The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-11-15

also be q PROV, arranged to cut and
override the billow. That is Christian
perseverance.
There are three mountain surges that
sometimes dash against a soul in
minute-the world, the flesh and the
devil; and that is well-built PROV that
can bound over them. For lack of this
many have put back and never started
again. It is the broadside wave that so
often sweeps the deck and fills the
matches, but that which strikes in front
is harmless. Meet troubles courageous
~, and you surmOunt them. Stand on
the prov, and as you wipe off the spray
of the split surge cry out with the
apostle: ''None of these things move
me-" Let all your fears stay aft. The
right must conquer. Know that Moses
in an ark of bulrushes can run down
war steamer.
Have good, strong anchor. (Which
hope we have as an anchor" BY this
strong cable and windlass hold on to
your anchor. eff any man sin we have
an advocate with the Father" Do not
use the anchor wrongfully, Do not al
ways stay in the same latitude and lon
gitude. You will never ride up the
harbor of eternal rest if you all the way
drag your anchor.
But you must have sails Vessels are
not fit for the sea until they have the
flying jib, the foresail, the topga1lant,
the skysail, the gaffsail and other can
vas. Faith is our canvas. Hoist 1T, and
the winds of Heaven will drive you
ahead. Sails made out of any other
canvas than faith will be slit to tatters
by the first northeaster. Strong faith
never lost battle. 1t will crush foes,
blast rocks, quench ightnings, thresh
mountains. It is shield to the war
riOr, a crank to the most ponderOus
wheel, a lever to pry up pyramids, a
drum whose beat gives strength to the
| heavenly soldiery, and sails to watt
ships laden with priceless pearls from
the harbor of earth to the harbor of
Heaven.
But you are not yet equipped. You
must have what the seamen call the
running rigging. This comprises the
ships braces, halliards, clew lines and
such like. Without these the yards
could not be hraced, the sails lifted, nor
the canvas in anywise managed. We
have prayer for the running rigging.
Unless you understand this tackling you
are not spiritual seaman. BY pulling
on these ropes you hoist the sails of
faith and turn them every whittier.
The PROV of courage will not cut the
wave, nor the sail Of faith spread and
flap it's wing unless you have strong
prayer for ballard.
One more arrangement and you will
be ready for the sea. You must have a
compass, which is the Bible. Look at it
every day and always sail by it, as its
needle points toward the star of Bethle-
hem. Through fog, and darkness, and
storm it works faithfully. Search the
Scriptures. ''Box the compass" Let
me give you two or three rules for the
voyage. Allow your appetites and pas
sions an undertook passage. Do not
allow them ever to come up on the
promenade deck. Mortify your mem
bers which are upon the earth. Never
allow your lower nature any thing bet
ter than a steerage passage. Let watch
fulness walk the decks as an armed SEN
tinel and shoot down with great prompt
ness any thing like mutiny of riotous
appetites.
Be sure to look out of the forecastle
for icebergs. These are the cold Chris
tians floating about in the church. The
frigid zone professors will sink you.
Keep a log book during all the voyage
an account Of how many furlongs you
make a day. The merchant keeps a
day-book as well as a ledger. You
ought to know every night, as well as
every year, how things are going. When
the express train stops at the depot, you
hear a hammer sounding on all the
wheels, thus testing the safety of the
rail train. Bound, so we are, with more
than express speed toward great eter-
I
of determination?
Be sure to keep your colors up! You
know the ships of England, Russia,
France and Spain by the ensigns they
carry. Sometimes it is lion, some
times an eagle, sometimes a star, some
times a crown. Let it ever be known
who you are and for what port you are
bound. Let Christian" be written on
the very front, with figure of cross, a
} crown and a dove; and from the mast
head let float the streamers of Emman-
uel. Then the pirate vessels of tempta-
ton will pass you unframed as they
say: "There goes a Christian, bound
= for the port of Heaven. We will not
; disturb her, for she has too many guns
) aboard" Run up your flag on this pull
} ley: 81 am not ashamed of the Gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God and
the wisdom of God unto salvation.
I When driven back or laboring under
great stress of weather-now changing
from starboard to larboard, and theT
, from larboard to starbOard-lOok above
= the tOpgallants, and your heart shall
l beat like war drum as the streamers
} float on the wind. The sign of the
cross will make. you patient, and the
crown will make you glad.
/ Before you gain port you will smell
the land breezes of Heaven, and Christ
= the pilot, viii meet you as you come intC
= the NarrOws of Death, and fasten to YOU
| ! and say: "When thou passest through
t the waters / will be with thee; and
D through the rivers, they shall not over
flow thee" Are you ready for such Z
voyage? Make up your minds The
S gang planks are lifting. The bell rings
a All aboard for Heaven! This world is
S not your rest. The chaffinch is the
/ silliest bird in all the earth for trying
S to make its nest on the rocking billow
e Oh, how l wish that as I embark for the
t Holy Land in the East, all to whom
o preach by tongue or type would embark
for Heaven! What you all most need i:
Q God, and you need Him now. Some o.
D you / leave in trouble. Things are GO