The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-26

eternal destiny OF an ifnnortai snirit Inst
one sentence may do the work. Just one nues-
tion' just one look. The formal talk that
begins with sigh, and ends with a canning
shuttle Is not what is wanted, but the heart,
Chfop OF a man in dead earnest There is not
u SOU on earth that you may not bring to God
you rightly go at it. They said Gibraltar
S 5 hot pc taken. 1t is rock, sixteen hun
oIeu leot nigh and three miles long But the
English and Dutch did take it. ARTILLERY. and
sappeis, and miners, and fleets pouring out
volieys of death, and thousans of men. reGkless
% olhgef. can do anything. The stoutest
llearV Oh SIN, though it be rock, and surrounded
Oy an ocean OF tra0sgresson, under Christian
oonbardment may be made to hoist the nag of
redemption. -'7 -
But is all this admonition, and PRAYER, and
Chrlstlan work fer nothing? MY text prom
i3es 10 all the faithful eternal lpstrc. ''They
tnat taTn many to righteousness shall shine as
the stars forever"
;. AS stars, the redeemed have borrowed
light, What makes Mars, and Venus, and IN
plter so luminous? When the sun throws
Gown ms torch in the heavens, the stars pick
ND tne scattered brands and hold them in pyo-
csssion as tho queen OF night approaches so
all Christian workers, standing around the
throne, VIII shine III the light borrowed from
1lo Son OF tLgtiteousness-Jesu in their faces,
Jesus IN their songs, Jesus in their triumph.
christ left heaven once for tour of redemp-
t-on on earth, yet the glorified ones knew lie
Mouiq come back again. But let Him abdicate
Ills throne, and go away to stay forever, the
music would stop; the congregation disperse
1 fhe temples OF God be dar6ened; the rivers Of
LSht sfagnate; and every chariot would
BECOME a hearse, and every bell would
toll, and there would not be room on the
nil sides to bury the dead OF the great metrop-
oiis, Tor there would be pestilence in heaven.
But Jesus lives, and so all the redeemed live
With Him. He shall recognize them as His
comrades in earthly toll, and remember what
they did for the honor OF His name, and for
the spread of His kingdom. All their prayers
and tears and work will rise before Him as He
looks into their faces, and He will divide His
kingdom with them; His peace-their peace:
his hoIlness-their holiness; His ioy-their
Joy The glory of the central throne reflected
from the surrounding thrones, the last SPOT of
SIN struck from the Christian orb. and the en-
tire nature tremble and flash with light.
they shall shine as the stars for ever and ever,
Again: Christian workers shall be- like the
stars IN tho fact that they have light indie
pendent OF each other. Look up at the night,
and see each world show its distinct glory. 1t
Is not like the contlagration, in which you
cannot tell where one fame stops and another
begins. Neptune, Herschel and Mercury are
as distinct as if each enc of them were the
only star; so our individualism will not be lost
IN heaven. A great multitude-yet each one
as observable, as distinctly recognized, as
greatly celebrated, as if in all the space, from
gate to gate, and from hill to hill, he were the
only lnhabltant; no mixing up--no mob-no
lndIscrlminate rush. each Christian worker
standing out illustrious-all the story of earth
~ achievement adhering to each one; his self
denials, and pains, and services, and victories
published. Before men went out to the last
war, the orators told them that they would all
be remembered by their country, and their
song; but go to the graveyard in Richmond,
and you will find there six thousand
graves, over each one of which is the inscrip-
ton, Unknown" The world does not re-
member its heroes; but there viii be unrecog-
nlZed Christian workers in heaven Each one
known by all; grandly known; known by ac-
clamation; all the past story of work for God
cleaning in cheek, and brow, and foot and
palm. They shall shine with distinct light as
the stars, for ever and ever.
Again: Christian workers shall shine like
the stars in clusters. In looking up, you find
the worlds in family circles. Brothers and sis
ters-they take hold of each others hands and
dance in groups. Orion in a group. The
Pleiades in group. The solar system is only
a company Of children, with bright faces, gath
do not struggle off. They go in squadrons and
fleets, sailing through immensely.
So Christian workers in heaven will dwell
in neighborhocds and clusters. am sure that
some people will like in heaven great deal
better than Others. Yonder is a constellation
OF stately Christians. They lived on earth by
rigid rule They never laughed. They walk
ed every hour Eanxious lest they should lose
their dignity. But they loved God; and yon-
der they shine in brilliant constellation. Yet
I shall not long to get into that particular
group Yonder is a constellation of small
hearted Observation-Disclosures IN the eternal
astronomy. While some souls go up from
Christian battle, and blaze like Mars, these
asteroids dart feeble ray like Vesta. Yonder
is constellation OF martyrs, of apostles of
patriarchs. Our souls, as they go up to
heaven, will seek out the most
congenial society. Yonder is
constellation almost merry with the play
Of light. On earth they were full of SYM
pathies and songs, and. tears, and raptures,
and congratulations. When they prayed their
words took fire; when they sang the tune could
not hold them; when they wept over worlds
woes, they sobbed as if heart broken when
they worked for Christ they famed with en-
thusiasm. Yonder they are--circle of lightl
constellation Of joy galaxy Of fire! Oh, that
you and T. by that grace which can transform
the worst into the best, might at last sail In
the wake OF that feet, and wheel in that glori-
GUS group, as the stars for ever and ever!
Again: Christian workers will shine like
the stars in swiftness of motion. The worlds
do not stop to shine. There are no fixed stars
save as to relative position. The star most
thoroughly fixed flies thousands of miles a
for an Alpine stock, leaps from world
crag to World-crag, and finds no
star standing still. The chamois hunter
has to fly to catch his prey, but not so swift is
MS game as InaJ WHICH the scientist If1eS tie
shoot through the tower Of observatory Like
petrels mid-Atlantic, that seem to come from
no shore, and be bound to no landing place fly
ing, flying, SO these great focks of.Worlds rest
not as they co. wing and wing, age after age
for ever and ever. The eagle hastes to its
prey, But we shall in speed beat the eagles
You have noticed the velocity of the swift
horse, under whose feet the miles slip like a :
smooth ribbon, and as he passes, the four hoofs
strike the earth in such quick beat your pulses
take the same vibration. But oil these things
are not swift in comparison with the motion Of
which / speak. The moon moves fifty-four
thousand miles in. day. Yopder,
in an hour Yonder Mercury goes one hun
dred and nine thousand miles in an hour. So
like the stars the Christian worker shall shine
in swiftness ofmotion. You hear now of father
or mother. or child sick one thousand miles
away, and it takes you two days to get to
them. You hear Of some case Of suffering
that demands your immediate attention, but
it takes you an hour to get there. Oh the
joy which you shall, in fulflment of the text,
take starry speed, and DO equal to one hundred
thousand miles an hour. Having on earth got
used to Christian work. yod will not quit when
death strikes yoQ, You will only take Oh
more velocity. There is adyipg child I'll Lon.
don, and its spirit must be taken up IL Cod:
you are there in an instant to do It. There is
vo11fu man In NeEy York IN ha arrar+od frnn9