The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-04-11

our CATlStlanIeI2l0n. ana Lnen near
! the dying wolds Of Judge Black, a
man VIII had been attorney general
Of the United States. and who had
been secFe airy of the United States,
no stronger lawyer of the century than
Judge Black-dyilg his aged wife kneel-
ing by his side. and he uttering that
sublime and tender prayer: 20 Lord God,
from whom | derived my existence and in
whom L have always trusted. take my
spirit to thyself and let thy richest bless
ing come down upon my Mary" The
most popular book to-day is the Bible, and
the highest institution is the church, and
the greatest name among the nations. and
more honored than any other, is the name
OF Jesus.
THINGS THAT OUGHT TO MAKE PESSIMISTS
OPT IMIsTS.
Wonders of self sacrifice A clergyman
told me in the northwest that for six years
he was missionary at the extreme north,
living 400 miles from a postof1ice, and
sometimes he slept out of doors i'll winter.
the thermometer sixty and sixty five de-
gree0 below zero. wrapped in rabbit skins
woven together. | said lis it possible
You do not mean sixty and sixty five de-
grees below gro ~ He said Il do, and
| was happy" All for Christ. Where is
there any other being that will rally such
enthusiasm Mothers sewing their fin
gers off to educate their boys for the Cos
pei ministry. For nine years no luxury
on the table until the course through
grammar school and college and theologi
cal seminary be completed. Poor widow
putting her mite into the Lord 8 treasury,
the face of emperor president impressed
upon the coin not so conspicuous as the
blood with which she earned it. Millions
of good mon and women, but more women
than men, to whom Christ is everything.
Christ first and Christ last, and Christ for
ever.
Why, this age is not so characterized by
invention and scientific exploration as it
is by Gospel proclamation. You can get
NJ lea of it unless you can ring all the
church bells in one chime, and sound all
the organs in one diapson, and gather all
the congregations Of Christendon in one
Gloria in Exeelsis Mighty camp meet
ings. Mighty ocean groves. Mighty Chau-
tauuqas !. Mighty conventions of Chris
tian workers. Mighty general assemblies
of the Presbyterian church. Mighty con-
ferences of the Methodist church. Mighty
associations Of the Baptist church. Mighty
conventions of the Episcopal church. l
think before long the best investments
will not be in railroad stock or Western
Union, but in trumpets and cymbals and
feStal decorations, for we are Oh the eve
of victories wide and world uplifting.
There may be many years of hard work
yet before the conSuM nation, but the
signs are to me so encouraging that |
would not be unhelieving if [ saw the
wing Of the apocalyptc- angel spread for
its last triumphal flight in this day sun
set; or if to morrow morning the ocean
cables should thrill US with the news that
Christ the Lord had alighted on Mount
Ohvet or Mount Calvary to proclaim uni~
versal dominion.
y you dead churches. wake up! Throw
back the shutters of stiff ecclesiasticism
and let the light of the spring morning
come in. Morning for the land. Morning
for the sea. Morning of emancipation
Morning of light and love and peace.
Morning Of a day IN which there shall be
no chains to break, no SORROWS to assuage,
no despotism to shatter, no woes TO COM
passionate. 0 Christ, descend Scared
temple, take the crown Bruised hand,
take the scepter! Wounded foot, step the
throne! Thine is the kingdom"
THE GRAND CENTRAL DEPOT OF THE
MILLENNIUM.
These things |. say because l want you
to be watching all these wonders unrolling
from the heavens and the earth. God has
classified them, whether calamitous or
pleasing. The divine purposes are har-
messed in the traces that cannot break,
and in girths that cannot loosen and are
driven by reins they must answer. l
preach no fatalism. A swarthy engineer
at one of the depots in Dakota said:
when will you get on the locomotive and
take ride with ua?'' "Wen," ! said,
NOW if that suits your" So got on one
side the locomotive, and a Methodist min
lister, who was also invited, got on the
other side, and between US were the engi-
neer and the stoker. The train staI ted.
The engineer had his hand on the agitated
pulse of the great engine. The stoker
-shoveled in he coal and shut the door with
a loud claDg, a vast plain slipped under
us and the hills swept by. and that great
monster on which we rode trembled and
bounded and snorted and ragged as it hurled
US on. | said to the Methodist minister
on the other side the LOCOMOTIVES: "My
brother, why should Presbyterians and
Methodists quarrel about the DEGREES and
free agency? You see that track, that
firm track. that iron track; that is the
decree, You see this engineers arm?
That is free agency. How beautifully
they work together. They are going to
take US through. We could not do with
out the track, and we could not do without
the engineer So rejoice day by day.
Work for Us all to do, and we may turn
the crank Of the Christian machinery this
way or that. for we are free agents; but
there is the track laid so long ago no one
[Conelu1ed on fourth page,l
- -.