The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-04-17

or that, for we are free agents; but there ls
| the track laid so long ago no one remembers
it, laid by the hand Of Almighty God in SOCK
cts that no terrestrial or satanic pressure can
ever affect. And along that track the car OF the
worlds redemption will roll and roll to the
Grand Central Depot of the Millennium. l
have no anxiety about the track. am only
afraid that for our Incidence God will dis
charge US and get some other stoker and some
other engineer The train is going through
with us or without us. So, my brethren.
watch all the events that are going by. Ii
things seem to turn out right, give wings TO
your Joy. If things seem to turn out wrong,
throw out the anchor of faith and hold fast.
| There is q house in London where Peter
the Great of Russia lived awhile when he
was moving through the land lncognito
and in workman's dress, that he might
learn the wants of the people. A stranger
was visiting at that house recently, and
saw in dark attic an old box, and he said
to the owner Of the house: Whats in
that box:" The owner said, II don't
know: that box was there when got the
house and it was there when my father got
it. We haven't had any curiosity to look at
| it: guess there's nothing in it," "Wen," !"
said the stranger. ''Ill give you two pounds
for it," "Well done" The two pounds are
paid, and recently the contents Of that box
were sold to the Car of Russia for fifty thou
sand dollars. In it the lathing machine of
Peter the Great, his private letters and docu-
| ments Of value beyond all momentary con-
sideration. And here are the events that
seem very insignificant and unimportant, but
they increase treasures of Divine Providence
and eternties of me ming which after while
God will demonstrate before the ages as being
of stupendous value. As near as can tell
from what l see, there must be God some
where about.
aims: but who owns these gigantic forces you
have been reading about the last two omonths?
Whose hand is on the throttle valve of the
volcanoes? Whose foot suddenly planted on
the footstool makes the continents quiver?
God! God! He looketh upon the mountains
and they tremblc. He toucheth the hills and
they smoke God! Godl I must be at
Christ this God is mine and He is yours. |
put the earthquake that shook Palestine at
the crucifxion against all the down rockings
of the centuries. This God ON our side, we
NAV challenge all the centuries of time and
all the cycles of eternity.
Those of us VINO are in mid-life may well
thank God that we have seen so many Won
drous things; but there are people here to-
day who will see the Twentieth century.
Things obscure to us will be plain to you yet.
The Twentieth century will be as far ahead
of the Nineteenth as the Nineteenth is ahead
of the Eighteenth, and as you carl
cature the habits and customs and ig-
norance of the past, others will Carl
cature this age. Some Of you may live to see
the shimmering veil between the material
and the spiritual world lifted. Magnetism,
word with which we cover up our ignorance,
will yet be an explored realm. Electricity,
Franklin lassoed and Morse and Bell and
Edison have tried to control, will be-
come completely manageable, and
locomotion will pe swiftened, and
a world of practical knowledge thrown in
upon the race Whether we depart in this
century, or whether we see the open gates of
more wonderful century, we will see these
things. 1t does not make much difference
where we stand, but the higher the stand
point the larger the prospect. We will see
them from heaven if we do not see
them from earth. was at Fire Island,
Long Island, and I went up in the cupola
from which they telegraph to New York the
approach of vessels hours before they como
into port. There is al opening in the wall,
and the operator puts his telescope through
that opening and looks out and sees vessels
far out at sea. While l was talking with
him he went up and looked out. He said:
I'VE are expecting the Arizona tonight
I said: "Is it possible you know all
those vessels? Do You know them as you
know q mans face!" He said: eyes, Inever
make a mistake; before l see the hulks l
often know them by the masts; know them
all, have watched them so long" Oh, what
q grand thing it is to have ships tele-
graphed and heralded long before they
come to port, that friends may come
down to the wharf and welcome their long
absent loved ones So to-day we take our
stand in the watch tower and we look off
| and through the glass of inspiration or
| Providence we look OF and see a whole fleet
of ships coming in. That is the ship Of
Peace, flag with one star of Bethlehem
floating above the top gallants. That is the
ship of the church, mark of salt wave
high up on the smoke stack, showing
she has had rough weather, but the Captain
of salvation commands her and all is well
with her. The ship of heaven, mightiest
craft ever launched, millions of passengers
waiting for millions more. prophets and
apostles and martyrs in the cabin, con-
| uuerers at the foot of the mast while
| from the rigging hands are waving this
way as they knew us, and we wave
| back again, for they are ours; they went out
| from our own households. Ours! Hail! Hail!
| Put off the black and put on the white. Stop
| tolling the funeral bell and ring the wedding
| anthem Shut up the hearse and take the
chariot Now, the ship comes around the
great headland Soon she will strike the
wharf and we will go aboard her. Tears for
ships going out. Laughter for ships coming
in. Now she touches the wharf. Throw on the
planks. Block not up that gangway with
embracing long lost friends, for you will
| give way until other millions come OH. Fare.
we'll to SIN Farewell to struggle. Farewell
to sickness. Farewell to death. All aboard
| for heaven!