The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-12-05

Take the attribute of mercy. Do we
understand it? The Bible blossoms all
over with that word-mercy. 1t speaks
again and again of the tender mercies
of God; of the sure mercies; of the great
mercies; of the mercy that endureth for
ever; of the multitude of His mercies.
And yet know that the views we have
of this great Being are most indefinite,
one-sided and incomplete. When, at
death, the gates shall fly open, and we
shall look directly upon Him, how new
and surprisingl We see upon canvas a
picture of the morning. We study the
cloud in the sky, the dew upon the grass
and the husbandman on the way to tho
field. Beautiful picture of the morn
ing But we rise at daybreak, and go
upon hill to see for ourselves that
which was represented to us. While we
look, the mountains are transfigured.
The FURNISHED gates of Heaven swing
open and shut to let pass a host of fiery
splendors. The clouds are all abloom
and hang pendent from arbors Of ala
baster and amethyst. The waters make
pathway OF inlaid pearl for the light to
walk upon; and there is morning on the
sea. The crags uncover their Scared
visage; and there is morning among the
mountains. Now you go home and how
tame your picture of the morning seems
in contrast. Greater than that shall be
the contrast between this Scriptural
view of God and that which we shall
have when standing face to face. This
is picture of the morning: that will be
the morning itself.
Again: My texts are true of the
Saviour's excellence. BY image, and
sweet rhythm of expression, and start
ling antitheses, Christ is set forth-IIis
love, His compassion, His work, His
life, His death, His resurrection. We
are challenged to measure it, to compute
it, to weigh it. In the hour of our
broken enthrallment we mount up into
high experience of His love, and shout
until the countenance glows, and the
blood bounds, and the whole nature is
exhilarated:
II have found Him.
And yet it is through glass, darkly.
We see not half of that compassionate
face. We feel not half the warm tn of
that loving heart. We wait for death
to let us rush into His outspread arms.
Then we shall be face to face. Not
shadow then, but substance. Not hope
then, but the fulfilling of all prefigure-
ment. That will be magnificent un-
folding. The rushing out in view of all
hidden excelency; the coming again of
a lonc-a hSpnt Iacna 10 nC--nnt n
rags, and in penury, and death, but
amidst light, and pomp, and outburst-
ing Joy such as none but glorified in
telligence could experience. Oh! to
gaze full upon the brow that was lacer-
ated, upon the side that was pierced,
upon the feet that were nailed; to stand
close up in the presence of Him who
prayed for us on the mountain, and
thought of us by the sea, and agonized
for us in the garden, and died for us in
horrible crucifixion; to feel of Him, to
embrace Him, to take His hand, to kiss
His feet, to run our fingers along the
scars of ancient suffering, to say:
''rhis is my Jesus! He gave Himself
for .ne. l shall never leave His pres
ence. l shall forever behold His glory.
l shall eternally hear His voice. Lord
Jesus, now see Thee! l behold where
the blood started, where the tears
coursed, where the face was distorted. /
have waited for this hour. l shall never
turn my back on Thee. No more look
ing through imperfect glasses. No
more studying Thee in the darkness.
But as long as this throne stands, and
this everlasting river flows, and those
garlands bloom, and these arches of
victory remain to greet home Heavens
conquerors, so long 1 shall see Thee,
Jesus of my choice, Jesus of my song,
ever-face to facet"
The idea of my texts is just as true
when applied to Gods providence. Who
has not come to some pass in life thor
oughly inexplicable? You say:
"What does this mean? What is God
going to do with me now? He tells me
that all things work together for good.
This does not look like it,
You continue to study the dispense
God means.
"He means to teach me this. I think
He means to teach me that. Perhaps it
is to humble my pride. Perhaps it is TO
make me feel more dependent. Perhaps
to teach me the uncertainty of life"
But, after all, it is only guess-a look
ing through the glass, darkly.
The Bible assures us there shall be
satisfactory unfolding.
sGVVhat I do thOu knOWeSt not now,
but thou shalt know hereafter"
You will know why God took to Him
self that only child. Next door there
was a household of seven children.
Why not take one from that group, in
stead of your only one? Why single out
the dwelling in which there was only
one heart beating responsive to yours?
Why did God give you child at all, II
He meant to take it away? Why fill the
cup of your gladness brimming, II he
meant to dash il down? Why allow all
the tendrils of your heart to wind around
that object, and then, when every fiber
of your own life seemed to be inter-
locked with the child's life, with strong
hand to tear you apart, until you fall
bleeding and crushed, your dwelling
desolate, your hopes blasted, your heart
broken? Do you suppose that God Will
explain that? Yea. He will make 1t
palmer than any mathematical problem
as plain as that two and two make
four. In the light of the throne you
will see that it was right-an right.
"Just and true are all Thy ways Thou
K;no of saintsp' Here is man who can