Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-05-09
THE Csc OF THE Sculptures.

cause more prominent than anotner Tor
Christian mediocrity and Christian
apathy and Christian imbecility and
Christian perplexity and Christian
cloudiness, it is the neglect Of the Bible,
and hence I know not how we can be
better employed than in putting the
Bible in its right place in u estlma-
ton and affection by regarding its true
position in Gods plan. We are believ-
ers in q specific revelation to sinners.
We do not believe that the stars in the
sky. the birds in the air the flowers ID
the field, the metals, minerals and fos-
sis in the earth can teach Us the A 3 G
Of salvation. Niagara might thunder
It's Piaud anthem in our ears; the lima
layas might lift its august head Of, ever
lasting snow before our eyes, the rush.
ing meteors and the mystic aurora
might set the midnight heavens in a
blaze; or flom the sublimities we might
turn to the gentler pictures OF the sum
mer landscape and watch the sparkling
waters OF the meadow brook, inhale the
fragrance Of the neW-mown grass and
listen to the fairy music of the insect
world, or, stl-l again, we might with
microscopic help trace the exquisite
shapes and mark the brilliant lustres OF
every atom in this wonderful earth or
explore the varied marvels of i%nfusorial
life, and when we have done any or all
of this, the guilty conscience will not
have received n ray of comfort, the
sin-bound spirit will not have obtained
one glimpse Of liberty. The Gospel is
one grand promise and all its parts are
promises of the same family. You have
seen a grand star upon our country's
flag, and all its indented outline was a
series of lesser stars-so the great prom
fse OF Christ's salvation is held up by
the Gospel in a grand composite Of
promises, each like the whole shining
with O heavenly brilliance. Is the heart
wearied with care? 81 will give you
rest" is the gem which the tired one can
find III this Bible. Are the soul and
mind full OF underlined f~orebodings?
Here is a jewel for its wearing: 1.-The
Lord will go before you and the God of
Israel will he your rear-ward." DO you
feel your GOODNESS and long for spiritual
warmth? Here is your very koh-l-noor
of diamonds: Glow much more shall
your Heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit TO them that ask Hun"
WHY LIFE IS WORTa LIVING.
The Rev. j. NJ. ludlow, at the West
Minister Church, Brooklyn: We have
here dob vi, 12) the wall Of a man who
has lost everything; the wall Of a phil
osopher who from his seat among the
ashes looked forth upon the world and
found it vanity; the vail Of one Of the
most popular philosophers that ever
lived, for in our sorrow and disgust we
are too prone to turn to his dolcfalncss
and pcssinism for soIace. Let Us try
r to answer it, and lei US see wherein lies
Il strength and why we should hope
when our lives seem empty aud value
less. Is it not, first, because God made
them? However seemingly worthless
and imperfect, they vet lie upon the
w0rk-table of the Omniscient, parts Of
some grand and complex structure which
shall endure to eternity. Secondly,
B~ecausesthere is wrapped up in thfm
something of priceless value, for which
Satan daily offers US riches and power,
even as the King of India offered his
troops and treasures to the Ameer Of
Afghan, asking in return simply the ex-
change OF courtesies, the gift Of his
turban. because i'll the folds Of that
worthless turban was wrapped up O
priceless jewel, the K~oh-i-noor. Thirdly,
We know that our life has n divine
collateral; that it has been or will be re-
deemed; that as a tattered banknOte
will have every cent of It's value made
good from the gold wing in the treasury
vaults, SO our little existence has hehinc
it the wealth of the Godhead. We have
the surety that every hope and longing
aud need that God has written upon
1t, will be redeemed in eternity. Let u,
then leave this heresy of no~roseness
and the ashes Of reimbursement, throw
off the rags OF orr miserable ideas o
life, and come forth into the eternal sun
shine.