The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-07-01
a sAruRpAY sERmoNErrE.

80 - 1890 49,
q very dull boy.
We do not believe in that religion
which decrys all worldly amusements.
Some things are wrong in themselves
i other things are wrong in their abuse.
n Whatever the organized church con-
demns. the church msnber snOuld
abstain from. For two reasons
Fist. because they are pledged to obey
the rules of the church, and il is
wrong in itself to violate a solemn
pledge. Second. lest they become q
stumbling block to others. And fol-
another good reason. Ii helps one 10
mortify the flesh; it strengthens one
TO deny themselves something; and il
were better 10 abstain from something
innocent rather than to be under the
condemnation of the church, or a
stumbling block to the world
And yet there is a conservatism that
the church and christian people should
observe; for one may practice con-
servatism without the least degree of
compromise. And the religion of the
Lord Jesus Christ is. after all, a re-
ligion of individual and enlightened
conscience; and ones own conscience
is the safest monitor and the most
relentless prosecutor that ever logged
the footsteps of man.
man may drink his soul into a
drunkard's hell. but he cannot drink
his conscience to death. The still
small voice will follow him to the
place he has prepared for himself, to
torture and torment him through all
the ages.
A man may murder his fellow man,
but he cannot murder his accusing
monitor fhof c1onnlacu wi ,tlo 80
conscience. He may wash the blood
from his hands and the stains from
his garments he may elude the officers
of the law and hide in the uttermost
parts of the earth, but wherever he
goes an accusing, outraged, guilty
conscience will poster him by day and
haunt him through all the dark hours
of the night.
| OF all the things on earth OF in hell
that man should most fear IS his
conscience. OF all the things he
should most prize, is his conscience.
An enlightened conscience to a just
man Is his compass to sail him safely
! adown this turbulent sea of life to a !
restful harbor on the eternal shore.
While an accusing conscience to a gull |
! ty man is Nemesis with unabating
wrath and from whom there is no |
| escaping.
We all remember some years ago |
how one Tascott murdered million
aire Smell, and how. though $50, 600 |
was OffeIedsas a reward for his can
tuTe, he eluded the sleuth hounds of |
the law. But he never for one moment |
eluded the sleuth hounds of his own
conscience. A bounded, hunted, |
frightened creature. his life has been
q miserable one. Recently. hid away
in the hills of the KlondIke country,
he came to die; and recognizing that
death was inevitable and very near.
his dread of the future overcame all
fear of the present, and he bewalled his
fate and confessed himself to a mere
stranger at his bedside.
Il am Tascott. he said.
They have been hunting me like a
wolf, for. years. / cannot run any
more. / am getting paid for what
did. am dying, and know where
am going. am leaving world did
not appreciate. l am going to hell.
where l belong"
A miserable, hunted, self convicted,
self condemned criminal here; a
lost. ruined, conscience stricken soul
through all eternity. SO few people
about to commit crime, know or
think Of the relentlessness of their
own consciences. They hope to escape
the vigilance of the officers of the law.
And sometimes they do. But the
memory of it Oh. the memory of it !
That ayenger is with them day and
night. The life of a fugitive Who
would live it? Starting at the slightest 7
sound; fleeing from shadow
g 81 L. L |
and every sinner is criminal before
God. The best that criminal can do
better than the hunted life of
fugitive-Ais to surrender and take {
the punishment the State may infict. b
The best that any sinner may do-bet- t
ter than to endure the prickings of an !
ccnscience-Is to surrender
and accept forgiveness from his God. .
The way of the transgressor is
hard. That is holy writ, and holy II
writ is true. BE sure your sins will n
lind you out. - Your experience tells |;
you that is true. Come unto me, O
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, a
all We that travail under the yoke of =
sin, all We that are weighted with tie y
Dad OF sin all We prodigal sons wlo o
nave strayed away from your mothers
prayers; who have wandered from
your father s home and cody example, IT.
md have wasted your time and your
alents and your substance in riotous
living; all we who feel the prickings
II your conscience, and fain would hi
'eturn to the innocent ways and to the fl
of the good" come N
INTO me, says Christ, land / will D
i've you rest. (" Rest from your labor, :,
est from your sips rest from the -
orture of your conscience ID
And that Jesus of Nazareth who st
promises this rest, this forgiveness, la
his surcease from sorrow-that Jesus ps
8 knocking at the hearts of the people in
t Columbia today. Will you open is
our heart and let him come in? he
- ar
Relief IN SIx.HOurS oI