The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-05-05
rHE aENTLE spRING.
oNTINUED FROM THE FIRST PAGE.

only the ruins of a great temple where
lambs Of innocence were to be offered,
but on whose affairs swine and Vultures
have been sacrificed. Now, If this spring
time reveals 10 much fOveliness although
the original curse still puts forth it's
blights on the trses and floods on the
rivers and sighs in the soft wind, what
shall be the glory of that country from
which sin shall be excluded, and even
suns and moons and stars, as too com
mon, for the Lamb shall be the light
thereOf2 L would not dare to say that
there will not be a physical beauty in
addition to the spiritual eXcellency of
heaven. A rose of Sharon, once trOdden
down by the hOrse-hoOfs of the cruelty
ing soldiers, there in heaven; and tie
humble lily transplanted from the val
ley to the nights of Lebanon; and the
hawthorn, white and scarlet, reminding
the behOlder of his innocence aud the
blood which made him so; and the pas
sion flower, living in this frigid world
day, there blooming in more temperate
zones through the long years of Gods
lifetime; and river of life falling over
beds of precious stones and riches, not
such as go down with wrecked argOsies,
but such as He alone could strew who
hath sOwn the mountains with diamonds
and the sea with pearl; and birds never
torn by sportsman or tempest, ever and
anon dipping its surface as you wander
to its source and catch the crystal stream
where it breaks fresh from the ever
lasting Rock. Perhaps such physical
eXcellencies shall kiss the winged
aroma, while saints walking among
them shall look up through the branches
of the tree of life and listen to find that
''the time of the singing of birds is
come" Much of the attTactiveness of
nature depends upon the companions
who are with us at the time we behold
the spectacle. What shall be the thrill
lings of rapture when with our hand in
Christs we shall walk up and down
among things that eye hath not seen.
nor the ear heard, the tameness of earth
exchanged for the yellow of jasper, the
blue of sapphire, the green of emerald,
and the fire of jacinthp
Finally. / get from this season of the
year the Importance of our learning to
sing the praise of God. Soon there will
be no pause in the melody of the woods,
for 1.-The time of the singing of birds
has come" Whether it be twitter
or a chirp, a cawing or crOak.
God by it is praised. When the song
sters, clutching a tree leaf as if the notes
were on it, sing out their joy answered
by score of applauding echoes, shall
we more intelligent appreciatOrs not
tainly our duty to sing as to pray. Let
fathers and mothers teach their chill
dren this exercise. Let Sabbath-schOOis
give it their attention, and above all let
the churches of the living God ring with
it, and let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly, in all wisdom teaching and
admOnishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts unto God"
70 1fv, -.
L have noticed that when sailors are go
ing out of port there is sadness in
their song. Mid-Atlantic when sailors
sing there is weariness in their song.
When sailors come into port there is an
ecstacy in their song. Many of you are
not far from the haven of everlasting
rest, and you ought in your songs to be
jubflant. This is an important part of
the divine worship. If this be languOr-
ed all the other service will be run down
to the same temperature. Dull hymns
and dull sermons are twin brothers.
While your pulses dance with youth let
your voice be heard i'll the sanctuary.
Business men, in this way shake off dull
care and drown the voice of dollars, and
wing you souls with devotion. Men and
women, lift up your voices in Sabbath
psalmOdyl But there is no music in
my voice or ear" says one, land there
fore am silent" Did you ever know a
quail to put its head under its wing and
say: 81 will not sing because l am not
lark or nightingale" Let men laugh
at you, God will not laugh, and the trem-
ulOuS voice of the humblest Christian
will sound more harmOniOusly in heav-
en- than the artistic display of elaborate
opera. Every one now for himself in
this exercise, and each for all. One heart
and one voice, and let it be like an ac
clamatiOn of victory. All song on earth
are Saturday night reheaTsals for the
Sabbath morning that shall dawn on
the hills and crystals of heaven. And
mark this, for the time OF the singing of
birds is here. What must be the har-
mOny when the innumeTable voices of
heaven break forth into singingp Some
of us find 1t hard to sing now. Colds
muffle the voice and SORROWS depress the
heart and disappOintments chill the spir-
its. But once free, what an antheml
Who are those singing people before the
thrOnep They were little children, and
they were gathered out of Sabbath
schools, and from home circles, and now
before the throne, let the.childTen sing.
Those are aged men and women who
through long struggle passed up to the
gates of life, their ailments all gone,
the vigOr of immortal youth come into
their pulses. Let the fathers and moth
ers of Israel celebrate their escape from
slavery and their gaining of the prom
ised land. s,their souls passed through
many heart break, through betrayal
and pain and agOnies untold. But now,
their burdens off, their chains broken,
their enemies conquered, let the mar
tyTs sing. Oh, what doxOlOgyI Every
hand on harp, every foot on throne,
every voice taking the key of rapture;
song soft as slumbers, yet loud as storms;
chorus of elders, chorus of saints, chorus
Of cherubim, chorus of seraphim, chO
rus of morning stars: Unto him who
hath loved us and washed our sins in
his own blood, and made us kings and
princes unto God; unto him be glory,