The Kingwood chronicle. [volume] (Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.]) 1861-1861, 1861-04-20
SUNDAY READING.
Guide-boards toward Heaven.
By REV. THEODORE L. CuYLER.

L..
When the seeker after Christ has become
the joyful finder, when he has once fairly
entered on the straight and narrow path,
does his need Of guidance cease? Can he
find his way alone to heaven? mol More
than ever he needs to say Thou must guide
me BY thy counsels, if afterwards thou
wouldst receive me to glory.
Let Us run our eye along that heaycn-ward
path, and observe some Of the pilgrims with
in It, and the guide boards which the Lord Of
the Way has prepared for their direction and
encouragement. The first one that meets
our eyeis timid doubter He is one Of q
numerous household; As John Bunyan would
phase it, he came out of the land of Tnbels1
and some Of its black soil still sticks to
garments. He i the man who always g
lions in the path, their roaring frightehs \ {
out OF many duty and long ago robbed
OF anything like firm tranquil assurance !
salvation. His lips never yet could bring o(I
the full round uttcrance, II kno,r whon !
have believed lie crcpt III at the entral
gate, shivering as il an ague was upon hi]
Ills first prayer nearly took away his breat1
and he never would have got IN at all but e.
the motto over the gate. KNOCK and it shal
be opened 70 You Public profession wal
another sore trial to him He doubted his ]
change Of heart; he doubted his ability to be
anything but stumbling block and re-
proach to the church Of Christ. He never
can be drafted into any service for he is
laid up agood part Of the time, and when
he sets out on duty he walks with d sad limp in
his ankles. For new enterprises involving
hard work and strong faith he has no stom-
ach; he doubts whether they are needed
Or, if undertaken, whether they will sue
cced. : While happier Christians chant hal
lelujahs, he always sings bass and has seri-
Gus fears whether he will ever join in the
song OF Moses and the Lamb The best fea-
ture Of his spiritual character is his tender
ness of conscience He hates sin cordially.
lie is true disciple, for he fears God; he is
not a buoyant, gladstone disciple, for he docs
not trust God at all times and srcioiccs in the
Lord always | would like to point this
timid brother to three guide boards placed
up on the roadside for the special encourage
ment of such Christians as himself
Ny grcce is sufficient for thee. s'Be of
good courage, and he shall strengthen thy
heart = Hold that fast which thou hast,
that no man take thy crown
JESUS WEPT In the life Of Jesus, as re-
corded for Us by the Spirit, there are two
weapings. Twice in the body, and on the
earth the man Jesus Christ she'd tears; but
in neither case were they she'd for himself.
Not in Geth>cmane, not on the cross, did
jesus week Both the sorrows were for our
sakes but they differed widely from eash
other. When he drew near Jerusalem, and
beheld the city, he wept over it when he
saw a hereayed sister mourning for dead
brother, he Wcpt with her The one weep
ing was for human guilt, the other was for
human sorrow. The one marks His Divins
compassion for the sinful, the other Hi
human sympathy with the sufferer Each u
precious in its own place. but the places arc
widely diverse. The two examples exhibit
different qualities Of the Saviour, and 6Bcef
different necessities Of men His campdaniod
for sinners, manifested in his tears oyef JD-
rusalem, is link in the chain by Which -
are saved, but it j. the upper link Hi sor-
row with his sister besides brothcr'e 'erfatS
il q link lower down, and therefore n11eox
US. His pity for me as sinner sho11 thnt
He is great and good Ills weeping MN ~
shows that His greatness and good1e NJ
within my reach. When could not 1u1uo1U
meet him in the rcgin Of His own spff1tEml
He has bowed down to meet -
in my natural weakness / could not Iise RI
take hold Of Him, but he bends to take ho1 Il
Of me. Standing where stand and weepinl7
where | weep, He enters by the opening
which grief has made into my heart, and
gently makes it all his own As my brother,
He insinuates Himself into me through the
emotions Of our common nature, that so1
may he borne up with Him into the regions
Of spiritual light and liberty He takes hold
Of me by my sorrow, that / may get hold of
Him for deliyerance from my sin
A WOMAN asked her gardener Why weeds
always outgrew and covered up the flowers