The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-03

NbNN lhC u man llltl IllS uOnp
anything for Christ in this day, in q pub
lie or private place, who has had no
trouble AMI whose path has been smooth.
All, no.
once went through an axe factory, and
l saw them take the bars Of iron and
thrust them into the terrible furnaces
Then besweated workmen with long tongs
stirred the blaze. Then they brought out
bar OF iron and put il into crushing
machine, and then they put it between
Jaws that bit IT in twain. Then they put
1t on an anvil, and there were great ham
mers swung by machinery-each one q
half ton in wcight-that went thump!
thump! thump! II that iron could have
spoken II would have said: "Why all
this beating? Why must be pounded
any more than any other from" The
workmen would have said, 1--WE want to
make axes out Of you, keen, sharp axes
axes with which to hew down the forest,
and build the ship, and erect houses, and
carry ON 1000 enterprises OF civilization.
That's the reason we pound YOU Now,
God puts n soul into the furnace of trial,
and then 1t is brought out and run through
the crushing machine, and then il comes
down on the anvil, and upon II blow after
bAb"t bloN ulNtl biON, anu SOUL tIltH
out, 20 Lord, what does all this meanW
God says, "lwant 10 make something very
useful out of you. You shall be some
thing to hew with and something to build
with. II is a practical process through
which | am putting YOU" Yes, my
Christian friends, We want more tools in
the church OF God. Not more wedges to
split with; We have enough OF these. Not
hnraG ksl t.h a.. 1f hn.
too many bores. What we really want il
keen, sharp, wcll-tcmpered axes, and II
there be any other way of making them
than in the hot furnace, and on the hard
anvil, and under the heavy hammer, do
God brings any kind OF chastisement upon
you il is only TO make you useful. DO
not sit down discouraged and say, 81 have
no more reason for living. | wish were
dead" Oh, there never was 80 much
reason for your living Us nowl BY this
ordeal you have been consecrated priest
of the most high God. Go out and do
your whole work for the master.
Again, there il comfort in the thought
that all our troubles are revelation.
Have you ever thought OF II in that con-
nectionp The man who has never been
through chastisemcnt is ignorant about u
thousand things in his own soul he ought
TO know. For instance, here is man
who prides himself on his chceriulncss Of
character. lie has no patience with any,
body who is depressed in spirits. oh, II
is easy for him 10 he cheerful, with his
fine house, his filled wardrobe, and we'll
strung instruments OF music, and
tapestried parlor and plenty Of money in
the bank waiting for some permanent in
vestment. IL IL so easy for him 60 be
cheerful. But suppose his fortune goes to
pieces, and his house goes down under
the shcrilrs hammer, and the banks will
not have anything TO do with his paper.
Suppose those people who were once
elegantly entertained at his table get 40
shOrt-sighted that they cannot rccOg.
nizo him upon the street. How
then2 Is Il so easy 10 be cheerful
II is easy 10 he cheerful in the home, after
the days work is done, and the gas is
turned on aud the house is full Of romping
little ones. But, suppose the piano Is
shut, because the fingers that played on II
will no more touch the keys, and the
childish voice that asked 10 many cues.
tons will ask no morc2 Then is il 10 easy2
When n man wakes up and finds that his
resources are all gone, he begins 10 rebel,
and hc says, God is hard; God is out
rugcous. lie had no business to do this
10 me-" NY friends, thoso Of us who
have been through trouble know what q
sinful aud rcbcllious heart We have, and
how much God has 10 put up with, and
how much We need pardon. II Is only In
the light Of flaming furnace that We can
learn our own weakness and our own lack
Of moral resource.
There Is also a great deal Of comfort In
the fact that there will 10 n family recon
struction In n better place. From Scot
land, or England. or Ireland q child cmi.
CRATES 10 this country. II Is very hard
parting, but he comes, after while writ
ing home ~ 30 what n good land IL IL.
Another brother comes, a sister comes,
and another, aud after awhile the mother
comes, and after awhile the father comes,
and now they are all here and they have
n time Of great congratulaton and n very
pleasant reunion. Well, Il IL Just NO with
our families; they are emigrating 10 a bet.
ter land. Now one goes out Oh, how
hard Il Ia 10 part with himl Another
goes. Oh, how hard IL II 30 part with herr
And another aud another, and We our.
selves will after awhile 20 over, and then
We VIII DC NktllltFs VIZ NilAN ~ I'uHlNhl
DO YOU believe THAR "lcs," you say.
You 10 not You DO not believe II
as you believe other things. II you
did, and with the same emphasis,
Why, Il would take ninc-tontbs Of your
trouble of your hearts. Tho fact
II, heaven 10 many Of us Is great fog.
IL ia away of somewhere, filled with m
uncertain aud indefinite population. That
il the kind Of heaven that many Of ~
dream about; but Il Is the most trcmcn-
dous fact In all the universe this heaven
OF the gospel. Our departed friends are
not niloat Tho residence in which you
| live IL not NO real a. the residence In which
/ they stay. You are ailont, you who do
/ not know IN the morning what will hap.
/ pen before night. They are housed and
/ safe forever. DO not, Therefore, pity your
/ departed friends Who have lied Ia Christ.
| They DO not need any Of your pity. You
| might ~ we'll send letter oi coincidence
/ 10 Queen Victoria on her obscurity, or.to
| tio li0iLsChilds on their poverty, a. 90
| pity those who have won the palm. DO
| not say Of those who are departed, Poor
childln Poor inthcr" "poor mother"
/ They are not poor. You arc poor YOU
/ whose homes have been shattcrcd-nOt
/ they. You do not dwell much with your
| families In this world. All day long you
/ arr Oh 10 business. Will II not be pleas.
/ ant when YOU can be- together all tho
whilc2 II YOU have had four children
aud ono il gone. and anybody asks how
many children you have. do not boz N In.
fdcl ~ 10 say three. say Jour one In
heaven. DO not think that the grave 10
! ,tyfri.uIiv Non tsp iutu vuuF fuufu and