Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-08

the ceaseless going forth OF His mighty energy
Christian is taught to pray thy will be done in
earth az it is in heaven And to show US what
heavens service and obedience mean. we are
his sleepess vigiIss from his lofty tower, or as
the lonely sentinel who stands as guard an over
the sleeping camp. regardless Of enemies or OF
storms. Or the Christian Is hidden to GO and
work in the vinyard; to bear the burden and heat
OF fhe day. He Is a wrestler agonizing in the
arena; or the feet racer exerting every nerve up
| on the dizzy course-an athlete b0ld' contend
! ing for victory until the very EYES distend and
the veins stand out with fullness and the mus
cles fairly ache and break from tension. These
things illustrate the divine ideal OF heavens life
work. Eliminating all the suffering and intoler.
able WEAKNESS which hard labor brings with 1t
here. we have left the precise equation OF 1.-THE
| 2 1t is the rest 81 joyful obedience.
Conformity to Gods VIII may be forced or spon.
taneous. ii the former it can never be product
i've Of peace or comfort. 1t will be like the graf.
ing Of machinery whose journals are thrsting
and crying for the duplicating oil; and whose
pulleys, and wheels and bands are untrue to each
other. Simon bearing the cross by compulsion,
| is not more pitiful sight. than are they who
ne heart men DO the Viii Of God dsishtng IN It
as his wi then have they the complete type Of
Joy which 1t is possible for the soul to contain.
paeity to receive. even when fully satisfied. but
In the power and the opportunity to give forth. :
The principle is one Of large application which
/
receive" This Joy have all they who dwell in the
many mansions where Jesus reigns. And such
service is rest.
g. Further it is the rest Of compete satisfaction.
In the world our peace is ever broken by the
ceaseless pressure OF new and unsuitable desires.
These may arise from considerations OF real or
imaginary need. Some are practical, some fanci-
full. Oneis anxiously crying: :" What shall !
eat and what shall drink and wherewithal
shall be clethed!" Another is busily scheming
conquer the Romans. then Sicily. then Carthage.
] then Greece and MacedOn, and then rest. We
hear still the reechoing voice OF the great Alex
| ander borne lack upon the refiuent tide OF the
ages. from the far distant shores OF India, mourn
ing that there are no more worlds to conquer. Or
is 1t the figure OF the stricken Rachel :. weeping
| cause they are notp Or 1t mayhap be some
soul in spiritual darkness cries with bitter lamen.
tation They have taken aSay my LORD hu and
chiefest Joys are perpetually over east by the
clouds OF visionary wants. which the things we
eays En " f G oa
there 'remaineth rest to the people OF God"
where
Fragrant flowers immortal bloom
And Joys supreme are given;
/ There rays divine dispense the gloom,
Beyond the dark and narrow tomb,
Appears the dawn OF heaven!"
II shall be satisfied. when awake, with thy
| 4. 1t will be rest with kindred and loving and
| holy spirits. We shall be partakers with God In
his rest. He as our Father, full Of tenderest
be well pleased for His beloved Sons sake, TO ad
nit us into His very presence. Nor will 1t be a
constrained and formal intercourse but it is that
The presence Of Jesus Christ will be the source
| of perfect blessedness forever. "Whom have
in heaven but Thee! And there is meme upon the
earth that desire besides Thee This day
shalt thou be with me in Paradise No doubt
the communications of the Holy Ghost will be
richer aud more manifest than they are here, and
| the Joy and peace resulting therefr0m, must be
prOportionately increased.
1t imparts another bright hue to our heavenly
hopes when we recall the meetings and the greet
| ings between long parted friends. Some OF these
| separations have taken place under circumstan-
ces which greatly intensified the bitterness of the
pang: Of many mother it can be said, as good
old Simeon said to the youthful Virgn-mother
through thy own soul Also The wild beast. the
yoracious ocean; thy consuming ag fire, the assas,
pestilence that walketh in darkness the destruc-
ton that wasfeth at MONDAY" these all have as
serted their nightly reason OF our sin to become
the executioners of vindictive Justice. And
many have been the sad walls which crushed
hearts have sent forth upon she midnight dark
Ell up their shattered hopes and to enshrlne them
in the cells of imperlshedable memory. Bat tho
ransomed OF the Lord shall return, and come to
Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon the ir
heads. they shall obtain iov and gadness. and
sorrow and signing shall flee away : RESI-
III. To whom do we owe this rest that remain
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, this is the
stone which was set at naught by the builders
which is become the head stone Of the corner
Neither is there salvation in any other for the re
is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby We must be saved"
There is one Mediator between God and man,
the man Christ jesus"
To whom should We go with thanksgiving but
unto Him who has purchased our redemption
Shall we sing in our times of trouble:
Jesus, lover Of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom hy!''-
and yet divide the honor Of our worship and our
gratitude with others whose arms are iInpotent
to protect or deliver us! Nay, we love to jen the
heavenly choral and to shout aloud the high
sounding praises of Him who loved US and gave
Himself for us, and washed us from our sins in
his own blood! Thou, o Lion OF the tribe OF Ju-
dab, the root of David, hast prevailed to open
tne pook ana 10 loose the seven seals thereof No;
owe its ALL and it shall glorify Thee forever
Ill. Let US inquire as to the value OF this rest
l; AS compared with earthly possessions. These
All of earths blessings are like the morning
cloud and the early dew. Their enjoyment Is
freghted with many circumstances which detract
from its comfort. Clay mingIes with the iron in
all OF our Joys OF merely worldly character
Not SO With the rest that awaiteth.
2 View it in contrast with its opposite alterna.
| tve,-eternal death, and tell me, o my nearer
what is the rest OF heaven worth! Canst thou
measure its value! l.o what is man profited il
| he shall gain the whole world and lose his own
shall it Der >'O' ~ '~' ~ - '''''-'
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the
man that getteth understanding. For the mer-
chandise Of it is better than the merchandise o.
silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She
| is more precious than rubes and all the thing.
thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto
her."
Man, woman, let it be the Arst, the one grea
aim OF your life, to secure this heavenly wisdom
TINS divine knowledge For it is life and health
i ". The important question meets us, how t,
obtain this rest.
II there is glorious legacy of rest offered t.
the wearied, burdened souls who now groan fo
relief, we want TO know how we may win tha
prlze-how gain that heritage.
through our works of righteousness which W,
have done. These good works of which mel
BOAST beast s SO much, are what the Holy Spirit call
dead works" from which the conscience mus
be purged, in order to serve the living God :
Heb. 9, IA.
The simple terms of the Gospel are 'believe /,
the Lord Jesus Christ and thod shalt be saved ;
Trust the merit of his atoning blood Accep
the gift of his righteousness. and be satisfied wi
It. Do not seek to supplement- his perfect work
" The blood OF Jesus Christ, his Son, cieansetI
us from all SIM This is his commaHdmen
that we should believe on the name q his Son
That faith which saves the soul is not a iifeles
principle, but living power. This is the vcto
~ that oyercometh the world even our faith.
1t avoucheth itself by its fruits. First anon;
these is repentance for sin. This is not sorrow
for the unhappy consequences OF sin, but for the
fact of sin itself as a personal and oOllunng evi
affecting the whole soul. True penitence awak
ems the determination to forsake the sin repentet
OF and to declare lifelong war again st it. 1t per
mts no compromise-no tampering-nO hesita
ton The soul turns with loathing from its sill
unto holiness and to God.
Thus the new life is manifested in the ou twart
expression of its relations to the world Obedi
ence to the commandments and conformity t,
the image of God are the two grand elements o
christian life which proclaim the indwelling o
the Holy Ghost in the heart, and the presence Of
hot pa l, biah rlrnfh htf x.-y,fa
fies the heart; which unites to Christi which JUS
titles; which saves
! V. 1t only remains to add that We watch and
take heed. We ought to give the more earnest
heed to the things which We have heard, lest a
any time We should let them Slip"
| Your greatest danger is not encountered OF
the open field of battle. even when your antago
nists are the trained and marshaled hosts of the
prince of darkness redwith all the zeal OF inferno
hatred and Satanic malice 1t is found rather
| in the hidden snare and the dulcet song of Srer
| nymphs. who live to conquer your consciousness s.
| of peril, and to luil your tears TO drowsy rest
The love of the world is a more dead y foe to YOU
soul than all the powers If the adversary exerteJ