Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-03-16

earth Gods counsels stand and He does all His
pleasure.
Turning now from the beaten highways of ma
tons, enter the more unpretending walks of pri-
vate life and acquaint yourselves with the little
events, the small things in mems experience that
make up the stupcndous aggregate. As moral
intelligent, social, civil and religious beings we
are all creatures OF Gods wise and guiding prov
idcnce Mans life is made up of a series of prov
licences. Man dcviseth his way, but the Lord Dir
| recteth his steps. Look back upon your own
past lives; roll back the tide Of years and let
memory bring fresh to view those scenes of trial
and vicisitudes, doubts and darkness, prosperity
and adversely, sickness and death and see if in all
you do not clearly discern the overrul Ing PROV
| idence of God. Is it not true that Thus far
the Lord has led you on" "Therc is divinity that
| shapes our cnds-rough hew them as we will"
/ The more we study the ways of Providence in
| the great events that shock nations uncrown kings
and upheave empires events that crush political
and religious tyrants and fill their places with
Christian phianthropists, the more we see and
| recognize that Providence Is controlling and
shaping the little events and affairs OF every day
| life the more clearly we discover the hand of
| that great God who doeth all things well and the
more firm our convictions OF that profound
and comprehensive truth-Thy testimonies are
wonderful.
| III The testimonies of God arc chiefly and
eminently wonderful in the purposes and pro-
| visions Of Grace. Here the amazing testimonies
eliminate In the most glorious display of infinite
| sovereign grace.
| Passing by the Old Testament revelations with
| its long lines of prophets priests and kings, its
| ty cal sacrifices and ceremonies its church in the
| wilderness and covenant Of works, its thrilling
recital of deliveranccs and victories, Its patrarchs
and temples, its Sinai and Jordon, its promises
and prophccies-all replcte with Gods wonderful
| testimonies, we pass directly to the New Tesla
mcnt Scriptures-thosc bright and blessed revel-
atoms of Jesus, and Him cruciied. The New
| Testament Gospel! Here centres the last hope
of dying world Around its central light, the
| cross, the Lord gathers the fragments of a dying
world From its fountain Of healing waters jew
and Gentle drink and live Its Shepherd folds
the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Its great
| Physician heals the moral leprosy of the soul
| Its sun of Righteousness sheds healing beams on
| a dying world. 1t plan of salvation was draught-
| ed in the counsels of eternity and finished amid
the agonies of Calvary. The New Testament
| Scriptures Where a world in wild revolt lost to
| hope and God a world blightng and whitening
under the dire cause of sin is met with grace mer-
| CIV, pardon, love and peace from God our Father
| and the Lord Jesus Christ Reconciliation and
restoration to forfeited rights here. Here sin
ners are made heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ and kings and Priests unto God forever.
Behold are not these testimonies wonderful The
Gospel Here the bitter waters of life are made
| pure and sweet by streams of Gods free love.
| Here prodigals find their Fathers welcome home
vile oucass are raised to the companionship of
angels and moral lunatcs are clothed in their
right mind. Here the glad tidin"s of great JOY
are published to such as are condemned already
| the story of the cross full Of unutterable ten
deness is poured into the ear of the sad and sor-
rowing and mercys open door invites the weary
to rest All, how wonderful are these. Take for
| example that portion Of the Sacred Record that
brings to view the scenes in the upper room at
| the institution of the Lords Supper-that bless
cd Feast of the Church. Then the agony under
the olive trees of Gethsemane, when falling blood
told the tale of anguish then the base betrayal,
the mock trial. the unjust sentence, and lastly the
dreadful tragedy of Calvary-all meekly endured
! that ungratcful, wicked sinners might not perish
| but have everlasting life. All, Is it too much to
say that such testimonies are wonderful.
The manifestations of Gods love for lost world
the agen employed to carry out the design Of that love
the results secured through the exercise OF that love and
the objests which that love Ia 80 freely bestowed
These will 10 challenge the wonder and adj
Of Gods infinite mercyl Great and marvellous are v
works Lord God Almighty Those testimonies Of God
In christ, How exceedingly precious are they They
tell Of divine covenants and PROMISES OF long suffer
Ing God forev ng Savior and gracious spirit. They
reveal sin ard salvation uin and Its remedy They tell
OF the lost that found the sick that made whole
ard of the dead that raised 10 fe immortal They
point the prodgal to his Fathers house and the sinner
| to the Lamb of God. They unfold The great cardinal
doctrine of imputaton, jushcaon regeneration,
tifcation, perseverance, adoption and the ths ans
flua victory. They point to the Inheritance that Is in
corruptabe and that crown that fades They in
vite to hope that maketh rot ashamed. and peace
that rasseh all under standing They show The loved
ones that have gone before and invite make ready
| for a happy union with dear departed friends They
assure every true believer of eternal recomnepse
reward Dear Christian friends not these testi
monies passing wond rul?
rejoice this that by the good grace of God am per
mtea be the bearer Of such message this to my
to herald these glad tdings of greatioy. am
glad Tint such the testimonies adore the rich mercy
OF God for entrustng such treasures to for
shall all tn glory be His am glad that the song of
the angels the advent Of Christ Is preserved Glory
| to God in the highest peace Oh EARTH good will TO-
wasd men Tis the key note OF our S8vos mission to
| earth Christi At His advent adoring angels sang
that anthem Of prsie During those last three yearup
earth infinite mecies and miracles attended His foot
stems A, He journeyed He scattered healing blessings
upon the paral tic trains that followed moral paray
At His death heaven and earth took the weeds of
mourning At Ills sepulchre angels appeared and af-
frghted entnels fell dead men, aud his nsion
the slopes of Ove clouds gathered, enfGded Him
and bore Him back to heaven. 1t finished indeed
and oh how wonderful ChriHs testimonies in
| things Unto Him be glory for As child live
this to view my Fathers works in Nature Providence
| and Grace. love to commend them as study to my
fellow thristans-to the Church which blessed Re
! deernsr bought with His own precious blood
delight to point sinners to these testimonies OF rIy
Fathers love especially that miracle of mediat otia
work Of hrist commend to you the gospel OF the
son Of God II has balm for every wound; cordla
for every fer speak In behalf OF souls out of Christ
orphans indeed already tired OF the husks of the world
and the liter NORWOOD Of disappointment sSOus that
like the dove, flying the waste OF waters find no
place of rest souls th't must live in veal or woe when
this earth is Nep from ts rhit and time swallowed up
IN eern ty souls that all dened by the leproy OF
sin plead for them they greatly need an advocate
Eternal interests hang the decision Of the hour. The
soul urus the absence Of Fathers love- and shrinks
from the horrors that hang around the second death
must be done, ex you perish, and what you cannot do
| for yourself.