The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-11

blessed In my family, blessed in my opportu-
mites. blessed in comfortable livelihood,
blessed In the hope that my soul will goto
heaven through the pardoning mercy of God,
and my body, unless it be lost at sea or crems-
ted in some conhagration, will lie down in the
gardens OF Greenwood among my kindred and
friends-some already gone, and others to
come after me Life to many has been a dis
appointment, but to me it has been a pleasant
surprise, and yet declare that if I did not
feel that God was now my friend and ever.
present help, should be wretched and terror
struck. But want more of Him. have
thought over this text and preached this SER
mon to myself until, with all the aroused en-.
ergies of my body, mind and SOUL can CRY
out: "As the hart panteth after the water
brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O,
God"
Through Jesus Christ make this God your
God and you can withstand anything and
everything, and that which affrighted others
VIII inspire you. AS in time of earthquake
when an old Christian woman was asked
whether she was scared; answered: mo; I
am glad that have God who can shake the
world" or, as in financial panic, when o
christian merchant was asked if he did not
Tear he would break, answered: Eyes; shall
break when the tiftieth psalm breaks in the.
fifteenth verse: Call upon me in the day of
trouble; | will deliver thee and thou shalt glo
rify me-" Chrlstion men and women, pur-
sued OF annoyance and eXasperatons, remember
that this hunt, whether still hunt or hunt
in full cry, will soon be over. If ever a whelp
looks ashamed and ready to stink out of sight
it is when in the Adirondaeks deer by one,
long, tremendous plunge into Big Upper Lake
gets away from him. The disappointed canine
swims in a little way, but defeated, swims out
again and cringes with Inundated yawu at the
feet of his master. And how abashed and
ashamed will all your earthly troubles be-
when you have dashed into the river from under
the throne of God, and the heights and depths
of heaven are between you and your persuers.
We are told in Revelation, 22nd and 18th:
without are dogs" by which conclude there
is whole Kennel of hounds outside the gate
of heaven, or, as when master goes in his
door, his dog lies on the steps waiting for him
TO come out, SO the troubles of
this life may follow US to the shining door.
but they cannot get in. ''Without are dogsi"
have seen dogs, and owned dogs, that
would not be chagrined to see in the heavenly
city. Some of the grand old watch-dogs who
are the constabulary of the homes in solitary
Places and for years have been the only pro-
lection of wife and child some of the shepherd
dogs that drive back the wolves and bark away
the ftocks from going too near the precipice;
and some OF the dogs whose neck and paw
Landseer, the painter, has made immortal,
would not find me shutting them out from the
gate OF shining pearl. Some of those old st
Bernard dogs that have lifted perishing tray
ellers out of the Alpine snow the dog that
John Brown, the Scotch essayst, saw ready to
spring at the surgeon lest, in removing the
cancer, he too much hurt the poor woman
whom the dog felt bound to protect and dogs
that we caressed in our childhood days, or
that in later time laid down on
the rug in seeming sympathy when our homes
were deSolated. 1 say if some soul entering
heaven should happen to leave the gate aiar,
and these faithful creatures should quietly
walk in, it would not at all disturb my heaven.
But all those human or brutal hounds that
have chased and torn and lacerated the world;
yea, all that now bite, worry, or tear TO
pieces, shall be prohibited. "Without ara
dogs! " No place there for harsh critics OF
backbiters, or despoilers of the reputation of
others. Down with you to the kennels of
darkness and despair! The heart has reached
the eternal wafer brooks, and the painting of
the long chase is quoted in still pastures, and
"There shall be nothing to hunt or destroy in
all Gods holy mount
Oh, when some of you get there it will be
like what hunter tells of when he was push
ing his canoe far up north in the winter and
amid the ice-foes, and q hundred miles, as he
though, from any human beings. He was
startled one day as he heard stepping on the
ice, and he cooked his rife ready to meet any,
thing that came near He found a man, bare
footed and insane from long exposure, APP
preaching him. Taking him into his canoe
and kindling fires to warm him, he restored
him and found out where he had lived and took
him TO his home, and found all the village in
great. excitement. A hundred men were
searching for this lost man, and his
family and friends rushed out to meet him;
and as had been agreed at his first appearance,
bells were rung, and guns were discharged,
and banquets spread, and the rescuer loaded
with presents. Well, when some of YOU step
out of this wilderness, where you have been
chilled and torn and sometimes lost amid the
icebergs, into the warm greetings of all the
villages OF the glorifed, and your friends
rush out to give you welcoming kiss, the news
that there is another soul forever saved will
call the caterers of heaven to spread the ban
quet, and the bell men to lay hold of the rope
in the tower, and while the chalices click at
the feast, and the bells clang from the towers
II will ha q T cd T
be there to take part in the celestial merriment.
And now do you not think the prayer in Solo
mons song, where he compared Christ to
reindeer coming down in the night to pasture
on the plains, would make an exquisitely ap-
propriate peroration to my sermon: Until
the day break and the shadows flee away, be
thou like roe or young hart upon the noun
tains of Bether'