Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-12

he savs even now behold thou art fair
nv love. behold thou art fair. And be says
again. UBehold I will lay thy stones In a
far corner. and thy foundations OF sap
nhires. I viii make thy windows OF agates
and Inv gates of carbuncles, and all thy
] foundations of precious stones.
So dear are Gods people that lie
will never leave or forsake them. The
contamination of the process to which
they are subjected, the final developing OF
grace into glory, is secured by divine
purpose and divine promise. That which
we caIl the perseverance Of the saints" is
discord. 1t expresses a wrong idea. We
ought to call it the perseverance of Gods
love to His saints. See how he persevered
in the execution of his purpose towards the
children of Israel.
We have confidence in God because he has
promised to keep us by His power. We are
not compelled to 90 TO Heaven, but we are
Kept by Gods power in the way of holiness.
We are kept securely there, because God is
our guardian, who never betrays His trust.
An this, indeed, is declared in the text,
"And they shall be mine, when l make up
my jewels" What a glorious making up
will that be, when the number Of the saints
is completed when all whose names are
written in the Lambs book Of life are
gathered home; when Christ shall come in
the glory Of the Father and will finish,
wind up the gospel dispensation and con-
firm its results forever. This suggests the
idea Of hope, recognition and acknowledge
ment. That viii be the day for the mani
festation of the sons of God. In this
world they are often hidden. The world
does not know them. They are concealed
by the worlds neglect, its misrepresentation
and abuse. They are concealed often even
from themselves by their own doubts
and fears SO that they hardly
dare to call themselves by their
own name, the saints of God. But when
the Son of God, our incarnate Redeemer,
shall sit on the throne of his glory, and say
to those on his right hand 'Come, ye
blessed of my Father, into the kingdom pre-
pared for YOU from the foundation of the
world" then how will the humblest of his
Jewels shine out and fash their beams,
glowing with celestial light in the vision Of
the whole universe. This suggests the idea
of perfection in the saints themselves when
they shall be entirely Gods. In that day,
we are told, Christ will come to be gloritied
in his saints and to be admired in all of
them that believe.
In that day be will come forth in bis roy
al power and beauty as the great King and
say, '.These are my jewels that have been
gathering during all these dark ages past"
Gods people will constitute then and for
ever His crown Of righte, usness, his royal
diadem. Christ's jewels are mementoes of
his joys and sorrows. The earthly jewels
we cherish are not always valued for their
intrinsic worth. Their market price is I'M
known to us, and yet they may be of inf
mite value. It may be a wedding ring
whose golden circle is crowned with MEM
o.ies precious as the VOWS of marriage. 1t
is a pledge of love of one who has passed
away from this life. 1t may be simple
memento transferred from the bosom Of a
dying friend. 1t may be like the
golden hairs of little one twined in re-
membrance. Others might not care to have
them, but to us they are Of inestimable
value. Does He thus love and keepeme?
Shall l be his in that great day? The
question is infinitely important, and it is
one that may be answered intelllgently, dis
tiuctly and emphatically. 1t is question
it behoOves each one 10 answer at once.
1t cannot be answered by seeking to know
what God has written in the volume OF his
secret counsel. The revealed world will
declare to each one who casts himself upon
it, whether he is one Of Gods jewels or
whether he is. one Of those souls that
shall be cast into hell. One of the simplest
and clearest texts by which this question
may be decided is that presented in the
text. The prophet says: "They that feared
the Lord spoke often one TO another: and
the Lord hearkened and heard it, and
book Of remembrance was written before
him for them that feared the Lord, and
that thought upon bis name. And they
shall be nine" etc. 1--WE know" says the
apostle, THAT We have passed from death
unto life, because we loved the brethren,
because We loved Gods people," Glow
good and how pleasant is the fellowship Of
the saints"
The reverend gentleman concluded as
follows: o that all of you that hear me this
night and all who ever have heard me were
consciously embraced in the golded circle Of
these, the Lords jewels. l am only the
mouthpiece of all the Christian people here
when say to you who are out now, come
into our fellowship and suffer us to love you
for Christ's sake. Come with your sins and
he will pardon you. Come as YOU are to
our God and he will give you full share in
his kingdom; come, thou widowed and for
rowful soul to whom this world is dark and
fearful and full of trials-come, thou with
US unto the land Of prom
Use, unto the sanctuary OF God.
Say sEntreat me not to leave thee, or to
return from following after thee for with
er thou goest l will 60; and where thou
lodgest l will lodge; thy people shall be my
people and thy God my Cod GOl's peo-
pie will receive you and the Almighty. I'M
der whose shadow We rest, will give thee
An everlasting inheritance.
In the evening DR.. Vandyke preached
to another large audience, taking for his
text Second Peter, chap, 4 verse.