St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-02-02
Rest in Christ.

In this WeaIlsOme world, what a
blessed word is rest. How pleasant
and hopeful those words of Jesus
"COme unto me all We that labor and
are heavy laden, and l will give you
rest" Precious promise How like
balm to the wounded heart, a cordial
to the fainting spirit. To the toil-worn
body rest is a most coveted boon. All
know this. There is a wearisomeness
of spirit a spiritual yearning for rest
in Christ Jesus; a longing for release
from the dominion of sin. Most hearts,
if not all, know what this is; many
have entered into that rest, and all
may. This invitation of the Lord Jesus
is alike to all who labor and are heavy
laden. No caste here-all! Many
shrink from making the effort; they
long for the promised results, but make
no real exertiOn to secure them. Lies
rewards are all conditional it's prizes
are to be competed for. Blessed is the
man of action. Come effort real and
persistent-this is the condition! The
history of human wretchedness is but
the struggle of souls after happiness in
ways and by methods where rest can
not be found.
Oh, that man would hear that word
of Jesus Instead of the physician men
will appeal to quacks and resort to nos
trums. Hence so much labor and sOr-
row. 1t need not be. The spirit may
be as blithesOme as a morning lark
There is rest-rest in Christ In a
neighboring city we once passed down
one of its finest streets in company with
one who had long lived there and knew
each family. Said he, "There is some
thing the matter in nearly all these
houses. In this one they are unhappily
married; in that one is a dissolute
father; here they weep over an aban-
doned daughter; yonder they have an
idiot child there in that magnificent
structure their only child is an intern
perate one, drunk most of his time :;
here cancer is doing its fell work upon
an accomplished young wife death has
entered that palace that family in that
gem of cottage is bankrupt, and is
only held up by rich relative;r and
in like manner he characterized score
of first-class mansions along a few
blocks of tirst-class street.
We could but think how true pic
ture all this is, of this worlds unrest
and unhappiness. How little of real
rest there is in this world In how few
hearts it nestles; in how few homes it
abides We wonder not that the old
prophet Micah said, "Arise We and de-
part; for this is not your rest"
A blessed truth that was from Christ's
own lips: "Come unto me and .
rest" Yes, there is a pillow whereon
we may lay the aching head. "There
is place than all beside more sweet"
w hn H,1
rest. There is city of refuge within
whose strong and well garrisoned walls
we are safe forever. Jesus is the souls
refuge. There is rest from the sharp
accusations of conscience-a rest from
the burden and sorrow of sin.
1t is law in mechanics that the
point nearest the centre is subject to
the least motion, and there must be a
central point where there is perfect
rest. Christ is the souls centre. The
nearer to Him we come, the more per-
feet our rest.
Here rest, my long divided heart,
Fixed on this blissfnl centre, restl''
The invitations of the Gospel are not
idle words. They do not present a
divine mystery only to excite wonder
and perplex faith. They make the
path plain they excite desire to graft
fy it; they proclaim Saviour mighty
to save, willing to save-saving all who
come, and seek, and knock, and ask.
This Saviour says, "Come ]" and how
His words indicate His nearDess to us
1t is not message sent to US from a
great distance. When Jesus said it,
He had come to us! How friendly
a word it is, and how winning it is not
the same as "Go-go, wash in Jordan
seven times" 1t is always "Comein
How the experience of this rest set
ties all theological difficulties, drives
doubts away, relieves from burdens,
bestows refreshing peace, and inspires
with blessed hopes. Such an expert
ence has the Lord Jesus made possible
for every one.-Zion's Herald