The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-10-04

half ton in weight. that went thumpi
thump! thumpi II that iron could have
spoken it would have said:
"Why all this beating? Why must / be
pounded any m ore than any other iron?"
The workmen would have said:
1--WE want to make axes out of you,
keen, sharp axes-axes with which to hew
down the forest, and build the ship, and
erect houses, and carry on thousand
enterprises of civiliz alton. That's the
reason we pound YOU"
Now, God puts soul into the furnace
of trial. and then it is brought out and
run through the crushing machine and
then it comes down upon the anvil, and
upon it blow after blow, blow after blow,
and the soul cries out:
30 Lord, what does all this mean?"
God says:
81 want to make something very use
full out of you. You shall be something
to hew with and something to build with.
3 is practical process through which l
am putting YOU"
Yes, my Christian friends, we want
more tools in the Church of God. Not
more wedges to split with; we have
enough of these. Not more bores with
which to drill; we have too many bores.
What We really want is keen, sharp, WELL
tempered axes, and if there be any Other
way of making them than in the hot fur
mace, and on the hard anvil, and under
the heavy hammer, do not know what it
is Remember that if God brings any
kind of chastisement upon you, it is only
to make you useful. Do not sit down dis
couraged and saw:
81 have no more reason for living.
wish I were dead"
Oh, there never was so much reason for
your living as now. By this ordeal you
have been consecrated priest of the
most high God. Go out and do your whole
work for the Master.
Again, there is comfort in the thought
that all our troubles are a revelation.
Have you ever thought of it in that con-
nection? The man who has never been
through chastisement is ignorant about a
thousand things in his soul he ought to
know. For instance, here is man who
prides himself on his cheerfulness, with
his fine house, his frilled wardrobe and
well strung instrum ents of music, and
tapestried parlor, and plenty Of money in
the bank waiting for some permanent in
full. But suppose his fortune goes to
pieces, and his house goes down under
the sheriff's hammer, and the banks will
not have any thing to do with his paper.
Suppose those people who were once ele-
gantly entertained at his table get so
short-sighted that they can not recognize
him upon the street. How then? Is it so
easy to be cheerful? 1t is easy to be
| oh f111 in, fbo ofS fha 3o
work is done and the gas is turned on,
and the house is full of rompling little
ones. But suppose the piano is shut be-
cause the fingers that played on it will no
more touch the keys, and the childish
voice that asked so many questions will
ask no more. Then is it so easy? When
a man wakes up and finds that his re-
sources are all gone, he begins to rebel,
and he says:
''God is hard; God is outrageous. He
had no business to do this to me-"
My friends, those of us who have been
through trouble know what a sinful and
rebelious heart we have and how much
God has to put up with and how much we
need pardon. 1t is only in the light of a
| flaming furnace that we can learn our
own weakness and our own lack of moral
resource.
Iremark once more: Our troubles in
this world are preparative for glory.
What transition it was for Paul-from
| the slippery deck of laundering ship to
| the calm presence of Jesusl What q
| transition it was for Latimer-from the
| stake to the throne! What transition
| it was for Robert Hall-from insanity &c
glory! What a transition it was for
Richard Baxter-from the dropsy to the
| saints everlasting restw And what q
| transition it will be for you-srom a world
| of sorrow to world OF joy! John Hol-
land, when he was dying, said:
"What means this brightness in the
| room? Have you lighted the candles?"
No." they replied, 1--WE have not lighted
any candles" Then said he:
"Welcome Heaveni" the light already
beam:ng upon his pillow. o We who are
| prosecuted in this world, your enemies
will get off the track after awhile, aud all
will speak well of you among the thrones.
Ho! we who are sick now, no medicines to
| take there. One breath of the eternal
hills will thrill you with immortal vigor
| And We who are lonesome now, there will
| be a thousand spirits to welcome you into
their companionship. Oye bereft souls
| there will be no grave -digger's spade
that will cleave the side of that hill, and
there will be no dirge wailing from that
temple. The river of God, deep as the
! joy of Heaven, will roll on between banks
| odorous with balm, and over depths brigh
with jewels, and under skies roseate with
| gladness, argosies of light going dowr
the stream to the stroke of glittering oal
and the song of angelsl Not oae sigh il
| the wind; not one tear mingling 18th The
waters.
There shall battle my weary soul
| In seas of heavenly rest,
/ And not wave of trouble roll
Across my peaceful breast.