The Nicodemus cyclone., 1888-03-23

And so IQeY COOk uCT uO0A W VIC bCAOu va
the sea, and they drove . stake ct low
water mark, and they fastened her to it, ex-
pecttg that as the tide came up higher anf
higher, and to the girdle, and to the lip, and
in the last moment, just as the wave was
washing her soul into glory she shouted the
praises Of Jesus,
The JOYS OF FORGIVENESS.
go step farther, and tell you that when
Christ receives a soul into His love He puts Oh
him the ring OF festiVitg. You know that 1t
has been the custom In all age to bestow rings
on very happy occasions There is nothing
more appropriate for a birthday gift than
ring. Your delight to bestow such gift
upon your children at such time 1t means
ioy, hilarity festivity. Well, when this old
man of the text wanted to tell how glad he
was that his boy had got back, he expressed it
in this way. Actually, before he ordered san
dals to be put on his bare feet, before he Or
dered the fatted calf to be killed to appease
the bows hunger. he commanded: "Put
ring on his hand"
Oh, it is merry time when Christ and the
soul are united! Joy of forgiveness! What
a splendid thing 1t is to feel that all is right
between me and God! What glorious thing
it is to have God just take up all the sins of
my life and put them in one bundle, and then
fling them into the depths OF the sea, never to
rise again, never to be talked OF again. Pol,
luton all gone. Darkness all illumined. God
reconciled. The prodgal home "Put ring
on his handn
Every day find happy Christian people. ]
find some of them with no second coat, some
Of them in huts and tenement houses, not one
earthly comfort afforded them; and yet they
are as happy as happy can be. They sing
''Rock Of Ages" as no other people in the
world sing it. They never wore any jewelry
in their life but one gold ring, and that was
the ring of Gods undying affection.
RELIGIONS DEEP BLESSINGS.
0, how happy religion makes us! Did 1t
make you gloomy and sad9 Did yod go
with your head cast down9 l do not think
you got religion, my brother. That is not the
effect of religion. True religion is joy. "Her
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her
paths are peace" Wig, religion lightens all
our burdens. 1t smOoths all our way. 1t in
of earthly discord for the peal of festal bells.
In front of the flaming furnace of trial it
sets the forge on which sceptres are hammered
out. Would you not like to-day to come up
from the swine feeding and try this relgiOnl
All the joys of heaven would come out and
meet you, and God would cry from the throne:
PUT ring on his hand"
You are not happy. / see it. There is no
peace, and sometimes you laugh when you
feel great deal more like crying. The world
is cheat 1t first wears you down with its
follies, then it kicks you out into darkness.
It comes back from the massacre Of million
souls to attempt the destruction of your soul
to-day. No peace out of God, but here is the
fountain that can slake the thirst Here is
the harbor where you can drop safe anchor
age.
Would you not like, Task you-not perfume
torily, but as one brother might talk to an
other-would you not like to have pillow of
rest to put your head on! And would you
not like, when you retire at night, to feel that
all Is well, whether you wake up tomorrow
morning at o'clock or sleep the sleep that
knows no waking? Would you not like to ex-
oh fhic oUfu1 rtoip about fhn
future for a glorious assurance of heavent
THE ONLY TRUE ALLIANCE.
Accept of the Lord Jesus to-day and all is
well. If on your way home some peril should
cross the street and dash your life out, it would
not hurt you. You would rise up immediate
". You would stand in the celestial streets.
You would be amid the great thrOng that for
ever worship and are forever happy. If this
day some sudden disease should come upon
you it would not frighten you. If you knew
you were going you could give calm fare
we'll to your beautiful home on earth and
know that you are going right into the com
paniOnship of those who have already got be-
yond the toiling and the weeping
You feel on Saturday night different from
the way you feel on any other night of the
week. You come home from the bank or the
store, or the shop, and you say: "Well, now
my weeks work is done, and tomorrow is
Sunday, 1t is pleasant thought, There is
refreshment and reconstruction in the very
idea. 0, how pleasant it will be If when we
get through the dav of our life and we 60 and
lie down in our bed of dust we can realize:
swell, now the work is done, and tomorrow
is Sunday-an everlasting Sunday"
Oh. when. thou city of my God.
Shall thy courts ascend?
Where congregations ne'er break up
And SabbathS have no end.
There are people in this house to-day who
are very near the eternal world. If you are
Christians, bid you be of good cheer. Bear
with you our congratulations to the bright city
Aged men, who will soon be gone, take with
YOU our love for our kindred in the better
lard, and when you see them, tell them thai
we are soon coming.
ONLY ONE GREAT TEST.
Only few more sermons to preach ant
hear. Only few more heartaches. Only {
few more tolls. Only few more tears. Anc
| then, what an enhancing spectacle will Oper
| before US!
Beautiful heaven. where all is light
Beautiful angels clothed in white,
Beautiful strains that never tire,
There shall join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping at the Savior's feet.
| Iapproach you now with a general invita-
! tion, not picking out here and there a man, o
| here or there woman, or here and there
child; but giving you an unlimited invitation
| SAYING: Come, for all things are now ready
| We invite you TO the warm heart of Christ
and the Enclosure of the Christian church.
| know a great many think that the church doe
not amount to much, that it is obsolete; tina
1t did its work and Is gone now, so far as al
usefulness is concerned. 1t is the happies
place l have ever been in, except my owl
| home
know there are some people who say the
are Christians who seem TO get along withou
any help from others and who culture sOlitar
piety. They do not want any ordinances
do not belong to that class. / can not ge
along without them. There are so man
things In this world that take nv attentiO
from God and Christ and heaven that / wan
all the helps of all the symbols and OF all th
Christian associations and / want aroun
about me a solid phalanx Of men who loy
God and keep His commandments. Are ther
any here who would like to enter into tha
association. Then by a simple childlike fait
apply for admission into the visible church an
you will be received; no questions asked abOu
your past history or present surrounding
only one test-Do you love Jesus,
AN APPEAL TO ALL MEN.
Baptism does not amount TO anything. sa
q great many people, but the Lord Jesus d.
clared: He that believeth and Is baptize
shall be saved" putting baptism and fait
side by side. And an apostle declares: ''R
pent and be baptized, every one Of YOU"
DO not sickle for any particular mode of ba
tism, but | put great emphasis on the fa
hal rO1, nI1Uht IA he haD4tyaH Tat M mo-