Milford chronicle., 1889-11-08

your dilcnof-
But you must have sails. Vessels are not
fit for the sea until they have the flying
jib, the foresail, the topgallant, the skysail,
the gaffsail and other canvas Faith is our
canvas. Hoist it and the winds Of heaven
will drive you ahead Sails made out of any
other canvas than faith will be slit to tatters
by the first northeaster. Strong faith never
lost battle. It viii crush foes, blast rocks,
quench lightnings, thresh mountains 1t is a
shield to the warrior, a crank to the most
ponderous wheel, lever TO pry up pyramids,
a drum whose beat gives strength to the step
Of the heavenly soldiery, and sails to wait
ships laden with priceless pearls from the
harbOr of earth to the harbor Of heaven.
But you are not yet equipped. You must
have what seamen call the running rigging.
This comprises the ships braces, halliards,
clew lines and such like. Without these the
yards could not be hraced, the sails lifted nor
the canvas in anywise managed We have
prayer for the running rigging. Unless you
understand this taclzling you are not a spirit
ual seaman. By pulling on these ropes you
hoist the sails of faith and turn them every
whittier. The prov Of courage will not cut
the wave, nor the sail of faith spread and
Gap its wing, unless you have strong prayer
for halliard.
One more arrangement and you will be
ready for the sea. You must have a compass
which is the Bible. Look at it every day,
and always sail by it, as its needle points to
ward the Star Of Bethlehem. Through fog
and darkness and storm it works faithfully.
Search the Scriptures BOX the compass"
Let me give you two or three rules for the
voyage. Allow your appetites and passions
only an under deck passage Do not allow
them ever to come up on the promenade
deck. Mortify your members which are upon
the earth. Never allow your lower nature
anything better than a steerage passage. Let
watchfulness walk the decks as an armed
sentinel, and shoot down with great prompt
ness anything like a mutiny of riotous appe
tites
Be sure to look out Of the forecastle for ice
bergs. These are cold Christians floating
about in the church. The frigid zone profes-
sors viii sink you. Steer clear Of icebergs.
Keep a log book during all the vOyage-an
account Of how many furlongs you make a
day. The merchant keeps day book as well
as a ledger. You ought to know every night,
as well as every year, how things are going.
When the express train stops at the de
pot you hear a hammer sounding on all the
wheels, thus testing the safety Of the rail
train. Bound, as we are, with more than ex
press speed toward a great eternity, ought
we not often to try the work of self examina,
tiona
Be sure to keep your colors upl You know
the ships of England, Russia. France and
Spain by the ensigns they carry. Sometime:
it is lion, sometimes an eagle, sometimes a
star, sometimes a crown. Let 1t ever be
known who you are, and for what port you
are bound. Let Christian be written or
the very front, with a figure Of a cross, q
crown and dove; and from the masthead
let float the streamers of Emmanuel Then
the pirate vessels Of temptation will pass you
uhharmed as they say; There goes a Chris
tian, bound for the port of heaven. We will
not disturb her, for she has too many gun;
aboard" Run up your flag ON this pulley
Il am not ashamed Of the gospel of Christ
for it is the power Of God and the wisdom OF
God unto salvation When driven back, OF
laboring under great stress of weather-now
changing from starboard tack to larbOard,
and then from larboard to starboard-lOoB
above the topgallants and your heart shall
beat like war drum as the Streamers float
on the wind. The sign of the cross will make
you patient, and the crown will make you
glad.
THE VOYAGE TO ETERNITY.
Before you gain port you will smell the
land breezes Of heaven; and Christ, the Pilot
will meet you as you come into the Marrow.
of Death, and fasten TO you, and say: "Wher
thou passest through the waters, l will be
with thee; and through the rivers, they shall
not overflow thee.n Are you ready for such
a voyagei Make up your minds. The gang
planks are lifting. The bell rings. AL
aboard for heavenl This world is not yOuI
rest. The chaffinch is the silhest bird in all
the earth for trying TO make its nest on the
rocking billow Oh how l wish that as EN-.
bark for the Holy Land in the east, all to
whom l preach by tongue or type would en-
bark for heaven. What you all most need is
God, aud you need him now. Some Of you
leave in trouble. Things are going very
rough with you. You have had a hard
struggle with poverty, or sickness or perse
cution or bereavement. Light after light has
gone out and it is so dark that you can
hardly see any blessing left. May that Jesus
who comforted the widow of Main, and raised
the deceased to life, with his gentle hand Of
sympathy wipe away your tears. All Is well.
When David was fleeing through tho will
derness, pursued by his own son, he was be-
ing prepared to become the sweet singer OF
Israel. The pit and the dungeon were the
best schools at which Joseph ever graduated.
The hurricane that upset the tent and killed
Jobs children prepared the man Of Uz to
write the magnificent poem that has as
founded the ages. There is no way to get
the wheat out Of the straw but to thresh it.
There is no way to purify the gold but to
burn it. Look at the people who have al
ways had it their own way. They are proud,
discontented, useless and unhappy. II you
want to find cheerful folks, go among those
who have been purified by the fire After
Rossini had rendered william Telln the five
hundredth time, company Of musicians
came under his window in Paris and sere-
naded him. They put upon his brow golden
crown Of laurel leaves But amidst all the
applause and enthusiasm Rossini turned to a
friend and said: Il would give all this brill
liant scene for few days Of youth and love.
Contrast the melancholy feeling Of Rossini,
who had everything that this world could
give him, to the joyful experience Of Isaac
Watts, whose misfortlnes were mnumerable,
when he says;
The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heavenly fields
Or walk the golden streets.
Then let our songs abound,
And every tear be dry;
We're marching through Immanuels
ground
To fairer worlds on high
II is prosperity that kills and trouble shat
saves. While the Israelites were on the
march, amidst great privations and hard
ships, they behaved well. After awhile, they
prayed for meat, and the sky darkened with
a large flock Of quails, and these quails fell in
great multitudes all about them; and the Is
raelites ate and ate, and stuffed themselves
until they died. Obi my friends, it is not
hardship, or trial, or starvation that Injuries
the soul, but abundant supply. 1t is not the
vulture of trouble that eats up the Chris
tian's 4ife; it is the quailsl 1t is the quails
cannot leave you until once more con-
fess my faith in the Saviour whom have
preached. He is my all in all. owe more
to the grace Of God than most men. With