The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-11
THE HEAVENLY SHOWER.
A Sermon Preached Last Evening at
the Firat Reformed Presbyterian
Church, on Broad street, below Spruce.

the FHS reformed Presbyterian
Church, on Broad street, below spruce.
At O'Clock IN the evening, prayer meeting
was commenced at the First Reformed Presby.
terian Church (Rev DR.. Wyhe's) on Broad
street. between Spruce and Pine, large con-
gregauon being even then in attendance. This
was continued for about half an hour, when the
services at Horticultural Hall having termi-
mated, a considerable number of persons who
had listened 10 Dr. Hall at that place proceedcl
to DR.. Wylie's church-eyety seat IN the latter
being filed. Shortly afterwards the regular
services were commenced, Dr.. Wylie aunounc.
ing the One Hundredth Psalm, beginning with
the words:-
"All people that on the earth do dwell.
Sing TO the LORD with cheerful voice"
The Rev. Newman Hall then oifecel up brirt
prayer, and immediately read as his text the
following passage, from the sixth verse of the
72l Psam:-
HE shall come down like rain upon the nown
grass; showers that water the EARTH"
The speaker then proceeded substantially as
follOws:-
have cone into q field over which the mower
has passed, and have found it dry aud parched
and covered with rents. The voice OF Lbe BIRDS
is no longer heard in it; and barren and desc
late 1t seems to cry out to nature Tor reiIef.
Then the clouds come, and by-and-by that field
Us again green; the BIRDS retnrn to IL, and again
make it vocal With their song, seeming TO echo
the words of the text. In this country we seldom
witness such an effect OF desolatIou as [ have
described, produced by the want of ram. Bat
there are many countries where this is the case {;
and In them, now GeIreSnllg, ,htlef long O0rugnt,
s the sound oil the descending shO we're Ho y
pleasant to the husbandman are the words,
''Rise up and drlnk!"
Yet there are in the world wildernesses more
barren, Epritu ually, than are these physical
wastes. Such are tue fields, at home and abroad,
in which our missionaries labor, encouraged
and inspired by the promise that Gods Holy
Spirit shall descend like the showers which
water the earth. 1t may be that there are, even
here, some who long for the falling OF these
| heavenly showers; who have been made hike
the mown grass, by reVerseS in business, by the
loss OF friends, or by their uneXoected treach.
cry. Or it nay be that they are thus spIsitU.
ally waste and barren. Prayer has become a
task to them, religion mere duty. They are
the praises of the Lord. To them, ALSO comes
the promise that His mercies shall descend
like the showers which water the earth.
Three ideas are suggested by the text. The
first is the idea OF plenty, OF abundance. Wnen the
ground is parched, we may take watering pot
and sprink lie a small garden, but we do not think
of thus watering whole field. Yet when the
rain comes it comes in abundance, and waters
all alike. So it is with human sympathy. Our
| friends may comfort us in atfiction for few
days, but If our sorrow Is long continued they
cannot devote all their time to our consolation.
Yet when these earthly consultations have
| failed heavenly consultations have most
abounded. God, our Father is plenteous in
mercy. he $50 loved the world that tie
| gave His only begotten Son, that Wnosoever
beleveth in Him should not perish, bat have
| everlasting life" But there are some who tax
! delight in limiting His mercy, as though it were
! thus made more precious and valuable TO them.
| We see a man1dll bottle at the shore Of the
Atlantic, and carry it beyond the AllcgAenies
ar there emptying il, return TO the seashOre for
another load. We ask him what he means, and
| he tells us that he is going to empty the ocean.
| AS we'll might we attempt to empty the mercy
| OF God, for 1t is u lathomless and pleuteou3
| sea. He waiteth to be gracious, PROMISING
| abundant showers; His mercies descend upon
| US, as the rain descends upon the earth.
| The second idea conveyed by the text is that
| of eentleness. Gods mercy is like The dew
| which desceLds upon the EARTH Among the
| mountains OF Switzerland u great sound IS
| heard. The people ask what it can be. L. cannot
be the thunGer, for it is too loud; il cannot be
! the avalanche, for 1t is too long continued. Be
| hold, 1t is the torrent, fed by the mountain
SHOWS; and IL UpIoots trees in Its course, bears
! down WITH it whole tons OF earth, aud carries
| desolation before II. The husbandman is In con-
| steTnauon; he wanted not the torEent, bat the
| rain. God has promised TO judge the poor OF
| the people, to save the children OF the needy TO
| break in pieces the oppressor. How full OF gen
| tleness is this whole Psalml "a bruised reed
! shall He not break and the smoking HaX shall
| He not quench." How gentle is Hi5 nature
| and His mercy The timid child, the tender
| woman, may come to HIN. And our
| Lord eXempided in His life what was predic ed
| of Him in this Psalm. He is uachangeaOle--the
same yesterday, to-day, and tomorrow. But
| there are come who do not see Al 20 want what
God has promised. They want not the rain but
the torrent. Says one, want to be converted,
| but / am waiting for an unusual opportunity v,
/ for some great outpouTing of Gods mercy, for
| some Grand revival. He wants to be converted
| by the torrent, which God never promised. He
/ did not promise the hail-storm, the tornado,
the still small voice is heard, while these gentle
| Influences are descending apon him like the