The Forrest City times., 1889-12-28

grass of the tomb. poverty may como to her, betrayal to her, bereavement to her. Keep back tho sorrows as long as you can. Do you not know that son may, after a while, have his heart broken. stand between him and all harm. You may not fight his battles long; fight them while you may. Throw not the chill of your own despondency over his soul; rather be like Jesus, who camo to the wedding hiding his own grief and kind ling tho joys of others So have seen tho sun. on dark day, struggling amidst clouds, black, ragged and portentlous, but after . while the sun, with golden pry, hcaved back the blackness; and tho sun laughed to ths lake, and the lake laughed to tho sun, and from horizon to horizon, under tho saffron sky, the water was all turned into wine.
 learn from this miracle that Christ is not impatient with the luxurics of life. It was not necessary that they should have that wine. Hundreds of people have been married without any wino Wedo not read that any of tho other provisions fell short. When Christ made the wine it was not a necessity, but positive luxury. do not believe that he wants us to cat hard broad and sleep on hard mat tresses, unless we liko thom the best think, if circumstances will allow, we have a right to the luxuries of dress, the luxuries of diet and the luxu- ries of residence. There Is no more reli. zion in an old coat than in new one. We can serve God drawn by golden plated harness certainly as when we go a- foot, Jesus Christ will dwell with us under fine cciling as well as under matched roof; and when you can get wine made out of water, drink as much of it as you can.
 What is the difference between a Chinese mud hovel and an American homel What is the difference between the rough bear skins of the Russian boor and the outfit of an American gentleman, No difference, except that which the Gospel of Christ directly or indirectly. has caused. When Christ shall have vanquished all the world, l suppose every houso will be mansion, and evury garment robe, and every horse m arch -necked coursen and every carriage Il glittering vehtcle and every man king, and every woman queen, and the whole earth paradise; the glories of the natural world harmonizing with tho glories of tho ma terial world, until tho very bells of tho horses shall jingle the praises of the Lord.
 learn, further. from this miracle, that Christ has no impationce with fcstal joy, otherwise he would not have accepted tho invitation to that wedding. He certainly would not have done that which increasei the hilarity There may have been many in that room who were happy, but thero was not one of them that did so much for the joy of the wedding party as Christ him self. He was the chief of the banlueters. When the wine gave out, ho supplied it; and so, take it he will not deny us tho joys that are positively fostal.
 think the children of God have moro right 10 laugh than any other people, and to clap their hands as loudly. There is not a single joy denied them that is given to any other people. Christianity does not clip tho wings of tho soul. Religion does not frost the flowers. What is Christianity tako It to be simply n proclamation from tho throne of God of emancipation for all the en- slaved and if n man accept tho terms of that proclamation, and becomes free has he not right to be merrys Suppose father has an elegant mansion and large grounds To whom will he give tho first privilege of these groundst Will he say; My chil. dren, you must not walk through thcse paths, or sit down under these trees, or pluck this fruit These arc for outsiders. They may walk in them.h No father would say anything like that He would say, "The first privileges in all the grounds, and all of my house. shall be for my own children.n And ye, men try to make Us believe that Gods children arc on tho limits, and tho chief refreshments and cnjoyments of lifo are for outsiders. and not for his own children. It is stark atheism. There is no innocent beverage too rich for Gods child 10 drink; therc is no robe too costly for him to wear there Is no hilarity too great for him to indulge in, and no house too splendid for him to 1.-Two in. He has right to the joys of earth; he shall have right to the Joys of heaven. Though tribuation, and trial, and hardship may come unto him. let him rejoice. "Re ioice in tho Lord ye righteous, and again l say, rejoicc.n
 remark again that Christ comes 10 us in tho hour of our extremity. He know the wine was giving out before there was any embarrassment or modification. Why did he not preform the miracle soonori Why wait until it was all gone, and no help could come from any source, and then come in and perform tho mriolai This is Chirst's way; and when he did come in, al the hour of extremity. he made first rate wine, so that they cried out: Thou hast kept tho good wine until now" Jesus in the hour of cxtrimetyl He seems 10 perfer that hour.
 You mourncd over your sins You could not find the way out You sat down and said: "God will not be mercisul Hc has cast me off;' but in that tho darkest hour of your history, light broke from tho throne and Jesus said; 70 wandcrer, como home l have seen all my sorrows In this, tho hour of thy extremity, offer thee pardon and everlasting lifeln
 Trouble came You wcro almost torn to pieces by that trouble. You braccd your- self up against IL You said; Il will be s,oc, and will not care. .n but before you had got through making the resolution, 1t broke down under you. You felt that al your resources were gone and when Jesus came. "In the fourth watch of the night" the Bible says, Jesus came walking on the sea- Why did he not come In the first watch or in tha second watch, or in tho third watchi do not know. He came m the fourth, and gave deliyerance to his disciples Jesus in the last cxtremityl
 l wonder If it will be so in our very las. extremity. We shall fall suddenly sick, and doctors will come but in vain. We will try the anoaynes and the stimulsnts and the bathings, but all in vain. Some- thing will say; "You must go" No one to hold us back. but the hands of eternity stretched out to pull us on. What theni Jesus will come to us, and as we say, "Lord Jesus, l am afraid of that water; l cannot wade through to tho other sue, he Wut say, "lake hotu of my arm;" and we will taKc hold Of his arm, and then he will put his foot in the surf oi tho wave taking us on down deeper, deeper. deeper, and our soul will cry All thy waves and pillows have gone over me" They cover tho feet como 10 the knee pass the girdle and come to the hcad, and our soul cries out; Lord Jesus Christ cannot hold thine arm any long CT" Then Jesus will turn around throw both his arms about us, aud set us on the beach, far beyond the tossing Of the bil- lows. Jesus is the last extremity.
 That wedding scene Is gone now Tho wedding ring has becn losl tho tankards have been broken, tha house is down; but Jesus invites Us to grander wedding. You know the Bible says that tho Church is the Lambs wife and tho Lord will after awhile come 10 fetch her home There will be gleamng Of torches in tho sky, and eka <y H.f ...Efa