The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-03-01

Too often, the character possessing
some virtue In an eminent degree is
married by some great defect or blemish,,;
but wait, these human Jewels have to 90
through a more wondrous transforms
ton than that by which the same carbon
that, In an impure state, is black char
coal, is crystalized into the sparkling
beauty of the diamond. The Lord knows
what treatment will produce in them the
fair colors he delights in, and in due time
he will present them faultless before the
presence OF his glory with exceeding Joy.
they cut diamonds to display their beauty,
according to the nature of the stone
only the very finest in quality can be cut
as brilliants, while the rose and table
forms are given to those that have breadth
OF surface but less depth. So our Lord
fashions and shapes his gems as he pleases,
cutting and polishing them according to
their capacities. tits His good pleasure
TO be admired in all His saints, and in
different ways does he manifest the tri-
umphs of grace over indwelling sin, and
train and prepare the children for the
life and service of heaven. Sorrows, dis
appointments, pr:vations, losses, sickness,
pain, trials small and great, what are
they but the instruments for cutting His
Jewels, removing every defect, display
ing their full beauty, coming sharpest
and sorest often on those most nearly per-
feet, since they are the best fitted to catch
and reflect the rays of divine glory.
Through the ages, out of every kindred
and tongue and people and nation, the
Lord gathers up his jewels, one by one;
to shine in the radiance of heaven.
1t is often the helpful ones, the com
fort, and joy, and pride of the home-cir-
Gle, the most active and useful in the
Church, that are summoned from earth
to heaven; sometimes a bright young
spirit just fully girded and equipped, as
we think, for noble work in the world
but God appoints him higher service and
fuller joys in his presence. A great gap
is left a blank, and the work here Ian
guishes for time. What does this prove2
That God cares for the individual, more
than for the fruit of his labor; that it is
the will, the conservation, the heart, that
He is satisfied with; as for the building
up of His temple it is not to be the work
of one man, or company, or generation of
men, that It's excelency and glory may
be seen to be of God and not from His
workmen. The Saviour has accomplished
the work of grace within that redeemed
soul. His design for him is carried out,
and He completes His salvation by free
ing him forever from the power and pre-
sence Of sin, and receiving him into glory
Do we not approve when the brightest
gems are taken from the dark mines in
which they are embedded, and from the
workshops where they are cut and pol
ished, that they may sparkle in the dia-
dems Of earthly monarchs, aud shall we
reluctantly hold back from the King of
kings his jewels, and murmur when he
takes to himself his own, that he alone
has made resplendent in beauty?
Frequently it is among the children
that Jesus finds his jewels. Long ago, /
heard sweet story of the death of lit
tie girl about four years old She had
been sick for two or three days, but was
not thought to be in any danger. Her
mother had been absent from the room,
and on her return, found her quietly
sleeping She sat down by her, and in a
few minutes the little one opened her
eyes, and held up her hand, saying,
" Mamma, God says come; He's got my
little hand" These were her last con
scious words. Congestion of the lungs
did its fatal work, and in less than an
hour the rosy lips were sealed in death,
but her sweet words lived on, in the
hearts of the mourners, as message to
the m from the God of all comfort.
Who can conceive the solemn gladness
of that day, when the number of the jew
els is made up, and the Lord in the midst
of them " will ejoice over them with Joy
He will rest in His love, He will Joy over
them with singing? In the resplendent
armament above us, zone star differeth
from another" All the colors Of the
rainbow are represented in the grand
systems of worlds, which astronomy un-
wells to u.s. Some OF the suns with their
revolving planets are white, some blue,
some red, some yellow. some green. DIFF
fering too, in size and in intensity of light,
so that there are not two worlds alike in
all the vast array. They move in their
orbits in rich variety of beauty, and fiji
immensely with glory. Can we not catch
from them some faint idea of the radi-
ance of that centre of light, the dwelling
place of the Lord Of hosts, the Heavenly
City, whose very walls and foundations
show all manner of precious stones, where
the saints, in "the beauties of holiness"
&C sbo1 chino oe tho atars foraver ond