The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-06-13
A Sermonette On Peace.

tnlS universal question we offer brieYN
sermonette, having no time or space for a
discourse. One thing is certain. Sin
can make us suffer, but it never can give
US solid satisfaction. It can torment, but
1t cannot tranquilize. What a powerful
picture of soul without God is that
drawn in the prophecy of Isaiah, which
describes it as troubled sea, whose
waters cast up mire and dirt" This is
the work of memory. Let the wrong
doer try 70 hide his sins as carefully or to
bury them as deeply as he knows how,
memory will throw them to the surface
as troubled waters heave up what has
been flung into their depths. When a
vessel had sunk in Like Erie, an effort
was made to raise the bodies of the
drowned passengers by firing heavy can
non over the spot; and the jar brought
them up. SO the tremendous artillery of
Gods Justice manned by those two gun
ners, Memory and Conscience-brings up
to our eyes the Lideous sins which we
thought were buried forever. Conscience
utters two great voices. One of them de-
clares, Great peace have they who love
Gods law in keeping his commandments
is great reward" The other voice is.
There is no peace to the wicked thew
are like the troubled sea which cannot
rest; the wages of sin is DEATH" Just
in proportion as we hear and heed these
voices, conscience becomes our sweetest
comforter, or our most terrible tormentor.
Yet all the time the universal craving /,
for heart-peace. Everybody wants that.
The auction-rooms of business and pleas.
ure are thronged, and the busy auctioneers
are continually crying "peace, peace"
when they are really bidding off cheats
and decisions. They have no genuine
peace to give. Satan's policy is to give
people satisfaction by gratifying their APP
petites and selfish desires and unsancti-
Fl ID cravings. This is about like the at
tempt to extinguish a fire by hesping on
bituminous coal, or to quiet druukard's
appetite by administering brandy. Sa.
tan's plan only perpetuates the hearts
disease, and increases its disquietude. In
the midst of the noisy worlds clamors,
crying off its miserable frauds, there
stands one majestic parsonage who with
divine calmness utters the deep loving
offer, "My peace | give unto you; not as
the world giveth, give l unto you"
Christ's method is the opposite of the
worlds and of the father of lies. Christ
| gives peace by healing the diseases of the
soul. Instead of the wretched device of
attempting to satisfy restless, unholy crav-
ings, he expels them and brings in the
new sources of Joy. The worlds false
peace begins in dslusion, goes on in sin,
and ends in perdition. Christ's peace be-
gins in pardoning grace, goes on in quiet
trust, and ends in glory. Is an uncon-
verified, world.worshiping heart, like a
troubled sea, casting up loan and mire =?
| The benignant Jesus can enter even such
a heart-if it will invite him-and say to
the angry waves, "peace, be still )" and it
will smooth out, like Galilee's lake, into a
placid calm, reflecting the stars of heaven
in its depths. Two things Jesus can give
which ensure tranquility of soul. The
first one is pardon of sin and reconcilia.
ton with holy God. "Justified by
faith, we have peace with God" The
other is deliverance from the tyranny
of ungodly desires and lusts, and the &C.
cupation of the soul with pure, satisfying
occupations. Obedience to Christ is a
wonderful tranquilizer. Rest, to true
Christian, is simply the uuhindered per-
mission to do his perfect will. Dam up
clear, swift-fowing brook, and it foams
with anger; pull away the obstruction
and it joyfully darts along its bright
course, wherever its silver feet shall lead
it. Peace is not sluggish stagnation it
is the deep, strong current of soul flowing
in harmony with God. Before our blessed
Lord went out to his dying agony on the
cross, he made his will. He had not a
shekel of silver to bequeath, or dena-
RUS in the pocket of his coarse robes. A
poorer man there was not that night in
all Jerusalem. Yet he makes bequest
that outweighs all that the markets of the
world can offer-a richer legacy than
Caesar leaves to imperial heirs. Peace
| leave with you" Such peace as he had
possessed amid innumerable prosecutions
and buffetings, amid poverty and OBJ
lcquy, and such as filled his divine soul
in view of Gethsemane and Calvary,
"My peace give unto you" A gift is
all the dearer because it has belonged to
our dearest friend, and is linked with
him or her in our memory forever. Our
Lords gift is of his own "peace," which
had dwelt in his own divine breast, and
is poured out into the hearts which open
to him. 1t is peace which passeth all
understanding it keeps the heart from
distressing connections, from racking
doubts, and from uneasy apprehensions
of the judgments to come. This is genu-
inc happiness. This heals the sore spot,
and cures the heart-aches. Believer, you
may have this, just in proportion as you
turn away from the lying frauds of Satan s
auction-rooms, and thankfully accept
your share of your Masters legacy. my
peace in this world will be the prelude
to "my glory" in the next world. Open
your soul to the inhowing river, while you
gladly sing:
"Thy reign is perfect peace.
Not mine, but thine;
| A stream that cannot cease
For its fountain is divine.
Oh, depths unknown!
Thou givest of thine own,
Pouring from thine, and filling mine"
Rev. T. L. Cuyler, in Evangelist.
Muses. sublimest tones are found in