The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1884-03-15
ssEAsrTEEsH. EEAebx ssEEl'S.
'R'hc Crystal Ganios Equal is.''
rAT.MAGE.


-
Solomon says it is a lily. Paul says
it is crown. The Apocalypse says it
is Il fountain kissed of the sun. Eze-
kiel says it is Il ioliaged cedar Christ
says ii is II bridegroom come to fetch
home bride, While Job in the text
takes up whole vase Of precious
stones--the topaz and the sapphire
and the chrysophasus---and he takes
out of this beautiful vase just one
crystal and holds it up until it CLEANS
in the warm light of the eastern sky
and he exclaims, "The crystal cannot
equal it!". Oh, it is not stale religion,
it is not n stupid religion; it is not a
toothless hag as some seem to have
represented it; ii is not n Meg Mcr-
rifles with shrivelled arm come to scare
the world. 1t ~ the fairest daughter
OF God-heiress Of all hiswealth Her
cheek the morning sky; her voice the
music Of the south wind her step the
dance of the sea. Como and WOO her.
The spirit and the bride say come, and
whatsoever will let him come. Do you
agree with Solomon and say it is a
lily. Then pluck it and wear it over
your heart. Do you agree with Paul
and say it il crown? Then let this
hour be your coronation. Do you
agree with the Apocalypse and say it
is n springing fountain? Then come
and Stake the thirst of your soul. Do
you agree with Ezekiel and say it is II
ioliaged cedar? Then come under its
shadow. Do you believe with Christ
and say it ia a bridegroom come to
fetch home a bride? Then strike
hands with your Lord and King, while
| pronounce you everlasting one. Or,
if you think with Job that it a jewel,
then put it on your hand like IL ring,
on your neck like bead, ON your fore
head like Il star, while lookinginto the
mirror of Gods word you acknowledge
"the crystal cannot equal it"
But, my friends, the chieftransform-
ing power OF the Gospel will not be
seen in this world, and not until heav-
en- breaks upon the soul. When that
light falls upon the soul, then you will
zee the crystals. Oh, what magnifi-
cent setting for these jewels OF eterni-
ty! | sometimes hear people repre-.
scnting heaven in way that is fan
from being attractive to me. II seems
almost a vulgar heaven as they repre-
cent it, with great blotches Of colon
and bands OF music making doafen
ing racket. John represents heaven
az cxqaisitely beautiful. Three crys
tals-crystal atmosphere, crystal river
crystal sea--thrce crystals. In ONT
place he says: "Her light was like un
r to a precious stone, clear as crystal.
: In another place he says: IL saw {
pure river from under the throne
l clear as crystal" In another place III
l says" Before the throne there was I
| sea of glass, clear as crystal" Three
t crystals. John says, crystal atmos
} phere. That means health. Balm o
: eternal June. What weather after tn
0 worlds east wind! No rack of storm
: clouds. One breath of that air vii
. cure the worst tubercle. Crystal ligh
| on all the leaves. Crystal light SHIN
4 nering on the topaz of the temples
5 Crystal light tossing in the plumes O
e the cqucstrians of heaven on whit
: horses. But "the crystal cannot equa
| it," John says, crystal river. Tha
c means JOY. Deep and ever rolling
r Not one drop Of the Thames, or tn
0 Hudson, or the Rhine to soil it. No
G one tear of human SORROW to embitte
/ it. Crystal the rain out of which
il was made. Crystal the bed over whic
j. it shall roll and ripple. Crystal its il
n finite surface. But "the crystal car
a not equal it." John says, crystal Sc,
r That means multitudinously vas
e Vast in rapture. Rapture vast as til
: yea, deep az the sea strong as the gel
y ever changing as the sea. Billows {
T. light. Billows of beauty, blue wit
d skies that were never clouded an
It green with depths that were neve
IL fathomed. Arctics and Antarctic
q Mcditerrancans and Atlantics and Pi
cifcs in crystalline magniticenc'
Three crystals. Crystal light fallin
= on a crystal river. Crystal river rol
n ing into n crystal sea. But "the cry
n tai cannot equal it,"