The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-02-02

now-that they are only waiting for our
coming, and that we shall join them on
the other side Of the river. Oh, glorious
reunion! We can not grasp it now.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart Of man the things
which God hath prepared for them that love
Him.
Oh what place of explanation it will
bel
see, every day, profound mysteries OF
Providence. There is no question we ask
oftener than Why? There are hundreds
of graves in Greenwood and Laurel Hill
that need to be explained. Hospitals for
the blind and lame, asylums for the
idiotic and insane, aims houses for the
destitute, and world of pain and mis-.
fortunate that demand more than human
solution. All! God will clear it ell up.
In the light that pours from the throne,
no dark mystery can live. Things now
utterly inscrutable will be illumined as
plainly as though the answer were writ.
ten on the jasper wall, or
sounded in the temple anthem.
Bartimeus will thank God that he
was blind; and Lazarus that he was COW
cred with sores and Joseph that he was
cast into the pit: and Daniel that he
denned with lions; and Paul that he was
humpbacked; and David that he was
driven from Jerusalem; and that Invalid
that for twenty years he could not lift
his head from the pillow; and that widow
that she had such hard work to earn
bread for her children. The song will be
all the grander for earth's weeping eyes,
and aching heads, and exhausted hands.
| and scourged backs, and martyred
agonies. But we can get no idea of that
anthem here. We appreciate the power
of secular music, but do we appreciate
the power of sacred song? There
| is nothing more inspiriting~ to
| me than whole congregation lifted on
| the wave of holy melody. When we sing
some of those dear old psalms and tunes
| they rouse all the memories of the past.
| Why, some of them were cradle songs in
| our fathers house. They are still spark.
| ling with the morning dew Of thousand
| Christian Sabbaths. They were sung by
| brothers and sisters gone now-by voices
| that were aged and broken in the music
| voices none the less sweet because they
| did tremble and break. When / hear
| these old songs sung, it seems as if all the
| old country meeting homes Joined in the
| chorus, and city church, and sailors
bethel, and Western cabins, until
the whole continent lifts the doxology
| and the scepters of eternity beat time in
| the music. Away then with your starve-
| ling tunes that chill the devotions of the
| sanctuary and make the people sit silent
when Jesus is marching on to victory.
| When generals CONS back from victorious
wars, don't we cheer them aud shout
''Huzza, ""Huzza?" and when Jesus passes
along in the conquest of the earth, shall
we not have for him one loud, ringing
| cheer?
| All hail the power of Jesus name?
| Let angels PROSTATE fall.
| Bring forth the royal diadem,
| And crown him Lord of all
But, my friends, if music on earth is SO
| sweet, what will it be in Heaven? They
all know the tune there. All the best
singers of the ages will join it-choirs of
white-robed children, choirs of patriarchs,
choirs of apostles. Morning stars clap
ping their cymbals. Harpers with their
harps. Great anthems of God, roll on
roll on other empires joining the har.
mony till the thrones are all
full, and the nations all saved.
Anthem shall touch anthem, chorus,
join chorus. and all the sweet
sounds of earth and Heaven be poured
into the ear of Christ. David of the harp
will be there. Gabriel of the trumpet
will be there. Germany, redeemed, will
pour its deep bass voice into the song,
and Africa will add to the music with her
matchless voices.
wish we could anticipate that song. !
wish in our closing hymn to-day we
might catch an echo that slips from the
gates. Who knows but that when the
Heavenly door opens to-day to let some
soul through there may come forth the
strain of the jubilant voices until we
catch it? Oh, that as the song drops
down from Heaven it might meet hall
way song coming up from earth.
They rise for the doxology, all the null
titude of the blest! Let US rise with them
and so at this hour the joys of the church
on earth and the joys of the Church il
Heaven will mingle their chalices, and
the dark apparel of our morning will
seem to whiten into the spotless raiment
of the skies. God grant that through the
rich mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ We
may all get there.