The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-12-26


own tears!" and Jesus viii say:
Know We not that the tears of earth
are the wine of heaveng" Sorrow may
endure, but joy cometh in the morn
ing.
HE HELPS Us TO BE MERRY.
/ remark further, Jesus does not
shadow the joys of others with his own
griefs. He might have sat down in
that wedding and said: II have so
much trouble, so much poverty, so
much persecution, and the cross is
coming; shall not rejoice, and the
gloom of my face and of my sorrows
shall be cast over all this group So
said not Jesus. He said To himself:
Here are two persons starting out in
married life. Let it be a joyful occa-
sion. will hide my own griefs. |
will kindle their JOY" There are
many not so wise as that. | know a
household where there are many little
children, where for two years the mu-
steal instrument has been kept shut
because there has 1Deen trouble in the
house. Alas for the follyl Parents
saying: "We will have no Christmas
tree this coming holiday because there
has been trouble in the house. Hush
that laughing up stairsl How can
there be any JOY when there has been
so much troubled" And so they make
everything consistently doleful, and
send their sons and daughters To ruin
with the gloom they throw around
them.
Oh, my dear friends, do you not
know those children win have trouble
enough of their own after whilea
Be glad they cannot appreciate all
yours. Keep back the cup of bitter
ness from your daughters lips. When
your head is down in the grass of the
tomb, poverty may come to her, be-
trayal to her, bereavement TO her.
Keep back the sorrows as long as you
can. Do you not know that son may,
after while, have his heart brokena
Stand between him and all harm.
You may not fight his battles long
fight them while you may. Throw
not the chill of your own dependency
over his soul; rather be like Jesus,
who came to the wedding hiding his
own grief and kindling the joys Of
others. So have seen the sun, on a
dark day. struggling amidst clouds,
black, ragged and portentous, but
after while the sun, with golden pry,
heaved back the blackness; and the
sun laughed to the lake, and the lake
laughed to the sun, and from horizon
to horizon, under the saffron sky, the
water was all turned into wine.
1oar., f,.r.,,. Ia. 10 fIeat Oh 90
is not inpatient with the luxuries of
life. 1t was not necessary that they
should have that wine. Hundreds Of
people have been married without any
wine. We do not read that any of
the other provisions fell short When
Christ made the wine it was not a ne
cessity, but a positive luxury. l do
not believe that he wants US To eat
hard bread and sleep on hard mat
tresses, unless we like them the best.
/ think, if circumstances will allow,
we have right to the Injuries of
dress, the luxuries of diet and the lux
uries of residence. There is no more
religion in an old coat than in new
one. We can serve God drawn by
golden plated harness as certainly as
when we go a-foot. Jesus Christ will
dwell with us under fine ceiling as
we'll as under matched roof; and
when you can get wine made out of
water, drink as much of it as you can.
What is the difference between a
Chinese mud howell and an American
home2 What is the difference be-
tween the rough bear skins of the
Russian boor and the outfit of an
American gentlemanl No difference,
except that which the Gospelof Christ,
directly or Indirectly, has caused,
When Christ shall have vanquished
all the world, l suppose every house
will be mansion, and every garment
a robe, and every horse an arch-neck-
ed courser, and every carriage gilt
tering vehicle, and every man king,
and every woman queen, and the
whole earth paradise; the glories Of
the natural world harmonizing with
the glories of the material world, until
the very bells of the horses shall
jingle the praises of the Lord.
CHRIST LOVES OUR LAUGHTER.
/ learn, further, from this miracle,
that Christ has no Impotence with
festal Joy, otherwise he would not
have accepted the invitation TO that
wedding. He certainly would not
haveadone that which increased the
hilarity. There may have been many
in that room who were happy, bal
there was not one of them that did SC
much Cor the Joy of the wedding
party as Christ himself. He was the
chief of the benqueters. When the
wine gave out, he supplied it; and 50,
take it, he will not deny us the joys
that are positively festal.
think the children of God have
more right to laugh than any other
people, and to clap their hands as
loudly. There is not single JOY de-
MED them that is given to any other
people. Christianity does not clip the
wings of the soul. Religion does not
frost the flowers. What is Christian
ity2 l take it to be simply a procla-
nation from the throne OF God OF
emancipation for all the enslaved; and
if q man accepts the terms of that proc
lamation, and becomes free, has he not
a right to be merry3 Suppose Ia
grounds. To whom will he give the
first privilege Of these grounds1 VIII
he say: MY children, you must not
walk through these paths, or sit
down under these trees, or pluck
this fruit. These are for outsiders.
They may walk in them" No
father would say anything like
that. He would say: The first priv
ileges in all the grounds, and all
of my house, shall be for my own
children. And yet men try 10 make
us believe that Gods children are on
the limits, and the chief refreshments
and enjoyments of life are for outsid'
ers, and not for his own children. IL Is
stark atheism. There is no innocent
beverage too rich for Gods child tc
drink; there is no robe too costly foi
him 10 wear, there is no hilarity toe
great for him 10 indulge in, and nc
house too splendid for him TO live in
He has e. right TO the JOYS of earth hs
shall have a right to the joys Of heav
en-. Though tribulation, and trial
and hardship may come unto him, le
him rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord, y,
righteous, and again say, rejoice
| remark again that Christ come
TO US in the hour Of our extremity
He knew the wine was giving out be
fore there was any embarrassment o.
modification. Why did he not per
form the miracle soonerf Why wal
until it was all gone, and no hell
could come from any source, and thei
come in and perform the miracle
This is Christ's way; and when he di'
come in, at the hour Of extremity. b
made first rate wine, 40 that they cries
out: Thou hast kept the good win
until now" Jesus in the hour Of ex
tremityi He seems TO prefer tina
hour.
FIn q Christian home in Polan,
s~-a.at xx<,va~<v Had rx<xx.n and I'm IN