The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-30
CLOSING YEAR IS
 PREACHER'S THEME Father Dufy's Sermon Sug- gested By the Season SOLEMN QUESTIONS ASKED Sinners Warned That Unless They Turn from Their Evil Ways and Do Good They Cannot Gain
 Eternal Life.

oohsdtion. AL St. Paul s masses will be as follows: 6. T, s. and o'clock. The last will be a high mass.
 At the 1o:s0 o'clock services at St. Paul's yesterday the Rev. Joseph Duff fly occupied the pulpit and preached sermon suggested by the passing of the old year and the approach of the new. He chose as his text from Ecclesias- ticus iii 1-"All things have their sea- son, and in due time all things pass under heaven"
 The preacher began by observing that it was the custom of the merchant to balance his books at certain definite periods in order to gain a more exact Knowledge of how he stands with his accounts; to see whether there had been a profit or loss from his busi- ness transactions. The speaker also pointed to the traveller, as he hastens to his journeys end or climbs some lofty peak, pauses at the recurrent mile stones to count the number he Xas already passed and to calculate how many are yet before him. Something similar, It seemed to the preacher should be our action as in the ascent of life, we pause and reflect on the past and think of the future. This, the speaker observed, was most suitable time. for we are just closing another year-just passing another mile stone on the road of life; For behold short years pass away. and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return (Job xvi 23.)
 Father Duffy, continuing, said:
 Tt will prove useful then for us to pause in our career and look back, and see how far we may have diverged from the difficult and narrow way that leads to eternal happiness; and, as the Alpine climber turning to view the broad expanse of landscape that un- rolls beneath him, sees fertile plains and arid wastes, so we too, ascending to Zion, the holy mount, as we look back on the path, see varied tissue of good and evil deeds unfold. We see virtues neglected, Gods graces quenched in our souls before they had time to fructify our talents, few or many, hidden away and unused Alas! how sad catalog on the score of omis- sion alone. And besides, the miserab bic days which, if might be. we would shroud for ever in impenetrable dark ness; which unfortunately we some times try to conceal from our very selves. because of the bitter shame and brings
 X But let us now consider the matter as we'll in the light of logical comn1on sense as of divine revelation. Some amongst us whose years are yet few have retained their early fervor 1nd fidelity to God because their hearts are young, and they have not yet been assailed by violent temptations nor en- trapped by the allurements of a wick ed world. Still I ask, if God should call us at this moment, how few here pres ent would be found worthy to join that happy throng who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, in whose mouth there was found no lie, for they are without spot before the throne of God
 The greater number of us have seen 20. 30, 40, 50 or so years-years which mean crowns of glory everlasting or of suffering unceasing, years which have undoubtedly brought us nearer to heaven or to hell. Let us go back over their value.
 Timely Questions.
 Young man or woman of 20 sum- mers answer me. Have the last 10 years made you better or worse? How often daring that period have you sold God and your soul? Nay. is 1t not true that scarcelyN had the light of reason over your body with all its senses and your soul with al Its faculties to the service of Gods greatest enemy and yours-the devil. And if so show me your reward. Tell me what price you have received for bartering Gods friendship and your souls salvation. My demand is just and reasonable.
 We have naught but loathing and contempt for the traitor. Judas. who sold his Master for 30 pieces of silver, What have you sold Him for? For the qualification perhaps of some filthy passion that should not even be named amongst us; certainly for something of much less value than the traitors re- ward: They have violated me amongst my people for a handful of barley and little bread Czech. xiii 19.)
 And do you wish to know the true value of the soul you have thus bar tered? Look then to that moon-lit gar den, where under the shade of the olive trees. bathed in blood. crushed in soul and body. Jesus your Savior is bearing the burden of your sin and it's punish ment. Look to the hall of scourging and listen to the thud of those scourgers as they strike the immacu- late body of your Redeemer. See that precious blood as it streams down. Follow on the way of the cross in which each foot print of your Jesus is marked in blood, raise your eyes to those blessed hands stretched out and nailed, and fathom if you can the an- guish of that dying cry: My God. my God, why hast thou forsaken mel Why has God forsaken His Son? Because He had taken upon Himself our sins and our transgressions. He was wounded for our iniquities, He was bruised for our sins An! my dear brethren. you are bought with a great price, not with corruptible things as gold and silver but with the precious blood of Christ