The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-29

his dreams; if he be thirsty, the poten-
tates of heaven are his cup-bearers; If he
sit down TO food, his plain table blooms
into the kings banquet. Men say: "Look
at that old fellow with the worn-out
coat" the angels of God cry: Lift up
your heads, We everlasting gates, and let
him come in" Fastidious people cry:
sect off my front steps," the doorkeepers
of heaven cry: "Come, We blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom When he
comes to die, though he may be carried in
pine box to the potter's field to that
potters field the chariots of Christ will
come down, and the cavalcade will crowd
all the boulevards of heaven.
bless Christ for the present satisfaction
of religion. 1t makes q man all right with
reference to the past; it makes man all
right with reference to the future. Oh,
these neither springs Of comfort They are
perennial. The foundation OF God stand
eth sure having this seal, The Lord
knoweth them that are His" THE
mountains shall depart and the hills be re-
moved, but Ny kindness shall not depart
from thee, neither shall the covenant OF
My peace be removed, saith the Lord,
who hath mercy upon them" on, cluster
of diamonds set in FURNISHED gold Oh,
neither springs of comfort bursting
through all the valleys OF trial and tribu-
lationi When you see, you of the world,
what satisfaction there is on earth in reli-
giOn, do YOU not thirst after 1t as the
daughter OF Caleb thirsted after the water
springs? 1t is no stagnant pond scummed
over with malaria, but springs OF water
leaping from the Rock of Ages Take up
one cup OF that spring water and cross the
top of the chalice will float the delicate
shadows OF the heavenly wall, the yellow
OF jasper, the green of emerald, the blue
or sardonyx, the fire of jacinth-
wish | could make you understand the
JOY religion is to some of us. 1t makes
man happy while he lives and glad when
he dies. With two feet upon chair and
bursting with dropsies heard an old man
in the poOr-house cry out: ''Bless the
Lord, oh, my soul :" ] looked around and
said: "What had this man got to thank
God for?' 1t makes the lame man leap
like the hart, and the dumb sing. They
say that the old puritan religion is juice
less and joyless religion; but l remember
reading of DR.. Goodwin, the celebrated
puritan, who in his last moments said:
rs this dying? Why, my bow abides in
strength / am swallowed up in God"
Her ways are ways of pleasantness and
all her paths are peace" Oh, you who
with the south land" of this world. do
YOU not feel that you would this morning
like to have access to the neither springs of
spiritual comfort? Would you not like to
have Jesus Christ bend over your cradle
and bless your table and heal your wounds
and strew flowers of consolation all upand
down the graves OF your dead?
IT'S religion that can give
Sweetest pleasure while we live;
lis religion can supply
Sweetest comfort when we die.
But have something better to tell you,
suggested by this text. 1t seems that old
father Caleb on the wedding day OF his
daughter wanted to make her Just as
happy as possible. Though Othniel was
taking her away, and his heart was almost
broken because she was going, yet he
gives her south land :" not only that,
but the neither springs; net only that but
the upper springs o God, my father, |
thank thee that thou hast given me a
south land" in this world and the neither
springs OF spiritual comfort in this world;
but, more than all, thank thee for the
upper springs in heaven.
1t is very fortunate we cannot see
heaven until we get into it. Oh, Christian
man, If you could see what place it is
we would never get you back again to the
Office or store or shop, and the duties you
ought TO perform would go neglected. 1
am glad | shall not see that world until l
enter It. Suppose We were allowed to 90
on an excursion into that good land with
the idea OF returning. When we got
there and heard the song, and looked at
their raptured faces, and mingled in the
supernal society, we would cry out: LET
US STAY We are coming here anyhow.
Why take the trouble OF going back again
to that old world? We are here now; let
us stay" And it would take angelic vio-
lence to put us out of that world if we
once got there. But as people who cannot
afford to pay for an entertainment some
times come around it and look through
the door a. ar or through the openings in
the fence, so we come and look through
the crevices in that good land which God
has provided for Us. We can just catch a
glimpse of it. We come near enough to
hear the rumbling of the eternal orchestra,
though not near enough to know who
blows the cornet or who fingers the harp.
My soul spreads out both wings and claps
them in triumph at the thought of those
upper springs. One of them breaks from
beneath the throne; another breaks forth
from beneath the altar OF the temple; an
other at the door of 'the house of many
mansions" Upper springs of gladness.
Upper springs OF light Upper springs
OF love! 1t is no fancy of mine.
THE lamb which is in the midst
OF the throne shall lead them to
living fountains of water" Oh. Savior d.
vine, roll in upon our souls one of those
anticipated raptures Pour around the
roots of the parched tongue one drop of
that liquid life! Toss before our vision
those fountains of God rainbowed with
eternal victory. Hear it. They are never
sick there-not so much as headache or
twinge rheumatic, or thrust neuralgia.
The inhabitant never SAYS: 81 am sick"
They are never tired there. Flight to
farthest world is only the play of a holt
day. They never sin there. 1t is as easy
for them 10 be holy as it is for us to sin.
They never die there. You might 90
through all the outskirts of the great city
and find not one place where the ground
was broken for grave. The eyesight of
the redeemed is never blurred with tears.
There is health in every cheek. There is
spring in every foot. There is majesty on
every brow. There is joy in every heart.
There is hosanna on every lip. How they
must pity us as they look over and down
and see us and say: "Poor things away
down in that world" And when some
Christian is hurled into fatal accident
they cry: Good he is comingw And
vyb at, xua stand aror,rI fba oo,,oj, II 1890