The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-04-22
Thoughts for the Thoughtful.

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To some, the brightest opportuni-
ties hold no significance.
If we wish thing we must seek
after it; it will not come to us.
Procrastination steals mans time
below, and steals his heaven above.
Yes-we are all good, in our way;
but some Of us have some very odd
ways-havn't we?
Il am as good as that church men,
Der" never saved anybody. The
standard is too low.
Time and tide wait for no man."
but many have persisted before they
found out the truth of it.
The will of man is the only obsta-
Gle in the way of his coming to Christ,
"who soever will may come"
Full of vigor of intellect and robust
health to-day, are no guarantee that
you will not be called hence to-mor-
row.
Hope in God in the greatest ex-
tremity, and you will see by and by
that you had the greatest reason to
do it.
The scriptures plainly teach that if
you are lost, your condemnation will
be in proportion to the advantages
you have enjoyed.
He who feels no Joy in contemplat-
ing the mighty works of God, as
spread out in creation, could not en-
JOY heaven, were he there.
The reason why there are SO many
more protesting christians than ac-
tual christians, is because it is much
easier to say thing than do it.
The Arabs have the following wise
saying: Fulfill your covenants if
ye covenant, for God is witness
break no words with men which God
hath heard, and surely he hears all. !"
Gods forgiveness, assured to us in
the cross of Christ, is q complete
remedy for sin, acting on its natural
consequences by transformation indi-
rectly; on its moral results directly,
by removing them.
Gounod is credited with the follow.
ing epigrammatic saying: 'There
are three things which most people
can never forgive. First, the good
which you have done them; second,
the evil which they have done you;
third, the evil which they have not
been able to do you"
When o man has learned to know
the infinite love of God in Christ to
him, then he discovers something
which will not elude his hold, and an
affection which will not grow cold;
for the comparison of Gods long
suffering and repeated pardon with
his own heartless ingratitude convin.
ces him that it is an Interchangeable
love.
II we have lost Gods bright and
happy presence by our wilfulness,
what then? Unrelieyed sadness p
Nay, calmness, purity, may have gone
from our heart, but all is none gone
yet. just as sweetness comes from
the bark of the cinnamon, when it il
bruised, so can the spirit of the cross
of Christ bring beauty and holiness
and peace out of the bruised ane
broken heart. God dwells with ths
contrite as much as with the humble
| Reverence, love, meekness, contri
ton, obedience-.these condition.
having taken place, God enters int
the soul, whispers His secret, becomes
visible, imparts knowledge and con
viction. Now these laws are univer
sal and invariable-they are subjec
to no caprice. There is no favorit'
child of nature who may hold the fire
ball in the hollow of his hand ant
trife with it without being burnt
there is no selected Child of Grac
who can live an irregular life withou
unrest, or be PROUD, and at the sam
time have peace; or INDECENT, and re
ceive fresh inspiration; or remain un
loving and cold, and yet see and hea
, and feel the things which God hat
prepared for them that love Him.
, Love is manifested in obedience
] Love is the life of which obedience
the form. HE that hath my CON
mandments and keepeth them, he
is that loveth me- He that lovet
: me not keepeth not my sayings"
Now here can BE- no mistake. Notl
ing can be Love to God which dot
not shape itself into obedience. W
remember the anecdote of the Roma
r commander who forbade an engag
? ment with the enemy, and the fir
: transgressor against whose prohit
ton was his own son. He accepts
Y Aho challopoo IF fha 1cadar If III