The leader., 1889-10-26

dO AOU hIIOW Eub L see on Dn6 horizon the
f1rst gleam of the morning which shall unite
all denominations in one organization, dis
tlnguished only by the locality as in apostolic
times. 1t was then the Church of Thyatira.
and the Church of Thessalonica, and the
Church of Antioch, and the Church of Leodi-
cea. so do not know but that in thefuture
history, and not far Off either, it may be sim
ply distinction Of locality, and not of creed
as the Church of New York, the Church of
Brooklyn, the Church of Boston, the Church
of Charleston the Church of Madras, the
Church OF Constantinople, the Church of
America.
My dear brethren, we cannot afford to be
severely divided. Standing in front Of the
great foes of our common Christianity, we
want to put on the whole armor of God and
march down in solid column, shoulder to
shoulder! one commander! one triumph!
The trumpet gives martial strain
Israel! grid thee from the fight;
Arise, the combat to maintain;
Arise, and put thy foes to flight.
We also feel reinforced by the thought
that we are on the way to heaven that can
never burn down. Fires may sweep through
other cities-but 1 am glad to know that the
New Jerusalem is fireproof. There will be
no engines rushing through those streets;
there VIII be no temples consumed in that
city. Coming to the doors of that Church.
we will find them open, resonent with songs
and not cries of fire. Oh, my dear brother
huu S1SCST! IL UQlS SnOfU lane OF lie
comes up so soon to that blessed place. what
is the use of our worrying? 1 have felt a
good many times this last week like Father
Taylor, the sailor preacher. He got in a
long sentence while he was preaching one
day, and lost himself, and could not find his
way out of the sentence. He stopped and
said: Brethren, have lost the nominative
of this sentence, aud things are generally
mixed up but l am bound for the kingdom
anyhow"
And during this last week. when saw the
rushing to and fro and the excitement l said
to myself: II do not know just where we
shall start again. but I am bound for the
kingdom anyhow" 1 do not want to go
just yet want to be pastor of this people
until | am about eighty. nine years of age
but have sometimes thought that there are
such glories ahead that may be persuaded
to go little earlier-for instance, at eighty
two or three; but really think that, If we
could have an appreciation of what God has
in reserve for us, we would want to go,
stepping right out of the Academy of Music
into the clories of the skies
All that is good land. Why, they ten
me that in that land they never have heart
ache. They tell me that man might walk
i've hundred years in that land and never
SEQ a tear or hear sigh. They tell me that
our friends wao have left us and gone there
their feet are radiant as the sun, and that
they take hold of the hand of Jesus familiar
y, and that they open that hand and see in
the palm of it healed wound that must
have been very cruel before it was healed
And they tell me that there is no winter
there, and vnat they never get hungry or
cold, and that the sewing girl never wades
through the snow bank to her daily toll, and
that the clock never strikes twelve for the
night, but only twelve for the day.
See that light in the window. [ wondow
who set it there. ''Ohp you say: ''My
father that went into glory must have set
that light in the window" No; guess
again. my mother, who died fifteen Years
ago in Jesus, [ think must have set that light
There" No; guess again. You say: ''My
darling little child, that last summer l put
away for the resurrection, I think she must
have set that light there in the Window No.
guess again. Jesus set it there; and He
will keep it burning until the
day we put our finger on the
latch OF the door and go in to be at
home forever. OH when my sight gets black
In death, put on my eyelidS that sweet oint-
ment. when in the last WEAKNESS [ cannot
take another step, Just help me put my foot
on that doorsill When my ear catches no
more the voices of wife and child, let me 90
right IN, to have my deafness cured by the
stroke of the harpers whose fingers hy over
the strings with the anthems Of the free.
Heaven never burns downl The fires of
the last day, that are already kindled in the
heart of the earth, but are hidden becanse
God keeps down the hatches-those internal
fires will after while break through the
crust, and the plains, and the mountains and
the seas will be consumed, and the flames
will fling their long arms into the skies; but
all the terrorS of a burning world will do 10
more harm to that heavenly temple than the
fires of the setting sun which kindle up the
window glass of the house on yonder hill ton
cjn, DIe5sed Iand! DuJ I 90 not want TO 90
there until | see the Brooklyn Tabernacle re
built You say, "Will it be?' You might
as well ask me if the sun will rise tomorrow
morning, or if the next spring will put gar
lands on its head. You and I may not do
it-you and may not live to see it; but the
Church of God does not stand on two legs
nor on thousand legs
How did the Israelites get through the Red
Sea? 1 suppose somebody may have come
and said: ''There is no need of trying; you
will get your feet wet; you will spoil your
clothes; you will drown yourselves Who
ever heard of getting through such sea as
that" How did they get through
it2 Did they go back? No Did they
go to the right? No. Did they go to
the left? No. They went forward in
the strength of the Lord Almighty: and that
Sea. By going forward. But says some one
If we should build larger church. would
you be able with your voice to fill itF' Why.
| have been wearing myself out for the last
sixteen years in trying to keep my voice in.
Give me room where can preach the glories
of Christ and the grandeurs of heaven.
Forward We have to march on, breaking
down all bridges behind us, making retreat
impossible. Throw away your knapsack If it
impedes your march. Keep your sword arm
free. Strike for Christ and His kingdom
while you may. No people ever had better
mission than you are sent on. Prove your
selves worthy. If I am not fit to
be your leader set me aside The bright
est goal on earth that l can think
of is a country parsonage amidst the mount
aims. But am not afraid to lead you.
have some dollars; they are at your disposal
have good physical health; it is yours as
long as it lasts. 1 have enthusiasm of soul: