West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-05-30
SPRINGS OF JOY.
rHE GATES OF HEAVEN AJAR.
Taimags Tells OF the Pleasures or n
Real Christian Life,

TEXT: .Thor hast giren me a south land;
give NE also springs Of tpdter. And he gaze
her the upper springs and the neither
zrtn0s. Joshua xv., 10
The City of Debir was the Boston OF antia
uity--a great place for brain and books. Ca
lab wanted IL, and no offered his daughter
Achsah as n prize to any one who would cap
ture that city. It was a strange thing for
Caleb to do; and yet the man who could take
the city would have, Mt any rate, two ole
tnents OF manhood-bravery and patriotism.
With Caleb's daughter as prize to fight for
Gen. Othniel rode into the battle. The gates
OF Dcbir were Numbered into dust, and tho
city Of books lay at the feet of tho conquer
ors The work done Othniel comes
back to claim his bride. Having con.
quercd the city, it is no great job for him to
conquer the girls heart; for however faint
bearded woman herself may be- she always
loves courage in man. never saw an ex-
ccptlon TO that: Tho wedding festivity hav-
ing Como by, Othniel and Achsah arc about
70 go to their new homo. However loudly
the cymbals may clash and the laughter ring
parents arc always sad when n fondly cher
ished daughter goes Off TO stay; and Achsah,
the daughter of Caleb, knows that now is the
time to ask almost anything she wants OF her
father. It seems that Caleb, tho good old
man, had given as n wedding present to his
daughter piece of land that was mountain
Gus, and sloping southwark toward the
winds 1t was called "a south land" But
Achsah wants an addition of property; she
wants piece OF land that Is well watered
and fertile Now it is no wonder that Caleb
standing amidst the bridal party his eyes so
full of tears because sho was going away that
he could hardly see her at all, gives her moro
than she asks She said to him: ''Thou hast
given me south land; give me also springs
Of water. And no gave her the upper
springs, and the neither springs"
hat r
that as Caleb, the father, gave Achsah, the
daughter, a south land, so God gives to us
His world / am very thankful He has
given it to u.s. But am like Achsah in tho
fact that l want larger portion. Trees
and flowers, and grass and blue skies are
very well in their places; but ho who has
nothing but this world for a portion has no
portion at all. IL is mountainous land
sloping off toward the desert OF sorrow,
swept by fiery siroccos; it is "a south land"
poor portion for any man that tries to put his
trust In it. What has been your experience (?
What has been the experience of every
man, of every woman that has tried this
world for a portion2 Queen Elizabeth,
amid the surroundings of pomp, is unhappy
because tho painter sketches too minutelv
the wrinkles ON her face, and she Indignantly
cries out: "You must strike oG my likeness
without any shadowsw Hogarth, at the
very height of his artistic triumph, is stling
almost TO death with chagrin because the
ne Hdu ueullteu 10 inc King does
not seem to be acceptable: for George III
cries out; "Who is this Hogarths Take
his trumpery out of my presence" Brius-
ley Sheridan thrilled tho earth with
his eloquence, but had for his last
words: II am absolutely undone" Walter
Scott, fumbling around the inkstand
trying to write, says TO his daughter: sob.
take me back to my room; there is no rest for.
Bir Walter but in the grave" Stephen
Girard, the wealthiest man i'm his day. or, at
any rate, only second in wealth, saws: al
live the life OF n galley slave; when arise in
the morning my one effort is to work so hard
that can sleep when it gets to be night -
Charles Lamb, applauded of all the world in
the very midst of his literary triumph says:
"Do you remember Bridget when we used
10 laugh from the shilling gallery at tho
plays There are now no good plays to laugh
at from the boxes" But why 90 SO far as
that? used TO go no further than your
street TO find an illustration of what l am
saying. -. -. -,
without any religion, and you know what
mean by successful worldlings-pick me out
ten successful worldlings, and you cannot
lind more than one that looks happy Caro-
drags him across the bridge: care drngs him
back. Take your stand at o'clock at the
corner Of Nassau and Wall streets, or ut
the corner OF Canal street and Broadway and
see the agoni2ed physiogomies Your
bankers, your insurance men, your inn
yOuT WnOleSdleIS, ana your retailers,
IS ciass-as class, are they happy? No.
Care dogs their steps and, making no appeal
% God for help or comfort, they are tossed
everywither How has it been with you, my
hearerf Are you more contented in the house
o. fourteen rooms than you were in the two
ROOMS you had in house when you startedS
Have you not had more care and worriment
since you won that fifty thousand
dollars than you did before? Some of the
poorest men have ever known have been
n - EAwsra A -
may beput in great business straits, but the
ghasthest of all embarraSments is that of the
man who has large estates The men who
commit suicide because OF monetary losses
are those who cannot bear the burden any
more because they have only hundred
thousand dollars left
On Bowling Green, New York, there Is .
house where Talleyrand used 10 20 He wo.
. fevorite man. All the world knew him. and
he had wealth almost unlimited yet, at the
close OF his life, he says behold eighty
three years have passed without any bracti
cal result, save fatigue of body and fatigue
Of mind, great encouragement for the futuF.
and great disgust for the past.D Oh. INV
friends, this is ga south land and
~ slopes Of toward desserts OF sor.
rows; and the prayer which Achsah made
TO her father Caleb, we make this day In ouT
Father God; Thou has given me n aonfh
lana; give me also springs Of water. And
ne gave them the upper springs, and the
neither springs
Blessed be Godl We have more edvon
tagcs given us than we can really appreciate
We have spiritual blessings offered MS i'm fbis
world which ] shall call the neither springs.
and glories in the world TO come which I shall
call the upper springs
where shall finds words enough threaded
Win light 20 set forth the pleasure Of re
hglonf David, unable 10 describe n ia words
played It on harp. Mrs Hemans. not find.
ing enough power in prose- sings that praies
40 canto. Christopher Wren, unable to de.
scribe It in language sprung IL into the
arches OF st. PauPs. John BuDvap unable
70 present Il In ordinary phrase0loov takos
ali the fascination Of allegOry Handel with
ordinary music unable to reach tho height of
inc theme, rouses II up in an oratOrio. on
bnere y no life on earth 50 happy as N realiy,
C1r6tian life. i do not mean a shan, C,hri-
tian lite, but real Christian lire. where
tnero u thorn, there is n whole garland 81
.ooes mere there Is one groan. thore ara
Three doxologies. Where there Il ono rlav ~
cloud, there is a whole season OF ernqhine
lake the humblest Christi an man That
you know-angels o. God canopy him
VIII Their white wings tho ightnings of
heaven are his armed allies: the lord r. big
Shepherd, picking out for him zreen nae
tures ~ stan waters; ifho wan, forth heaven
y ms body guard; II ho lie down 10 sIeor,
,aaoers 81 light angel bl0ssofning. ara ~
mo ne dreams; n Doe be thirsty. the p9for-
80 On heaven arc bis cup bearers. ifhe eit
s 49,. ~ loou, his plain table blooms into tl4
Ssns banquet. Men Say: "f0ok off that
angels of God cry. "Tift uo voDr bs,.t. y.
NNnfIHNffun wrHra nrT Is p.