Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-08-04

do you envy that man whose lau'
rels seem so bright and thick upon
his brow, and where splendid politi'
cal, or military achievements, have
caused his name to ring through thu
world ? Envy him not for the grave
that receives his body will receive hil
glory too, That is not portion fol
eternity. DO you covet the condition
of the man who in the pride Of hi
heart counts up his millions, ant
moves in splendor, and riots in lux
ury? Believe me, there is nothing
there which you need greatly to de
sire for all that silver aud gold is per
ishable, and will be melted down i
not sooner, in the fires of the last day
no you value the pleasures of friend
ship? These are indeed valuable, bu
unless flied, the enjoyment whicl
they yield will not reach beyond TIL
grave. But religion-itn not only con
suits the best interests and mobiles
desires of the soul, but it does thi
through eternity. 1t does much in
deed in the present Iiie. 1t drive
away darkness. 1t delivers from tll
shudderings Of guilt. 1t alleviate
sorrow. 1t acts as a safe guide il
difficulties. 1t secures to the sou
communion with God and stands b.
II as helper in the dark valley ant
lifts the curtain and lets in some ligh
from Heaven upon the eye that deatl
is rendering blind to the objects o.
this world. say religion does much
for the soul here, but IL is not ill the
soul lets go its hold upon the world
that religion displays its noblest
triumph.
OMIT is in Heaven where all is
brightness to the eye, and all is mel
ody to the ear, and all is transport TO
the soul, that religion does its best,
its noble work. Aud as the soul is i'm
mortal, as the soul is capable Of an
illimitable expansion, forever TO its
increasing joy, oh! what will not
the soul gain from religion in its
whole course through everlasting
ages? ask once more, does not lie
who chooses religion choose the good
part! proceed to second observa-
ton from the Text which is that he
who chooses religion has that of
which he can never be deprived.
"Mary hath chosen that good part
which shall not be taken away from
her." This is rendered certain by
the promises of God. Paul says Of
believers "Yc are sealed with the
Holy Spirit unto the day of rcdemp-
ton" Again he says, "Ye are dead,
and your life is hid with Christ in
God. When Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with him in glory" Christ has de-
clared concerning his people, 81 give
unto them eternal life, and they shall
never perish, neither shall any
man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them
to me, is greater than nil, and
no man is able to pluck them
out OF my Fathers hand. "Believ-
ers are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation. Hear
the triumphant language of Paul,
"For am persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor prin-
cipalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things TO come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other
creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord"
There Is another consideration
that evinces the truth Of this doctrine.
II is drawn from the nature of relig-
ion. We sometimes speak of relig-
ion as If it were something without
the man, but then we speak Of it fig
uratively, il is really something
within man, or may not say it is
the man himself, renewed after the
image of God, in Christ Jesus.
An enemy might as well think to
deprive a man of his understanding
or his conscience or any other faculty
of his soul, as of his religion. For
religion is nothing less than the i'm
pulse, the direction which the soul
has received.
You may contine man in a dun
geon you may throw him into chains
you may bring him to the scaflold, OIL
even light the fagots upon his body,
but you cannot wrest from him his
religion. His immortal spirit you
cannot harm. That principle of de-
vine grace in his soul you cannot
reach.
Read the records of Christian mar
tyrdom and you will be convinced
that | am not supposing an impossi.
bility.
How unlike in this respect is thi:
good part from anything that is pur.
sued or valued by the children Of
this world.
Your riches take to themselves
wings and they are gone. Your
splendid mansions with all that they
contain burn down. The laurels
which decorate your brow fall off
and the high ground of honor on
which you stand sinks from beneath
your feet, and perhaps a grave is
open in which is buried even youl
good name.
Health too, oh how it flies before
the whitening power of disease. Those
roses that bloom upon the cheek fade
The eye that sparkles with intelligence
and youthful joy, loses its lustre, the
countenance grows pale, and care
worn and even life, life on which
every other earthly good depends, We
hold by tenure so frail that it car
scarcely stand before the touch of an
insect.
But not so with this blessed portion
of the soul. Come poverty, come
sickness, come sorrow, come bereave'
ment, and religion will shine out
upon those dark scenes, in all it,
brightness, and all its majesty, just az
the setting sun tinges with a hue o.
glory the evening cloud.
Come death, that enemy at which
nature shudders, and reason justifieI
the shudderings; come dressed in thy
darkest attire, and armed with thy
sharpest arrow, and moving as i
vengeance was in thy footsteps, and
religion will look thee in thy face, ant
smile she will not resist, nor desire t
resist thee in thy work, for what thor
art doing is necessary to the accom-
plishment of her purpose, but shC
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