The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-07-26


In the childhood of our Christian faith |
we make but poor work with these weap- |
ons of prayer, but when we come to the |
stature of men in Christ Jesus, then, I'M
der these implements, the Temple of God
will rise. and the worlds redemption will
be launched. God cares not for the
length of our prayers, or the number of
our prayers, or the beauty of our prayers,
or the place of our prayers; but it is the
faith in them that tells. Believing that
prayer scars higher than the lark ever
sang; plunges deeper than diving-bell
ever sank; darts quicker than lightning
ever flashed. Though we have used only
the back of this weapon instead of the
edge, what marvels have been wrought
If saved, we are all the captives of some
earnest prayer. Would God that, in de-
sire for the rescue of souls, we might in
prayer lay hold of the resources in the
Lord Omnipotent.
But is all this admonition, and prayer,
and Christian work for nothing? My
text promises to all the faithful, eternal
luster
They that turn many II righteousness shall
shine as the stars forever.
As stars, the redeemed have borrowed
light. What makes Mars, and Venus, and
Jupiter so luminous? When the sun
throws down his torch in the heavens, the
stars pick up the scattered brands, and
hold them in procession as the queen of
the night advances; so all Christian work.
ers standing around the throne will shine
in the light borrowed from the sun of
righteousness-Jesus in their faces, Jesus
in their songs, Jesus in their triumph.
Christ left Heaven once for a tour of re-
demptiOn on earth, yet the glorified ones
knew He would come back again. But let
Him abdicate His throne, and go away to
stay forever the music would stop, the con-
gregation dispense. the temples of God be
darken, the rivers of light stagnate.
and every chariot would become hearse,
and every bell would toll, end there
would not be room on the hillsides to
bury the dead of the great metropolis, for
there would be pestilence in Heaven.
But Jesus lives, and SO all the redeemed
live with Him. He shall recognize them
as His comrades in earthly toll, and re-
member what they did for the honor of
His name and for the spread of His
| kingdom. All their prayers and tears
| and work will rise before Him as He
| looks into their faces, and He will divide
His kingdom with them; His peace, their
| peace; His holiness their holiness; His
| joy, their joy. The glory of the central
| throne reflected from the surrounding
| thrones, the last spot of sin struck from
| the Christian orb. and the entire nature
a-tremble and a-fash with light, they
| shall shine as the stars forever and ever.
| Again, Christian workers shall be like
the stars in the fact that they have light
independent of each other. Look up at
| the night, and see each world show its
distinct glory. 1t is not like the confia-
| grafton, in which you can not tell where
one flame stops and another begins.
Neptune, Herschel and Mercury are as
| distinct as if each one of them were the
only star; so our individualism will not be
lost in Heaven. A great multitude-yet
each one as observable, as distinctly rec
ognized, as greatly celebrated, as if in all
the space, from gate to gate, and from
hill to hill, he were the only inhabitant;
no mixing up-no mob no indiscriminate
rush, each Christian standing illustrious
all the story of earthly achievement
adhering to each one; his self-denials
and pains, and services, and victories
published. Before men went out to the
war the orators told them that they
would all be remembered by their coun-
try, and their nam es be commemo-
rated in poetry and song; but go to the
graveyard in Richmond, and you will find
there six thousand graves, over each one
of which is the inscription: unknown"
The world does not remember its heroes,
but there will be no unrecognized Chris
tan worker in Heaven. Each one known
by all, grandly known; known by accla-
nation; all the past story of work for
IL IL u
foot, and palm. They shall shine with
distinct light as the stars, forever and
ever.
Again, Christian workers shall shine
like the stars in clusters. In looking up
you find the worlds in family circles
Brothers and sisters-they take hold of
each others hands and dance in groups
Orion in group. The Preiades in a
group. The solar system is only com.
pany of children, with bright faces, gath.
cred around one great fireplace. The
worlds do not straggle Off They go il
squadrons and fleets, sailing through i'm.
mensity.
So Christian workers in Heaven will
dwell in neighborhoods and clusters. an
sure that some people will like in HEAVIER
a great deal better than others. Yonde1
is constellation of stately Christians
They lived on earth by rigid rule. They
never laughed. They walked every hour
anxious lest they should lose their dig
nifty. But they loved God; and yondel
they shine in brilliant constellation. Ye
l shall not long to get into that particular
group. Yonder is a constellation of
small hearted Christians-as,eroids il
the eternal astronomy. While some souls
go up from Christian battle, and blaze
: like Mars, these asteroids dart q feeble
ray like Vesta. Yonder is constellation
of martyrs, of apostles, of patriarchs
Our souls, as they go up to-Heaven, will
seek out the most congenial So
ciety. Yonder is a constellation almost
merry with the play of light On eartt
they were full of sympathies, and songs
and tears, and raptures, and congratula
tions. When they prayed their words
took fire; when they sang, the tune could
not hold them; when they wept over s
worlds woes, they sobbed as if heart
broken; when they worked for Christ
them famed with enthusiasm. Yondel
they are-eircle of light! Constellation
, of joy! Galaxy of fire! Oh, that you ant
|, by that grace which can transform tn,
TOD III