world
doubtless many who do not like YOU That
Is not the question. What is your rela-
tion to Jesus Christ? Have you repented
hope Of heaven? These are the questions
You need to answer. and I offer you to-
day, upon the authority of Jesus Christ.
s sns s opportunity to answer them wisely
But. there are to8many hyprocrites In
the church. 1t would be a strange thing
Where is the genuine coin which has no
counterfeit? The very fact Of the exist
ence in the world and in the church Of a
argument conclusive that the great body
Of Christian people are genuine and true.
But these are not the excuses you have
offered / have talked with many of you
sometimes in words. and sometimes by
your actions. is the excuse made by Felix
ness Of the claims of Christ. and the
promise that at some future time you will
accept him Is implied But tina; there Is
to be a more convenient season. YOU try
to believe and on that ground you post
pone the matter. The acknowledgment OF
the Righteousness of the claim. and the
implied promise to accept him in the fu
ture. serves to soothe the conscience. and
you have rested in fairly comfortable
manner believing that You were honest
with yourself and with God.
mo man intends to wilifully and DELHI
er6tely forever trifie with his highest in
terests. There is not one within the range
Of my voice who would calmly resolve to
90 live as to send his soul to hell No mat
ter what your idea OF salvation may be.
sou intend at some time to comply with
the conditions and live with the redeemed
saved people there are in this great COZ
Rregation this morning / do know this:
There Is not one among the number who
fs willing to say at this hour. L hereby
on this Sunday morning, Septmber u.
1904. resolve in the presence of Almighty
God. and forever, never to yield TO the
30 live that when life stali have come to
an end to go down into the darkness with
the lost and break away from God and
conscience, and duty and friends forever
You would not put your name TO that res
olutton, and yet you put this important
matter OF. waiting a more convenient
season. Some excuses that men offer are
q justification of an action. and are SO re-
Rarded by them when the excuse Is Of
Tered. II should call upon you to-day to
iu1y. YOU would say. That il unresson-
able and you would be in the right II
I should call upon you to wrong your
neighbor by placing him in an unfavorable
light before the community, you would
answer. That Is unreasonable and wrong.
and the answer you make justifies your
action in the premises. If call upon you
to pay the obligation that you have made.
and you should answer L cannot now. but
will at future time you admit that the
debt Ii justly due and will be met at the
earliest possible moment. II il were i'm
possible for you to yield to the claims OF
personal religion at the present time you
would be justified in admitting the right
eousness to the claim. and in promising
to yield yourself to this claim at the
earliest possible moment But IL the debt
b due and you are able to pay it. there Is
no reason why you should postpone the
payment. This exactly represents your re-
latioE. to Christ this morning.
do you not honestly think that instead
OF Il becoming easier to be q Christian
a. the days and years multiply. that the
future VIII surely increase the dimcult1es3