The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-04-04
90 a step further, and tell you that when


nothing more appropriate for birthday glf
than a ring. You delight to bestow such {
gift upon your children at such time l
means joy. hilarity, festivity. Well. wher
this old man of the text wanted to tell hoV
glad he was that his boy had got back, n
expressed 1t in this way. Actually, before o.
ordered sandals to be put on his bare feet
before he ordered the fatted calf to be killeS
to appsase the boys hunger, he commanded
tPut ring on his hand"
Oh, it is a merry time when Christ and the
soul are united! Joy Of forgiveness: Wha
a splendid thing it is to feel that all
right between me and God. What gloriou:
thing it is to have God just take up all the
sins Of nv life and put them in one bundle
and then fling them into the depths OF the
sea, never to rise again, never TO be talkeo
of again. Pollution ali gone. Darkness all
illuminej. God reconciled. The prodlgal
home "Puta ring on his hand"
Every day find happy Christian people. l
find some of them with no second coat, some
of them in huts and tenement houses, not
one earthly comfort afforded them; and yet
they are as happy as happy can be. They
SIM "Rock Of Ages: as no other people in
the world sing It. They never wore any
jewelry in their life but ore gold ring, and
that was the ring of Gods undying affection.
Oh, how happy religion makes usl Did 1t
make you gloomy and sad! Did you go with
your head cast downs I do not think you
got religion, nv brother That is not the ef-
Feet Of religion. True religion is JOY. "aer
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her
paths are peace"
Why, religion lightens all our burdens. II
smooths all our way. 1t interrupts all our
sorrows. 1t changes the jar Of earthly dis:
cord for the peal Of festal bells. In front OF
the farming furnace Of trial it sets the forge
on which scepters are hammered out. Would
YOU not like to-day to come up from the
swine feeding and try this religion? AL the
Joys of Heaven would come out and meet
you, and God would cry from the throne
''Put ring on his hand.
You are not happy. see it. There is nc
peace, and sometimes you laugh when you
feel a great deal more like crying. The
world is q cheat. It first wears you down
with its follies, then it kicks you out into
darkness. Itcomes back from the massacre
of a million souls to attempt the destruction
of your soul today. No peace out Of God,
thirst. Here is the harbor where you can
drop safe anchorage.
Would you not like, I ask you-not per-
functorily, but as one brother might talk to
another-would you not like to have pillow
of rest to put your head ons And would you
not like, when you retire at night, to feel
that all is well, whether you wake up to-
morrow morning at 6 o'clock, or sleep the
sleep that knows no wakings Would you
not like to exchange this awful uncertainty
about the future for glorious assurance OF
heaven! Accept of the Lord Jesus to-day,
and all is well. If on your way home some
peril should cross the street and dash your
life out, it would not hurt you. You would
rise up Immediately. You would stand in
the celestial streets. You would be amid the
great throng that forever worship and are
forever happy If this day some sudden dis
ease should come upon you it would not
frighten you If you knew you were going
you could give calm farewell to your beau
tiful home on earth, and know that you are
going right into the companionship of those
who have already got beyond the toiling and
the weeping.
You feel on Saturday night different from
the way you feel any other night Of the
week. You come home from the bank, or
the store, or the shop, and you say: "Well,
now my weeks work is done, and tomorrow
is Sunday" 1t is pleasant thought. There
is refreshment and reconstruction in the very
idea. Oh, how pleasant it will be, if. when
we get through the day Of our life, and we
90 and lie down in our bed Of dust, we can
realize: swell, nov the work IS al! done,
Sunday"
oh, when, thou city Of my God,
Shall thy courts ascend,
Where congregations ne'er break up,
And Sabbaths have no end?
There are people in this house to-day who
are very near the eternal world. If you are
Christians, bid you be Of good cheer. Bear
with you our congratulations to the bright
city. Aged men, who will soon be gone,
take with you our love for our kindred in the
better land, and when you see them tell
them that we are soon coming. Only few
more sermons to preach and hear. Only
Only few more tears. And then, what an
spectacle will be open before US!
Beautiful heaven, where all is light,
Beautiful angels clothed in white,
Beautiful strains that never tire.
Beautiful harps through all the choir,
There shal. join the chorus sweet,
WorshipinS at the Saviour's feet.
Iapproach you now with general invita-
lion. not picking out here and there man,
nor here and there woman, nor here and
there child; but giving you an Unlimited
invitation, saying: "Come for all things arc
now ready" We invite you to the warm
heart of Christ, and the inclosure of the
Christian Church. / know great many
think that the Church does not amount to
much, that it is obsolete: that it did its work
and is gone now, so far as all usefulness is
1t is the happiest place I have
ever been in, except my own home.
know there are some people who say they
are Christians who seem to get along with
out any help from others, and who culture
solitary piety. They do not want any ordi-
nances lido not belong to that class. 1cannot
get along without them. There are so many
things in this world that take my attention
rom God, and Christ, and Heaven, that l
want all the helps of ell the symbols and OF
III the Christian associations; and l want
around about me solid phala':x OF men who
love God and keep his commandments. Are
there any here who would like to enter into
that association! Then by a simple, child
like faith, apply for admission into the visl-
BILE church, and you will be received NO
questions asked about your past history or
present surroundings. Only one test-do you
love Jesus!
Baptism does not amount to anything, say
a great many people; but the Lord Jesus de-
clared: He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved" putting baptism and faith
side by side. And an apostle declares: he
pent and be baptized, every one OF you.
do not sickle for any particular mode Of
that you ought to be baptized. Yet no more
emphasis than the Lord Jesus Christ, the
gre 1t head of the church, puts upon it
The world is going to, after while, lose a
great many Of its victories. There are to be
revivals of religion that will shake the earth
We give you warning. There is great host
coming in to stand under the banner Of the
Lord Jesus Christ Will you be among thema
will you be among the gathered sheavess
Some Of you have beeu thinking on this
subject year after year. You have found
out that this world is q poor portion. You
want to he Christians. You have come al
most into the kingdom Of God; but there you
stop, forgetful Of the fact that to be almost
saved is not to be saved at all. Oh, my
brother, after having come so near to the
door of mercy, if you turn back, you will
never come at all After you have heard Of
tue goodness of God, il you turn away and