The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-06

wrenched that child from the destroyer.
You went to your room and said, God
save my child! God save my childV' The
world seemed going out in darkness. You
said, III can't bear it; can't bear IL. "
You felt as II You could not put the long
lashes over the bright eyes, never to see
them again sparkle. Oh, II you could
have taken that little one in your arms
and with IT leaped the grave, how gladly
you would have done III oh, II You could
let your property go, your house, your
land and your storehouse 90, how. gladly
you would have allowed them to depart If
you could only have kept that one treas
ure.
But one day there arose from the heavens
a chill blast that swept over the bedroom,
and instantly all the light went out, and
there was darkness--thick, murky, i'm
penetrable, shuddering darkness. But
God didn't leave you there. Mercy
spoke. AS you took up the cup and was
about 10 put it TO your lips, God said: LET
ii pass, and forthwith, as by the hand Of
angels, another cup was put into your
hands, II was the cup OF Gods consolation.
And MS you have sometimes lifted the
head Of sounded soldier, and poured
wine into his lips, so God put his left arm
under yourhead and with his right hand he
poured into your lips the wine of his COM
fort and his consolation, and You looked at
the empty cradle and looked at your
broken heart, and you looked ut the Lords
chastiscment, and you said. Even so,
Father, for so II seemeth good in thy
sight"
All, II was your first trouble. How did
you get over III God comfortcd you.
You have been better man ever since.
You have been better woman ever since.
In the jar OF the closing gate OF the scpul-
cher you heard the changing OF the open
ing gate OF heaven, and you felt an ire
sislible drawing heaycnward. You have
been purer of mind eyer since that night
when the little one for the last time put
its arms around your neck and said;
Good night, papa; good night mamma.
Meet me in heaven"
But must come on down TO your latest
sorrow. What was III Perhaps twas your,
own sickness. The child's tread on the stair
or the tick OF the watch on tho stand dis
turbed you. Through the long weary
days you counted the figures in the car
pet or flowers IN the wall paper. oh, the
WEAKNESS, the exhaustion. Oh, the burn
ing pain! Would God il were morning,
would God il were night, were your fire.
qucnt cry. But you are better, and per-
haps even well. Have you thanked that
God today you can come on. in the fresh
air; that you are in this place TO hear
Gods name, 10 sing Gods praise, and inn
plorc Gods help, and TO ask Gods for
giveness? Bless the Lord, who healeth
all our diseases, and rcdoemeth our lives
from destruction.
Perhaps your last sorrow was financial
embarrassment. | congratulate some Of
you on your lucrative profession or occu-
patton, on ornate apparel, on n commod-
ious residence everything you put your
hands TO seems 10 turn 20 gold. But there
are Others OF YOU who are like the ship in
which Paul sailed. where two seas met,
and you are broken by the violence OF the
waves By ma unadvised Endorsement, or
10y conjunction OF unforeseen events, or
hy fire, or storm, or n scnseless panic, you
have been flung hcadlong, and where you
once dispensed great charities, now you
have hard work 90 make two ends meet.
Have you forgotten TO thank God for
your days OF prosperity, and that through
your trials some OF YOU have made invest
mcnts which will continue after the last
bank OF this world has exploded, and the
silver and gold are motion in the fires OF
a burning world2 Have you. amid all
your losses and discouragcments forgot
that there was bread on your table this
morning, aud that there shall be a shelter
Tor your head from the storm. and there II
air Tor your lungs, aud blood for your
/ heart, and light for your eve. and glat
/ aud glorious and Triumphant religion 10
! your s0ulf
Perhaps your last trouble was bcrcavc
mcnL That heart which in childhood
was Your refuge, tho parental heart, and
which has been a source Of tho quickest
sympathy ever since, has suddenly become
silent forever, and now sometimes when.
ever In sudden annoyance and without
dclibcraiion you say II will go aud tell
mother" the thought flashes on YOU, 81
| have no mother" or the father, with voice
/ less tender, but "a stanch aud earnest and
/ loving rs ever, watchiul of all your ways,
| cxullnnt over your success without saying
much, although the old people DO talk Il
| over by themselves, his trembling hand
ON that stall which YOU now keep as d
family relic, his memory cmbalmcd in
grateful hearts, Is taken away forever.
Or, there was your companion In life
sharor Of your joys and sorrOws, taken
leaving your heart an old ruin. where th,
chill winds blow over n wide wilderness O
dcsolalion. the sands Of the desert drivin.
across the place which once bloomed liz,
the garden OF God. And Abraham mourni
ior Sarah nt the cave Of Mnchpclah. Go
ing along your path In life, suddenly
right before YOU was an open grave. Pcopll
looked down and they saw Il was only
few feet deep and a few feet wide, but I,
YOU IL was cavern down which went al
your hopes aud all your expectations.
But cheer up In the name Of the Lor
Jesus Christ, the Comforter. lie Is no
going 10 fonake you. Did the Lord TAX
that child out Of your arms2 Why, lie
going 10 shelter Il better than you could
lie Is going 10 array II In q white robe. an
with palm branch II will bo all rcndy {
greet you NJ your coming home. Blcssc
the broken heart that Jesus heals. Blcssc
the importunalc cry that Jesus compa'
sionalcs Blessed the weeping eye fror
which the soft hand Of Jesus wipes ava
the tear
was sailing down the ST. John Rive
. Canada, which II the Rhine and th
Hudson comminglcd In one scene ,
beauty aud grandeur, and while | was o
! the dock Of the steamer gcntlemn
! pointed out 20 me the places Of intcrcs
and ho said. IAN this Is interval Ian,
l aud Il IL the richest land In all the prot
{ incos Of New brunswick and Nov
Scotia
y what" said |, "do you mean 10y Il
: tcr,al land7' "Wcl,n he said, 18th
4 land Is submerged for part OF tho yea