The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-15

eneth his neck, shall suddenly be de-
stroyed. and that without remedy"
Proverbs XXX, |. For the wages Of
sin is DEATH" Romans vi, %.
There is Ecthing SO solemn as
DEATH said d.. BrougtOn last night.
"He is the one dreaded enemy of the
world, whether, barbar1ons or civiliz-
ed. He regara.no person; has no pity
and knows no fear. He when he
sees fit and asks no permission. He
stays as long as.he desires, and leaves
when he gets ready. He enters hut and
palace alike, and lays his hands On
whomsoever he will.
There is nothing we dread to con-
template like death. A great Kentucky
statesman, who died many years ago,
was visited by his .Wife's minister sew
eral days before his death. The min
lister asked him How he felt as he
realized the approach Of death?' And
the dying man replied, Don't talk to
ne about death; that is something l
have never allowed anybody to do. 1t
is sad enough to die. let lOn to live
in the midst of deatn.'
Il must say thai ] sympathize with
his feelings a great deal. The subject
of death has always been hard for me
to handle. | never like to preach on
it. | remember preaching on it one
night, and a leading physician in the
place came to me afterwards and said,
Don't ever preach on that subject
again. 1t is too awgul for me to have
to face. If you say it is necessary to
make men prepare for the other world,
why then go ahead, but let me know
when you are going to preach on it, and
! will not be present.
Some people do not believe in pre-
senting such subjects, even for the pur-
pose of causing men to prepare for the
other world. But, as for me, ! am sure
when | get to heaven | will thank God
for every one who tried to excite me
to become a Christian. Death is not
half so serious as hell. Indeed, death
itself is nothing but the gateway to the
higher and better life, if n only es-
capes hell. This is what makes death
80 solemn, and this is why | I'm preach
ing on it nov
ATLANTA'S GREAT WARNING.
we have recently had great warning
from God. Never in all our history
have we had a month of stronger and
more terrible appeals than we have had
during the. past month. Take DR.. Tor
rey's meetings into considerations; see
what a blessed opportunity has been
given us. Every city in u southland
and almost in our whole country, want
ed DR.. Torrey and Mr.. Alexander, for
the month of May, but they came to
Atlanta, and hundreds and thousands
have been blessed.
The question above every other ]
want weighed by all who have come
under the influence of these meetings
is: Have you got your blessing? Is
Christ now your Savior? If not, listen
at the words of our text: He that be-
ing often reproved h%ardeneth his neck,
shall suddenly be destroyed, and that
without remedy
God is not going to continue trifing
with men. Every great opportunity like
we have just passed through has its
great responsibility. TO have lived in
this city for the last month, n still
be unsaved, is an awful thing. / am
expecting nothing but exciting calami-
ties to follow. They always follow. ]
have watched in my own meetings in
various parts of the world, and I have
found this to be true; when God great
ly blessed a community, it seems tC
be followed by a visitation of His
wrath. This is not strange speaking. L
is in Ike pin with tn s text: He that
being often r%eproved, hardeneth his
neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and
that without remedy
GREAT FACTS ABOUT DEATH.
Let as look o at some great facts
about death. There is nothing new
about them. 1t is not my business tc
preach new gospel. What l want is tt
present every daygf rfarifdidwadiddv
facts about death, for the purpose o.
turning our thoughts in a more serious
channel than they have been in.
The first great fact is this: Every
body has got to die. Life is like a gam
of chess. Some are kings, some bishops
some knights and so on; but after
while they all go in the same bag.
Death is a great reservoir. Day b,
day we draw SO much from it. Day b.
day we use up so much of it. No on
knows how nor when the last draw viii
be made: no one knows how much re
mains in the reservoir. Father, you d
HUI hIOW. IL IItS pS Iho S"AS ~
night You will make our last draw
and tomorrow morning wife and chill
dren will be standing around your col
body and looking down into your dea
face. Mother, you cannot tell. The en-
is coming; you know this very wei
but you do not know but that tonigh
O will make your last draw on tn
reservoir of life, and tomorrow mornin
the best friend your family ever hat
yes, mother friend, will be gone. foun
man and young woman, you cannon tel
Life now looks to o EFe a Ion
Journey with beautiful landscapes, an
pleasant companions to cheer You G
the way It may be so, but it may
otherwise. Tonight you may MAI
your last draft upon the reservoir
life. and tomorrow morning what on
promised to be suih a i-rg life may