The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-07-10

behind 1t, perhaps to explore its cavern Co
verts. But see, he has soon rc-appcared
and with joy dancing in his eyes, he stands
shout ng and beckoning, Onward on,rard!.
ONWARD J! ONWARD!!!!' when he reel.
|. from weariness and falls in behind the rock
& Thank God, he's sayed!' exclaimed a
voice.) Onward they rush. men. women,
husbands, wives, parents and children. broth.
ers and sisters, like doves to the windows,
and disappear behind this rampant Of saliva
ton. Some faint just as they arrive at the
great rock, and their friends run out and
drag them to the hiding-placc,' when wax.
ing up in safety, like that sister there, that
lost her strength in the pnycr-meetinS,
they shout aloud for joy. (here many voices
shouted Glory!) %.
The darkeninS sand.plain over which
thess lied for life, now lies strewed with
beasts, given out in the struggle, and all
useless burdens were thrown aside. The
wavy sheet Of destruction, skimming the
surface with the swiftness of shadow, is now
very near, and yet few feeble stragslers
and loved friends of this sheltered multitude
are yet q great way Off Here words were
uttered in choked accent, the speaker
seeming unable to resist the thrilling charac-
ter of the analogy.l Yes, a great way of.
But sec, mothers and brothers from behind
the rock are shouting to them to hasten
They come, they come. A few steps more,
and they are saved But o, the poison
wind is Just behind them, and its chokc.mi,t
already round them There one falls, and.
there is scream. No, he rises again, and
is saved. But one is still exposed. 1t is
the father of tina. little nest of sweet ycd
children, for which he had acd to the rear
to hurry on. They have passed forward
and are safe. IIo is but little distance
nom the rock, and no. head dares to peep
to him encouragement from behind it. Al
ready the wings of tho death angel arc on
the launches of his strong dromedary. His
beast falls, but upon the moment Of his ial.
ling, the rider leaps out Of his saddle into
this 'hidng-place from the wind His lit
tie boy, crouching in hole Of the rock, into
which he thrusts his head cntwines his neck
with his little arms and says, Papa, you
have come, and we are all here Here the
shouts OF Salvation, Salvation seemed to
shake the place in which we were assembled.
"Now, the burning winds and the poison
winds blow and beat upon that rock, but
those who have taken refuge behind it in its
ovcrhanSing precipces, are safe until the
tempest is over and gone.
"And now, brethren, what dos this all
represent in figure? That rock is Christ
those winds are the wrath of God revealed
against the children Of disobcdiencc. Those
that are saved arc those that have fed TO tho
refuge. to the hope set before them in Christ
Jesus The Lord. The desert is the vast howl,
ing wilderness of this world, where there is
so little of love, and so much of hate: so
little of sincerity, and so much Of hypocri.
sy SO little of heaven, and so much of hell
1t seems to poor me, that this world is the
battle ground of the devil and his angels,
against Christ and his elect, aud if the dew
il has not gained the victory. he holds pos
session, because every sinner is Tory. God
OF the gospel open the batteries OF heaven
today! Here voley of hearty 'Amcns. ]
Sinners, the wrath Of God is gathering
against you for the great decisive b,ttle.-I
already see in the light Of Sina's lightnings
long embankmcnt Of dark clouds down on
the sky. The tall thunder.heads nod with
their plumes of fire in their onward march.
The day of vengeance is at hand. Mercy,
that has pleaded long for you with tears of
blood, will soon dry her eyes AMI hush her
prayers in your behalf. Death and hell
hang on your track with the swiftness of
the tempest. Before you is tho hiding
place Fly, fly, beseech you, from the
wrath to come ...
"But, brethren. the JOY Of the believer in
Jesus is set forth in fgurativc manner in
the text. 1t is compared to water to those
who are dying of thirst. o, how sweet to
the taste of the desert traveller, swclterins
under burning sun, asif creation was a
great furnace. Water sweet, sparkling
living, bubbling, silyery water; how does
his lansuid eyes brighten ash suddenly sees
1t gushing up q. his feet, like milk from the
fountain Of love, or leapins from the sides
of the mountain rock, like a relief from
Heaven. He drinks long and gratefully,
and feels again the blessed pulsations of be-
inp. And so with the soul that experiences
Joy in believing the sweets Of pardon, the
rapturcs of peace, the witnessing Spirits
communings, and the quiet awe of adoption.
Such soul is oveshadowed by the Almighty;
he fingers IN the shady retreats ofthe garden
| of God he feeds in the pastures OF his love,
and is led by still waters, and often visits
the land Of Beluah, where 1t always is light.
But, my brethren, all comparison is too dis
passionatc, and an angels words are too
cold to describe the raptures of salvation =
1t is unspeakable and full of glory. The
life Of innocence and prayer; the sweet,
childlike smile. and the swimming eye; the
countenance 90 glorious in death, that but
for decay, the body Of the gonc-home saint
nigh, be kept us a breathing statue oi peace
and patience, smiling in victory over oil the
sorrows of life and the terrors OF death, are
the natural language Of his holy passion
o, Glory to God feel 1t today like hre
ia my bones Like chained eagle my
soul rises toward her native heaven, but she
: can only ay just 80 high. But the letters