Which is Better, Belief or Unbelief, Christ or Nothing.
A noted infidel at the close of a lecture challenged his audience to a discussion. The challenge was accepted by- an old, bent woman, in antiquated attire. She said: " S i r, I have a question to put to y o u ." "Well, my good woman, what is i t ? " " T e n years ago I was left a widow, with eight children, and nothing to call my own but this Bible, By its direction, and looking to God. for strength, I have been enabled to' feed myself and family. I am now tottering to the grave; but I am perfectly happy, because I look forward to a life of immortality with Jesus in heave»: That 's what my religion has done for me. What has your way of thinking done for y o u ? " "Well, my good lady,'' rejoined the lecturer, " I don't want to disturb your comfort, b u t —" " Oh, t h a t 's not the question," interposed the woman, " k e ep to the point, sir. What has your way of thinking done for y o u ? " Amid the applause of the audience the infidel found himself silenced and discom- fited by an old Christian woman. Christ alone will do for the great crises of life and death. A famous infidel, Col. Ethan Allen, was reading Dr. Elliott some of his skeptical writings.' Just then a servant entered the library and informed Col. Allen that his daughter, who was sick in the next room, seemed to be dying. The two gentlemen hastened to the cham- ber of death. The wife of Col. Allen was a pious woman and had instructed her daughter in the truths of Christianity. As soon as her father appeared at her bedside she said to him: " I am about to die; shall I believe in the principles you have taught me, or shall I believe as my mother has taught m e ? " He became ex- tremely agitated; his chin quivered; his whole frame shoqk; an4 after waiting a
few minutes, he replied, "Believe as your mother has taught y o u ." A prominent business man once re- plied to his pastor with a calm' force which was meant to put an end to further pertinacity: " I am interested in all re- ligious matters; but I have in the years past thought the subjeet over long and carefully, and I have come to the deci- sion that I have no personal need of Jesus Christ as a Savior in the sense you such a character as to forbid his convers- ing with anyone, and the interdict from speaking was continued until he was with- in an hour from death. A solemn mom- preach. ' ' Only two weeks from this in- terview, the same man" was suddenly pros- trated with disease; the illness was of ent was that in which a question was put to him, intimating that he might talk now if he could, nothing could harm him. The last thing, and the only thing he said, was in a melancholy and. frightened whisper: " Wh o will carry me over the r i v e r ?" Christ alone will do for all crises, and He alone can carry us over all floods of affliction. The great Gladstone said: " I f I am asked what is the remedy of. the deeper sorrows of the human heart—what a man should chiefly look to as the power that is to enable him manfully to con- front his affliction—I must point to some- thing which in a well known hymn is called the old, old story, told of an old, old book, and taught with an old, old teaching, which is the greatest and best gift ever given to ma n k i n d ." When Judge Black was dying he offered this prayer: " O Thou beloved and most merciful Heavenly Father, from Whom I had my being, and in Whom I have ever trusted, if it be Thy will, grant that my suffering end, and that I speedily be called home to Th e e ." • Have you got Christ to carry you through the crises? If not take Him and He will carry you. "Wh en thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkèst through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon t h e e ," Isa, 43:2.
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