The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1889-01-25

some things like ourselves. / knbw,
now that they are gone, there is halo
around Their names; but they had
their faults They said and did things
they ought never to have said or done.
They were sometimes rebellious, some
times cast down. They were far from
being perfect. So suppose that when
we have gone, some things in us that
are now only tolerable may be almost
resplendent. But as they We're like us
in deficiencies, we ought to be like them
in taking a supernal Christ to make
up for the, deficits. Had it not been
for Jesus they would have all persisted;
but Christ confronted them, and said /:
III am the way" and they took it.
THE CAPrIvE's PATH UNPLEASANT.
have also to say to you that the
path that these captives trod was a
troubled path, and that David and his
men had to go over the same difficult
way. While these captives were being
taken OIL they said; "Oh, we are SO
tired; we are so sick; we are so
hungry! But the men who had
charge OF them said: "Stop this cry
ingl Go onl' David and his men
also found it hard way. They had
to travel it. Our friends have gone
into glory, and it is through much
tribulation that we are to enter into
the kingdom. How our loved ones
used to have to struggled How their
old hearts ached! How sometimes
they had a tussle for bread In our
childhood we wondered why there
were SO many wrinkles on their faces.
We did not know that what were
called ''crow's feet" on their faces were
the marks of the black raven of trou-
BILE. Did you never hear the old
people, seated by the evening stand,
talk over their early trials, their
hardships, the accidents, the burials,
the disappointments, the empty flour
barrel when there were so many hun
cry ones to feed, the sickness almost
unto death, where the next dose of
morphine decided between ghastly be-
reavement and an unbroken home cir
cle2 Oh, yesl it was trouble that
whitened their hair. It was trouble
that shook the cup in their hands.
1t was trouble that washed the
luster from their eyes with the
rain of tears until they needed
spectacles. 1t was trouble that made
the cane a necessity for their journey.
Do you never remember seeing your
old mother sitting, on some rainy day,
looking out of the window, her elbow
on the window sill, her hand to her
brow-looking out, notseeing the fall
ing shower at all (you we'll knew she
was looking into the distant pasD,
until the apron came up to her eyes,
because the memory was too much for
herr
Oft the big, unbidden tear,
Stealing down the furrowed cheek,
Told in eloquence sincere,
Tales Of woe they could not speak
But this scene of weeping oer
Past this scene of toll and pain,
They shall feel distress no more,
Never, never weep again.
"Who are these under the altars"
The question was asked; and the re-
yponse came: These are they which
came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and madesEhem
white in the blood of the Lamb Our
by q, p z.tla ~ kuto1
glory Be not surprised if we Nave to
travel the same pathway.
remark, again, if we want to win
The society of our friends in heaven,
we will not only have to travel a path |
If faith and path of tribulation, but |
we will also have to positively battle
or their companionship. David and
lis men never wanted sharp swords
md invulnerable shields and thick
so much as they wanted
hem on the day when they came
lown upon the Amalekites. If they
lad lost that battle, they never would
nave got their families back. sup
pose that one glance at their loved
mes in captivity hurled them into
he battle with ten fold courage and
mercy. They said: "We must
win it. Everything depends upon
t. Let each one take man
IN point of spear or sword. We must
win it." And / have to tell you that
between us and coming into the COM
,anionship of our loved ones who are
departed there is an Austerlitz, there
$ Gettysburg, there is Waterloo.
Var with the world, war with the
lesh, war with the devil. We have
ither to conquer our troubles, or our
roubles will conquer us. David will
ither STAY the Amalekites, or the
Amalekites will slay David And yet
5 not the fort to be taken worth all
he pain, all the peril, all the besiege-
nent9 Look who are they on the
right hills of heaven yonder9 There
hey are, those who sat at your own
able, the chair now vacant. There
hey are those whom you rocked in
infancy in the cradle, or hushed to
Ieep in your arms. There they are,
hose in whose life your life was
ound up. There they are, their brow
lore radiant than ever before you saw
!, their lips waiting for the kiss of
eavenly greeting, their cheek roseate
nth the health of eternal summer,
heir hands reckoning you up the
teep, their feet bounding with the
lirth of heaven. The pallor of their
lst sickness gone out of their face,
ever more to be sick, never more to
ough, never more to limp, never more
, be old, never more to weep. They
re watching from those heights to see
through Christ you can take that
'rt, and whether you will rush in
pom them-victors. They know that
No., th;o bofflo Jo,o,,J s nh o+bo, 100,