The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-03

the Rock Of Ages! Take up one cup of that
spring water. and across the top of the
chalice will float the delicate shadows Of the
heavenly wall, the yellow Of Jasper, the
green of emerald, the blue Of sardonyx, the
tire Of jacinth.
wish could make you understand the
Joy religion is to some OF US. It makes
nan happy while he lives, and glad when he
dies. With two feet upon a chair and burst
ing with dropsies, heard an old man in the
poor house cry out: BLESS the Lord, oh my
soulr' looked around and said: What
has this man got to thank God for2' 1t
makes the lame man leap like the hart, and
the dumb sing. They say that the old Puri-
tan religion is a juiceless and ioyless relig-
ion; but remember reading Of DR.. Goodwin,
the celebrated Puritan, who, in his last mo-
abides in strength. I am swallowed up in
God.'' Her ways are ways OF 2leasantness,
and all her. paths are peace" o, you who
have been trying to satisfy yourselves 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 notlike to have Jesus
Christ bend over your cradle and bless your
table and heal your wounds, and strew flow
ers Of consolation all up and down the
graves of your deads
'Tis religion that can give
Sweetest pleasures While we livV;
'Tis 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 iand;" not only that, but the neither
springs; not only that, but the upper
springs. O, God, my Father, thank Thee
that Thou hast given me ''south land" in
this world, and the neither springs Of spirit
ual comfort in this world; but, more than
all, thank Thee for the upper springs in
Heaven.
1t is very fortuate we can not see Heaven
until we get into it o, Christian man, if
you could see what a 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. am glad ]
shall not see that world until enter it. Sup
pose we wers allowed to 80 on an excursion
into that good land with the idea Of return
ing. 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 COM
ing 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 violence to put Us out of that world
if once we got there. But as people who can
not afford to pay for an entertainment
sometimes come around it and look through
the door aiar, 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
8 glimpse Of it. We come near enough to
hear the rambling Of the eternal orchestra,
though not near enough to know who blows
the cornet or who fingers the harp. Ny 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 be-
meath the altar of the temple; another at
the door Of the ''house Of many mansions"
Upper springs Of gladness! Upper springs
oflight! Upper springs of flove!'Itis is fancy
C.
the throne shall lead them to living foun-
tains of water" o, Saviour divine, roll in
upon our souls one Of those anticipated rap
lures! Pour around the roots Of the parched
tongue one drop Of that liquid life! Toss be-
fore our vision those fountains OF God, rain
bowed with eternal victory. Hear it. They
are never sick there; not so much rs head,
ache, or twinge rheumatic, or thrust neu-
ralgic. The inhabitant never says: II am
sick" They are never tired there.
Flight to farthest world is only
the play Of holiday. They never
sin there. 1t is as easy for them to be holy
as it is for US to sin. They never die there.
You might 20 through all the outskirts Of
the great city and find not one place where
the ground was broken for. a grave. The
eyesisht Of the redeemed is never blurred
with tears. There is health in every cheek.
There is spring IN every foot. There's mai.
esty in 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 a fatal acci
dent, they cry: ''Good he is comingp' And
when we stand around the couch Of some
loved one (whose strength is going away
and we shake our heads forbodingly, they
cry: 81 am glad he is worse; he has been
down there long enough. There, he is
dead! Come home! Come homew o, If
we could only get our ideas about that
future world uutwistcd our thought Of
transfer from here to there would be as
pleasant to US as it was to little child
that was dying. She said: Papa, when
will 60 homer And he said: ITO day,
Florence" ITO day. So soon? am so gladp
I wish could stimulate you with these
thoughts, oh Christian man, to the highest
possible oxhilaration. The day Of your de-
liverancc is coming, is coming. 1t is roll
ing on with the shining wheels OF the day
and the jet wheels Of the night. Every
thump Of the heart is only q hammer stroke
striking off another chain of clay. Better
scour the deck aud coil the rope, the harbor
Is only six miles away Jesus VIII con
down in the ssNarrows' to meet you. Now
is your salvation nearer than when you
believed.
Unforgiven man, unpardoned man, will
YOU not to day make choice between these
two portions, between the south land' Of
this world which slopes to the desert, and
this glorious land which thy Father offers
thee, running with eternal water courses'
Why let your tongue be consumed with
thirst when there are the neither springs
and the upper springs, comfort here and
glory hereafter!
Let me tell you, my dear Brother, that the
silliest and wickedest thing man ever does
is to reject Jesus Christ. The loss OF the
soul is 4 mistake that can not be corrected.
| It is a downfall that knows no alienation;
it is ruin that is remediless; it IS sick
| ness that has no medicament; it is a grave
into which man goes but never comes out.
Therefore, putting my hand on yourshoulder
as one brother put his hand on the shoulder
of a brother, say this day, be manly and
surrender your heart to Christ. You have
been long enough serving the world; now
begin to serve the LORD who bought you
You have tried long enough to carry these
burdens; let Jesus Christ put his shoulder
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