The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-04-21

house not yet destroyed" The heathen
confessed there was one idol of beaten
gLld he could not bear to give up. AT er
awhile, when that destroyed, in answer
to the prayer of the Christian, the sick
man got well. Many a man has awak-
ened in his dying hour to find his sins
all about him. They clambered up on
the right side of the bed and on the left
side, and over the head.board and over
the foot.board and devoured the soul.
"'Repenu the voice celestial cries.
No longer dare delay;
The wretch that scornI the mandate dies,
And meets Hery day."
Again, we need believing heart. A
good many years agOa weary one went
up one of the hills of Asia Minor, and,
with two logs on his back, cried out to
all the world, offering to carry their sins
and sorrows. They pursued himj they
slapped him in the face; they moeked
him; when he groaned they groaned;they
shook their fists at him; they spit on
him; they bounded him as though he
were a wild beast; his healing of the
sick; his sight giving to the blind; bis
melCy to the outcast, silenced not the
revenge of the world. His prayers and
benedictions were lost in that whirlwind
Of execration. Away with him away
with himl All, 1t was not merely the
two pieces Of wood that he carried; it
was the transgressions of the race, the
anguish of the ages, the wrath of God,
the sorrows of hell, the stupendous in
terests of an unending eternity. No
wonder his back bent; no wonder the
blood started from every pore; no won
der he bent down under the torture that
made the sun faint and the everlasting
hills tremble and the dead rush up in
their winding sheets ss he cried: IF it
be possible, let this cup pass from me-"
But the cup did not pass. None to com.
fort. There he hangs. What has that
hand done that 1t should be thus crushed
in the palmP 1t has been healing the
lame and wiping away tears. What has
that foot been doing that it should be 30
lacerated? 1t has been going about do
ing good. OF what has the victim been
guilty2 Guilty Of saving world. Tell
me, We heavens and earth, was there
ever such another Criminal2 Was there
ever such crimeP On that hill Of car
mage, that sunless day, amid those howl
ing rioters, may not your sins and mine
have perished2 l believe it, Oh, the
ransom has been paiG! The door of oar
escape has been swung open. Those
arms of Jesus were stretched out so wide
that when he brought them together
again, they might embrace the world.
Oh, that might, out of the blossoms of
the spring, or the flaming foliage OF the
autumn, make one wreath for my Lord!
Oh, that all the triumphal arches of the
world could be swung in one gateway
where the King of glory might come in
Oh, that all the harps, and trumpets and
organs of earthly music might, in one
anthem, speak his praise! But what were
earthly flowers to him who wslketh amid
the snow of the white lilies of heavenl
What were arches of earthly masonry to
h m who hath about his throne a rain.
bow spun out Of everlasting sunshine2
What were all earthly music to him
when the hundred and forty and four
thousand on one side, and the Chernbim
and seraphim and archangel stand on the
other side, and all the space between is
filled with the dOxologies of eternal ju
bilee, tha hosannas of redeemed
earth; the hallelujah of unfallen angelo;
song after song rising about the throne
of God and of the lamb In that pure,
high place let him hear us, stop, harps
of hesVen, that cur poor cry may be
heard o, my Lord Jesus, it will not
hurt thee for one hour to step out from
the shining throne. They will make it
all up when thou goest back again. Come
hither, D blessed one, that we may kiss
thy feet. Our hearts too long withheld
we now surrender into thy keeping.
When thou goest back tell it to all the
immortals that the lost are found; and
let thy fathers house ring with the mu.
sic and the dance.
They have some old wine in heaven,
not used except on rare festiv ties. In
this world those who are accustomed to
use wine on great occasions bring out
the beverage and say: "This wine is 80
years o d." or 40 years old" But the
wine of heaven is more than eighteen
centuries old. 1t was prepared when
Christ trod the winepress alone. When
sucn grieVous sinners as we are come
back, one thinks the Chamberlain of
heaven cries out to the servants "This
is unusual joyl Bring up from the vaults
of heaven that old wine. Fill all the
tankards Let all the white robed guests
drink to the immortal health of these
new born SONS and daughters of the
Lord Almighty There is Joy in heaven
among the angels of God over one sin
ner that repenteth, and God grant that
that one may be you.
Again, in order to have a right heart it
must be forgiving heart. An old wri.
ter says: ITO render good for evil is God
like, good for good is man like, evil for
good devil like" Which Of these ma.
lures have we? Christ will have moth,
ing to do with us as long as we keep an
old grudge. We have all been cheated
and lied about; there are people who
dislike us so much that If we should
come down to poverty and disgrace, they
would say: "Good for him; didn't l tell
you sop" They never have Understood
Us and never will They do not want to
understand us 1Unsanetlfied human ma.
buIO .bftygf ."dAg bAli yOu Bob BOOu
crack at him; and when at last you find
him in tight place, give it obim; Aay
him alive; no quarter; leave not rag of
reputation; jump on, himgwith both
feet; pay him in his own coin; sarcasm
for sarcasm; scorn for BCorD; abuse for
abuseh But, my friends, that is not the
right kind of a heart. No man ever did
80 mesna thing toward US as we have
done toward God;@nd if we cannot for.
give others, how CaR we expect God to
forgive, usP Thousands Of men have
been kept out of heaven by an unforgiv5
ing heart Here is some one who says:
Il will forgive thRtoman the wrong he
did me about that house and lot. Icwill
forgive that man who oveTreached me
me in a bargain. Twill forgive that man
who sold me a shoddy oveTeoatLsll but
one. That man / cannot forgive. The
villRiu-I can hardly keep my hands off
Of him, II my going to heaven depends
upon my forgiving him., then l shall stay