Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-03-31

watching, Wn'n you knew mat The sol
bad fled, you took from the hand. which
gave back no responsive clasp, from that
cmaciatcd finger, the ring that She had
worn SD long aud worn SO well.
On some anniversary day YOU take VI
that ring, and YOU rcpolish il until al
the Old lustcr comes back; and YOU car
see in II the fash Of eyes that long age
ceased TO weep. Oh, it is not an unmean-
ing thing when | tell you that when
Christ receives a soul INTO His keeping
lie puts on I a marriage ring. He en-
dows you from that moment with all lis
wealth. You are one-Christ and the
sou!-one in sympathy. one in affection,
one in hope.
NO POWER OF D~IvORCEMENr.
There is no power in earth or hell TO
effect a enforcement after Christ and the
soul are united. Other kings have turn
ed out their companions wnen they cot
weary of them. and sent them adrift from
the palace gate. Ahasucrus banishe,,
Nashti Napoleon forsoOk Josephine; but
Christ is the husband that is true forever.
Having loved you once, he loves YOU to
the end. Did they not try TO divorce
hAaI =HItN, NV tgiOltH SllIs lIplh jesus!
They said: You must give up your
religion" She said. II cant give up
my religion" And so they took her
down 10 the beach of the sea, ana they
drove in a stake at low water mark, and
they fastened her to it, expecting that as
the tide came up higher and higher, and
to the girdlc, and 10 the lip. and in the
last moment, just rs the wave was wash
ing her soul into glory, she shouted the
praises of Jesus.
oh, no, you cannot separate q soul
from Christ. II is everlasting marriage.
Battle and storm and darkness can not do
il. Is il too much cXultatiOn for a man,
who is but dus, and ashes like myself, TO
CRY out today Il am persuaded that
neither height, DOr depth, nor p%rincipall-
ties, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things TO C0ine, nor any other crcat4fc
shall separate me from the love Of God
which is in Christ Jesus. mv Lordr'
Glory he to God that when Christ and
the soul are married they are bound by IA
chain. q golden cnain-ifl might say So
Il chain with one link, and that one link
the golden ring of Gods everlasting love.
j 90 a step further. and tell you that
when Christ receives a soul into His love
He puts on him the ring Of festivity.
You know that it has been the custom in
all ages TO bestow rings on very happy
occasions. There is nothing more appro.
pirate for a birthday gift than a ring.
You delight to bestow such a gift upon
your children ut such o time. 1t means
Joy, hilarity, festivity. Well, when this
old man Of the text wanted TO tell how
! glad be was that 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 fat
hunger, he commanded: Put = ring on
his hand"
A GLORIOUS THING,
Oh. it is a merry time when Christ and
the soul are united! Joy Of forgiveness!
What q glorious thing it is to feel that all
Is right between me and God. What a
glorious thing it is to have God just take
up all the sins Of my life and put them in
one bundle, and then fling them into the
depths Of the sea, never to rise again,
never TO be talked of again. Pollution
ali gone. Darkness all illumined. God
reconciled. The prodigal home. Put q
ring on his hand"
Every day find happy Christian PEG
pie. find some of them with 10 second
coat some of them in huts and tenement
houses, not one earthly comfort afforded
them; and yet they are as happy ashappy
can be. They sing Rock of Ages as
no other people in the world sing il.
They never wore any jewclry in their
| life but one gold ring, and that was the
ring of Gods undying affection. Oh, how
happy religion makes US! Did it make
YOU gloomy and sadg Did you 60 with
Your head cast down? | do not think
you got religion. my brother. That is
not the effect Of religion. True religion
is JOY. Her ways are ways of pleasant
ness, and all her paths are peace"
Why, religion lightens all our burdens.
1t smooths all M way. ii interprets all
our sorrows. 1t changes the jar Of earth
ly discord for the peal of fcstal bells; In
In front of tie flaming furnace of trial il
sets the forge On which scepters are ham
mered mi. Would you not like today 10
come rr from the swine-feeding and try
this %relIgionS All the joys Of heaven
would come out and meet you, and God
would cry from the throne: Put ring
on his hand"