The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-31

look out today, through the mist OF years
throush the fog that rises from the cold
Jordan, through the wide open door OF
solid pearl, to that reunion. i expect to
see you there as certainly as | see YOU
mere. What time we shall have in high
converse, talking over sins pardoned, and
sorrows comforted, and battles triumph
anti
am going in. / am going TO take all
my family with me. | am going TO take
all my church with me. | am going TO
take all my friends and neighbors with
Inc. l have so much faith in manger and
cross feel sure Of it. am going TO coax
you in. l am going to push you in. BY
holy stratagem am going TO surprise you
IN. Yea, with all the concentrated energy
OF my nature-physical, mental, spiritual
and immortal am going TO compel you
TO 80 in. | like you 30 well / want TO
spend eternity with youl
Some of your children have already
gone. Some time ago | buried one OF
them, and though people passing along
the street and seeing white Grape on the
| doorbell may have said: at is only Il
child" yet when the broken-hearted
father came TO solicit my services, he said:
Come around and comfort us, for though
she was only fifteen months old we loved
her so much" Ali il does not take long
Tor child TO get its arms around the pa
rents whole nature.
What Christmas morning II will make
when those with whom YOU used to keep
the holidays are all around you in heaven.
Silver'haired old father young again, and
mother, who had 80 many aches and pains
and decrepitudes, well again, and all your
brothers and sisters aud the little ones.
How glad they will be 10 see yoW
They have been waiting. The last time
they saw your face II was covered with
tears and distress, and pallid from long
watching, and one OF them | can imagine
today, with one hand holding fast the
shining gate, and the other hand swung
out toward you, saying:
steer this way, father steer straight for me:
Here safe In heaven am waiting for thee"
Oh, those Bethlehem angels, when they
went back after the concert that night
over the hills, forgot 10 shut the door. All
the secret is out No more use Of trying
TO hide from us the glorics 10 come. Ii is
too late TO shut the gate. II is blocked
wide open with hosannas marching this
way and hallolujahs marching that way.
What almost humans me is the thought
that II is provided for such sinners rs you
and ! have been. II II had been provided
only for those who had always thought
right and spoken right aud acted right you
and would have had no interest In IL,
had no share in II; you and ! would have
stuck 10 the raft in mid ocean and Let the
ship sail by. carrying perfect passengers
from perfect life on earth TO a perfect life
In heaven.
OH j have heard the commander Of that
ship is the same great and glorious and
sympathetic one who hushed the tempest
around the boat of Galilec, and have
heard that all the passengers on the ship
are sinners saved by grace. And 80 We
hail the ship, and Il bears down this way,
and we come by the side OF il aud ask the
captain two questions "Who art Thou2
and whencc2n and lie says 81 am Cap
tain Of Salvation, and am from the man
ger" OH bright Christmas morning Of
my souls delight Chime all the bells.
Wrcathc all the gnrlands. Rouse all the
anthems. Shake hands IN all tho oongrat-
ulations.
Merry Christmas Merry with the
thought OF sins forgiven, merry with the
idea of sorows comioried, merry with the
rapture 10 come. OH liz that Christ from
the mangcr and lay Him down In nll our
hearts We may not bring 10 Him ~ costly
a present rs the Magi brought, but VIZ
bring 10 His feet aud 10 tho mangcr today
the frankinccnse Of our Joy, the pearls Of
our tcars. the kiss OF our love, the prosira-
ton of our worship
Down nj His feet all churches all ages
all earth. oil heaven. Down at Ills feet
the iOur-and-twcnty elders on their lacca
Down the great multitude that no man
can number" Down Michael, the arch
ANGEL Down all worlds NJ His feet and
worship. GLORY TO God IN the highest,
and on earth peace, good will 30 mem"