Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-03-24

a chain, golden chain-if might say so---
chain with one link, and that. one link the
golden; Of Gods eyerlast love. IN.
sstsp sdF der AID lenl
Christ receives a Soul into his love he puts on
:, tl,A.-ing of festiYity. You know tllatit
has been the custom In all ages to bestow.
rings on very happy occasions There is
nothing more appropriate for q birthday gift
than ring. You delight to bestow such
gift upon your children at such timo. 1t
means joy, hilnrity, festivity. We'll, when
this old man of the text wanted to tell how
glad he was TINT his boy had got back, he
expressed it in this way. Actually, before he
ordered sandals to be put on his bare feet,
before he ordered the fatted calf to be killed
to nppease the boys hunger, he commanded;
''Put ring on his hand"
Oh, it is merry time when Christ and
the soul are united Joy of forgiveness
What splendid thing it is 10 feel that all is
right between me and God What u glorious
thing it is to have God just take up oil the
sins of my life mud put them in one bundle,
and then fling them into the depths of the
seq, never to rise again, never to be talked
of again Pollution all COMO. Darkness oil
illumined God reconcilcd. The prodigal
homo "Put ring on his hand"
Every day I find happy Christian people 1
find some of them with no second coat some
of thom in huts and tenement houses, not
one earthly comfort afforded them; and yet
they are as happy rs happy can be. They
sing crock of Ages" US no other people in
the world sing it. They never wore any
jewelry in their life but one gold ring, and
that was tho ring of Gods undying affection.
Oh, how happy religion makes us! Did it
make you gloomy and sadl Did you 60 with
your head cast downl l do not think you
got religion, my brother. That is not the eff
feet of religion. True religion is Joy. "Her
ways arc ways Of pleasantness, and oil her
paths are peace"
Why, religion lightens all our burdens 1t
smooths all our way. 1t interprets all our
sorrows. 1t changes the jar of earthly dis
cord for the peal of festal bells. In front OF
the flaming furnace of trial it sets the forge
on which sccpters are hammered out. Would
you not like to-day to como up from the
swine feeding and try this religion2 All the
Joys of hcavcn would como out and meet
you, and God would cry from the throne:
"Put ring on his hand"
You arc not happy see It, There Is no
peace, and sometimes you laugh when you
feel great deal more like crying. The
world is cheat 1t first wears you down
with its follies, then it kicks You out into
i.,.l, from tho rasoavro
of million souls to attempt the destruction
of your soul today. No pence out of God,
but here is the fountain that can Stake tho
thirst. Hero Is tho hnrbor where YOU can
drop safe anchorage.
Would you not like, I ask you-not per-
fllnctorily, but as one brother might talk to
another-would you not like to havc pillow
of rest to put your head onl And would you
not like, when you retire at night, to feel
that oil is we'll, whether you wake up to-
morrow morning ut 6 o'clock, or sleep the
sleep that knows no wakingl Would you
not like to exchange this awful uncertainty
about the future for glorious assurance of
heavcn7 Accept of the Lord Jesus today,
and all is well. II on your way homo some
peril should cross the street and dash your
life ont, it would not hurt you. You would
rise up Immediately. You would stand in
tho celestial streets. You would be amid the
great throng that forever worship and are
forever happy. If this day some sudden dis
ease should como upon you it would not
brighton 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 weepiAg.
You feel on Saturday night different from
tho way you feel any other night of the
week. You come home from the bank, or
the store, or tho shop, and you say: "Well,
now my weeks work is done, and tomorrow
is Sunday" 1t is pleasant thought There
is refreshments and reconstruction in the very
idea Oh, how pleasant it will be, if, when
we ret throug ., our life, and we
go and lie down in our bed of dust, wc can
realize: swell, now the work is all done,
and tomorrow is Sunday-an everlasting
Sunday"
oh, when, thou city Of my God,
Shall thy courts ascend,
Where congregations nc'er break up,
and Sabbcths have no end2
There are people in this house today who
ore very near tho eternal world If you are
Christians, bid you DO 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 O
few more heartaches. Only few more tolls.
Only few more tcars. And then, what an
enhancing spectacle will be open before usl
Beautiful heaven, where all is light,
Beautiful angels clothed in white,
Beautiful strains that never tire,
Beautiful hnrps through all the choir;
There shall join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping ct the Saviour's feet
approach you now with o general invita-
ton, not picking out here and there man,
nor here and there az oman, nor here and
there child; but giving you an unlimited
invitation, saying: "Come, for all things are
now ready" We invite you to the warm
heart of Christ and the inciosurc 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 oil usefulness is
concerned 1t is the hnppiest place I have
eyer been in, except my OWL home.
know there arc 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. Icannot
get along without them. There arc so many
things in this world that take my attention
from God, and Christ. and heaven, that l
want all the helps of all the symbols and OF
all the Christian associations; and want
around about NE solid phalanx 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 visi-
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
great MANY Dconle: but the Lord Jesus de-