The Russellville Democrat., 1889-01-31
more bravelyi Remember that every inch vs., rrayy y,,,ta voy1 ss, much farther on t0-

1 more bravelyl Remember that every iuch you gain puts you so much farther on to- I ward that heavenly reunion 4 I If this morning while speak you could l hear the cannonade of foreign navy, l coming through the ''Narrows, (which was 1 to despoil our city, and if they really should succeed in carrying our families away from us, how long would we take 1 before we resolved to go after themy Every weapon, whether fresh from l Springfield or old and rusty in the garret, would be brought out; and we would urge on, and, coming in front of the foe, we would look at them, and then look at
 our families, and the cry would be-:
 avictory or Death' and when the | take the captors' on the point of | the bayonet or under the breech 1 of the gun. If you would make such a
 struggle for the getting back of your earthly friends, will you not make as | much struggle for the gaining of the eternal companionship of your Heavenly 1 friends' Oh, yes we must loin them. | We must sit in their holy society. We must sing with them the song. We must celebrate with them the triumph. Let it never be told on earth or in Heaven that | David and his men pushed out with braver
 hearts for the getting back of their earth | ly friends for few years on earth than we to get our departed!
 | Ton say that all this implies that our | departed Christian friends are alive. | Why, have you any idea they were dead? | They have only moved. If you should go | on the 2d of May to the house where one of your friends lived, and found him gone, you would not think that he was dead. You would inquire next door l where he had moved to. Our departed l Christian friends have only taken another
 house. The secret is that they are richer now than they once were, and can afford | better residence. They once drank out | of earthenware; they now drink from the Kings chalice. Joseph is yet alive" !" and Jacob will go up and see him. Living? Are they? Why, if man live in this damp, dark dungeon of earthly captivity, | can he not live where he breathes the bracing atmosphere of the mountains of
 Heaven? Oh, yes; they are living.
 | Do you think that Paul is so near dead now as he was when he was living in tn @ Roman dungeonf Do you think that Fred | erick Robertson, of Brighton, is as near dead now as he was when, year after yeas, he slept seated on the chair, because he could find ease in no other position? Do you think that Robert Hall is as near dead
 now as when, on his couch, he tossed in physical tortures? No. Death gave them the few black drops that cured them. That is all death does to a ristian--cured him. 1 know that what have said im- plies that they are living. There is no question about that. The only question | this morning is whether you will ever join them.
 But must not forget those two hundred
 men who tainted by the brook of Besor. They could not take step farther. Their feet were sore: their heads ached; their entire nature was exhausted. Besides
 that they were broken hearted because their homes were gone. Ziklag in ashes ! And yet David, when he comes up to them, divides the spells among them. He says
 they shall have some of the jewels, some
 of the robes, some of the treasures. look over this audience this morning, and find at least two hundred who have tainted by the brook Besor-the brook of tears.
 You feel as if you could not take another step farther as though you could never look up again.
 But I am going to initiate David, and divide among you some glorious trophies.
 Here is a robe: "All things work together for good, to those who love God" Wrap yourself in that glorious promise. Here
 is for your neck a strings of pearls, made
 out of crystalized tears: "Weeping may endure for night but joy cometh in the
 morning." Here is a coronet; Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee
 crown of life." o, ye fainting ones by the
 brook Besor, dip your blistered feet in
 the running stream of Gods mercy.
 Bathe your brow at the wells of salvation.
 Soothe your wounds with the balsam that exudes from trees of life. God will not
 utterly cast you off, o broken hearted man, o broken hearted woman, fainting
 by the brook Besor.
 A shepherd finds that his musical pipe
 is bruised. He says: "I can't get any more music out of this instrument, so I will just break it and I will throw this reed away. Then I will get another reed and 1 will play music on that" But God says He will not cast you off because all the music has gone out of your soul.
 ''The bruised reed Hewin not break"
 As far as l can tell the diagnosis of your disease you want Divine nursing, and it is
 promised you: "As one whom his moth- CT comforteth so will I comfort your God will see you all the way through, 0 troubled soul, and when you come down to the Jordan of death you will find it to
 be as thin brook as Besor, for Dr. Rob- inson says that in April Besor dries up and there is no brook at all. And in your last moment you will be as placid as the Kentucky minister who went up to God, saying, in the dying hour: Write to my sister Kate, and tell her not to be worried and frightened about tho story of the horrors around the death
 bed. Tell her there is not a word of truth in it; for I am there now, and Jesus is with me, and I find it very happy way; l am nothing but poor, miserable sin ner; but have an Almighty Saviour, and
 both of His arms are around me-"
 May God Almighty, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, bring us into the companionship of our loved ones who have already entered the Heavenly land and entered the presence of Christ, whom, not having seen, we love, and so David shall recover all, land as His part is that goeth down to the battle, SO shall His part be that tarrieth by the stuff."
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