Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-09-19
speed, or power to hunt down the great
kennel of hounds of which sin and trouble

kennel of hounds of which sin and trouble
are owner and master.
But what is relief for all those pursuits
of trouble, and annoyance, and pain, and
bereavement My text gives it to you in a
word of three letters, but each letter is a
chariot if you would triumph, or a throne
If you want to be crowned, or lake if you
would slake your thirst-yea, chain of
three letters-G-o-d, the one for whom
David longed, and the One whom David
found. You might as well meet a stag
which, after its sixth mile of running at the
| topmost speed through thicket and gorge,
and with the breath of the dogs on its heels,
has come in full sight of Scroon Lake and
tried to cool its projecting and blistered
tongue with drop Of dew from blade of
grass, as to attempt to satisfy an immortal
soul, when flying from trouble and sin,
with anything less deep, and high and
broad, and immense, and infinite, and
eternal than God. His comfort, why it
embosoms all distress. His arm, it
wrenches off all bondage. His hand, it
wipes away all tears. His Christly atone.
ment. it makes us all right with the past,
and all right with the future, and all right
with God, all right with man, and all right
forever. Lamartine tells Us that King
|
three vases, and one is of clay, another of
amber, and another of gold. Choose now
which you will have" The eldest son,
having the first choice, chose the vase of
gold on which was written the word "Em-
pire," and when opened it was found to
contain human blood The second son,
making the next choice, chose the vase of
amber, inscribed with the word "Glory,"
and when opened it contained the ashes of
those who were once called great. The
third son took the vase of clay, and, OPEN
ing it, found it empty, but on the bottom
of it was inscribed the name of God. King
Nimrod asked his courtiers which vase they
thought weighed the most. The avaricious
men of his court said the vase of gold. The
poets said the one of amber. But the wisest
men said the empty vase, because one letter
of the name of God outweighed universe.
For Him thirst; for His Grace beg;
on His promise l. build my all. Without
Him I cannot be happy. have tried the
world, and it does we'll enough as far as it
goes, but it is too uncertain a world, too
evanescent world. am not a prejudiced
witness, have nothing against this world.
have been one of the most fortunate, or,
to use more Christian word, one of the
most blessed ofmen, blessed in my parents,
blessed in the place of my nativity, blessed
in my health, blessed in my field Of work,
blessed in my natural temperament, bless
ed in my family, blessed in my opportuni-
ties blessed in q comfortable livelihood,
blessed in the hope that my soul will 90 to
Heaven through the pardoning mercy of
God, aud my body, unless it be lost at sea
or cremated 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 disappointment, but to me it
has been pleasant surprise, and yet de-
clare that if 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 sermont to my
self until with all the aroused energies 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 affrights others
will inspire you. As in time of earthquake
when an old Christian woman was asked
whether she was scared. answered: ''No, I
am glad that have God who can shake
the world;'' or, as in financial panic, when
a Christian merchant was asked if he did
not fear he would break, answered: ayes, /
shall break when the fiftieth Psalm breaks
in the fifteenth verse-sCall upon me in the
day of trouble; will deliver thee and thou
shalt glorify me-" o, Christian men and
women, pursued of annoyances and exas-
perations, remember that this hunt, wheth-
or still hunt or a hunt in full cry, will soon
be over. If ever whelp looks ashamed and
ready to stink out of sight it is when in the
Adirondacks deer by one long, tremendous
plunge into Big Upper Lake gets away
from him. The disappointed canine swims
in little way, but defeated, swims out
again and cringes with humiliated yawn 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 pursuers We are told in Revelation,
22d .and 10Th: "Without are dogs" by
which conclude there is whole kennel of
hounds outside the gate of heaven, or, as
when master goes in 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, bat they cannot get in. sWith-
out are dogs - l have seen dogs and own
ed dogs that I 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 protection of wife
and child; some of the shepherd-dogs that
drive back the wolves and bark away the
flocks 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 perish
ing travellers out of the Alpine snow; the
dog that John Brown, the Scotch essayest,
saw ready to spring at the surgeon lest, in
removing the cancer, he too much hurt the
Door 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. / 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 or worry or tear to pieces. shall be pro-
hibited. ''Without are dogsP' No place
there for harsh critics or back -biters, or
despoilers of the reputation of others. Down
with you to the kennels of darkness and
despair! The hart has reached the eternal
water brooks, and the painting of the long
chase is quieted 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
pushing his canoe far up north in the win
ter and amid the ice foes, and hundred
miles, as he thought, from any other human
beings. He was startled one day as he
heard stepping on the ice, and he cooked
the rife ready to meet anything that came
near. He found man, barefooted and in
sane from long exposure, approaching him.
Taking him into his canoe and kindliIg 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 search
ing 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
bsnquets 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.