The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-07

judgment seat without any excitement
the understanding and the will all doing
their work. Velocity, majesty, might; but
silence-silence. You listen at the door
of your heart. You can hear no sound.
The soul is all quiet. II is 80 delicate an
instrument that no human hand can
touch it. You break bone and with
splinters and bandages the surgeon sets it;
the eye becomes inhamed, the apothe-
cary's wash cools it; but soul of the
track, unbalanced, no human power can
readjust ii. With one sweep OF its wing
it circles the universe and overvaults the
throne Of God. Why, in the hour OF death
the soul is so mighty, it throws aside the
body as though 1t were toy. II drives
back medical skill as impotent. II breaks
through the circle of loved ones who stand
around the dying couch. With one leap
it springs beyond star and moon and sun,
and chasms OF immensity. Oh, ii is q soul
superior to all material things! No fire
can consume IL; no floods can drown IL;
no rocks can crust 1t; no walls can
impede II; no time can exhaust 1t. 1t
wants no bridge on which TO cross
chasm. II wants noplummet with which
to sound depth. A soul so mighty, so
swift, so silent, must be priceless soul.
calculate the value Of that soul, also by
its capacity for happiness. How much joy
il can get in this world out OF friendships,
out OF books, out Of clouds, out of the sea,
out OF flowers, out Of ten thousand things;
and yet all the Joy II has here does not test
its capacity. You are in concert before
the curtain hoists, and you hear the IN
struments preparing-the sharp snap of
the broken string, the scraping Of the bow
across the viol. "There is no music in
that" you say. II is only getting ready
for the music. And all the enjoyment Of
the soul in this world, the enjoyment We
think is real enjoyment is only prepara-
tive; il is only anticipative; IL is only the
first stage Of the thing; II is only the en-.
trance, the beginning OF that which shall
be the orchestral harmonies and splendors
OF the redeemed.
You cannot test the full power Of the
soul for happiness in this world. How
much power the soul has here 10 find en-
| joyment in friendship but oh, the grander
friendships for the soul in the skies How
sweet the flowers herel but how much
sweeter they will be there lido not think
that when flowers die on earth, they die
forever. think that the fragrance OF the
flowers is the spirit being waited away into
glory. God says there are palm trees in
heaven and fruits in heaven. II so, why
not the spirits Of the dead flowers? In the
sunny valleys OF heaven. shall not the
marigold creep? On the hills OF heaven,
will not the amaranth bloom? On the
amethystine walls Of heaven, will not the
jasmine climb7 "My belovedis come down
in his garden TO gather lilies. No flowers
in hcaven2 Where, then, do they get
their garlands for the brows Of the right
eous2
Christ Is glorious 10 our souls now, but
how much grander our appreciation after
a while! A conqucrcr comes back after
the battle. He has been fighting for us.
lie comes upon the platform. lie has one
arm in n sling and the other arm holds a
witch. As he mounts the platform, oh,
the enthusiasm Of theaudicnccl They say:
"That man fought for us, and imperiled
his life for u.s." and how wild the huzza
that follows the huzai When the Lord
Jesus Christ shall at last stand out before
the multtudes OF the redeemed Of heaven,
and We meet him face TO face, and feel
that he was wounded In the head, and
wounded In the hands, and wounded in
the feet, and wounded In the side for us,
| We VIII ONtlNufllutls We
will sit some time gazing In silence, until
some leader amidst the white-robcd choir
shall lift the baton OF light, aud give the
signal that II N time 10 wake the song Of
Jubilee; and all heaven will then break
forth into: "IIosannal hosannal hosannal
Worthy Is the Lamb that WIS slain"
calculate further the value Of the soul
by the price that has been paid for H. In
| fl.uN. Il "A Ill tn
government paid 100000 for "Well. F"
YOU say, "it must have been very valuable,
or the government would not have paid
500. 600 for IT," ! want TO see what my
soul IL worth, and what your soul Is worth,
by seeing what has been paid for IL. For
that immortal soul, the richest blood that
was ever shed, the deepest groan that was
ever uttered, all the gricis Of earth com.
pressed into one tear, all the suilcrings OF
earth gathered into one rapicr Of pain and
struck through his holy heart. Docsit not
imply tremendous value? | argue, also,
the value OF the soul from the
home that has been fitted up for II In the
future. One would have thought street
OF adamant would have done. No,
Il Is a street Of gold. Ono would have
thought that wall Of granite would have
done. No, Il In the flame Of sardonyx
mingling with green emerald. One would
have thought that an occasional doxology
would have done. No, itisapcrpctual song.
II the ages Of heaven marched in n straight
line, some day the last regiment, perhaps,
might pass out Of sight; but no, the ages
Of heaven do not march In q straight line,
but In circle around about the throne Oi
God, forever, forever, tramp, tramp A
soul ~ bought, ~ equipped, so provided
for, must be priceless soul, tremendous
sonl.
Now, YOU have seen the two properties
the world, the soul. One pcrishable, the
other immortal One unsatisfying, the
other capable Of evcr.incnasing felicity.
win you trader viii you trade event
Remember, Il Is the only Investment you
can make. II man sell bill OF goods
worth 5000, aud he Is cheated out OF II,
ho may get 5000 somewhere else, but d
man who invests his soul, invests all.
Losing that, he loses all. Saving that ho
saves all. In the light Of my text. II
seems 10 me ~ II you were this morning
offering your soul 20 the highest bidder;
and hear you say: "What Ia bid for it2'
Satan SAYS: "I'll bid the world" You
say; "Begoncl that Is no equivalent
Sell my soul for the world2 mol Be'
goncw But there is some ono else In ih,
audience not ~ wise as that. He says
"What Ia bid for my immortal eoulY
, Satan SAYS "l'll bid the world.
"The world7 Going nj that, going nj
that, goingl Goncl" Conc forever
what !. ,9e lhing Of groalesl price,