Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-10-05
ASATURDAY
G NIGHT
/! \ SERMONS
BY
- sNunwpuRyEnn

This IL the record of tho FIRST Chris
tian sermon preached on European soil.
II was u strange place. n strange hour.
with strange auditor and a strange
preacher. Tho place was dungeon,
the hour midnight. the audience jail
er. the preacher prisoner. However.
stone walls do not make n prison nor
steel bars cage. The prisoners, Paul
and his companion. Silas, In n place
where curses were ordinarily heard.
were shouting praises and singing
"giory song" OF their own. At mid
night the foundations shook and the
walls rocked. The TALLER sprang into
thinking his prisoners had escaped.
Paul exclaimed. do myself no harm.
for we are all hero" Then the jaiIer
asked the souls greatest question,
"What must do TO be savedy' Tho
answer was. believe on the Lord Je-
sus Christ and thou shalt be saved"
1t Is tho most momentous question OF
today. Public teachers are always
watching for straws TO indicate hui
manity's drift But II is possible to
be misled by shore currents. On the
street car II one listens the great qucs-
tons seem TO be: what shall | do to
get richy' "what shall do to get
thin?" "what shall l do to get mar
riedT But underneath Is greater
burning issue. Not the saloon ques-
ton. not labor. not negro. not political.
not even the great social question, but
the question OF tho individual. what
must | do 10 be savedf'
The Eternal Question.
Know why mothers threw children
into Ganges or under wheels OF jug.
gernaut? Cruel? Like TO stand or and
watch the child die? Not In a thou.
sand years IL tiger menaced her
child she would spring mt 1t. Trust the
female of tho species for that. No:
she's simply trying to answer the eter-
nal question. Know why the bowling
deryishes cut and carve themselves.
why fakirs hold out their arms until
paralyzed. why pilgrims crawl ON
hands and knees over mountain. desert
and plain to reach Mecca? Simply fa.
natics? Never. It's their answer to
the question. Know why our Roman
Catholic brethren can exact an obedI.
ence that makes Us Professionals both
proud and ashamed? Know why the
mother church raises sums that are
prtncely. while others Of us dole out
the pennies with humiliating slowness
and exacincss to our faithful ministry
Know why the devout will 20 to mass
through fire. snow and water. while
the tiniest cloud and the siliest tribe
will keep our people homer 1t is be
cause she knows how to meet the age
less question Of the human wayfarcr.
''What must do TO be saved?"
What 10 being saved?"
Being saved" implies being lost or
Gin danger" OF course. Difficult to get
people TO believe they nre anyway near
II. The TALLER didn't ask that question
tho night before. II any one was IN
danger or lost he was quite sure 1t
was his two prisoners. The whole drift
of the New Testament Is to show TINT
man Is lost. Christ didn't say men
have lost. but arc lost They haven't
lost money. health. friends. position.
but self Ills purpose In coming was
TO seek and save that which was lost :
That is tho meaning OF the parallels of
the lost sheep. the lost coin. tho prudi
through agony OF Gcthsemanc and hor
rors of Golgotha IL humanity was per
fectly safe What IL II TO be saved: \
harbor Is saved by building a brent,
water. Titanic passengers were ved
when they We're Rescued from the sisik
Ing ship what shall do 10 be Io>i Z
IL mighty pertinent. Don't do any
thing Just do nothing. II you've ne
cidentally taken poison and the ply
stefan hands You an antldote don't take
Il; just let the poison do its work II
your boat nears the falls don't row:
Just let the boat drift II the build
ing's on lire. just sit still "inasmuch
as ye did II not was the sentence
What Must ! Dor
Nothing more simple than the an
swer, "l,elieve on the Lord Jesus
Christ" nothing more confusing than
the many interpretations of It. BE
lleving" means whati simple intellec-
tuai assent "'rhe devils believe aud
tremble." we are assured. Here | nm
sick man. have very little hopes
Of recovery. You tell me II ! only be
lleve In your physician will get well.
What you mean IL II ! viii take your
physician as mine. obey his directions
In care. food and treatment Will get
back my health. Believe and lie hap
iized." Paul told the TALLER. That was
his FIRST prescription. II meant break
Ing away from his old pagan associa
tons and would very likely cost him
his bread and butter When the rich
young ruler asked the great question
Christ's first prescription was. sell
that thou hast and give 10 the poor
He told the restored demoniac 10 '.o
home and teil'' his friends. That was
a N.