Democratic messenger., 1889-07-06


God il We want him Ia bc our friend.
We cannot treat Christ badly all our
ives and expect him to treat us loving
y. ! was reading Of sea fight, in
which Lord Nelson captured French
officer. aud when the French officer Of
Tered Lord Nelson his hand, Nelson re-
Piled: First give me your sword, and
Then give me your hand" Surrender
of our resistance 10 God must prcccdc
Gods proiIcr Of pardon Ia us. Re
pentance before forgiveness. You
must give up your rcbcllious sword
before you can get a grasp of the
divine hand.
IT Is GOOD To HAVE GODS FRIEND
SHIP.
o. what "a glorious state Of things to
have the friendship of God. Why, We
could afford Ia have all the world
sgainst Us and all other worlds against
us if W, had God for us. He could in
q minute blot out this universe, aud
in another minute make better mi.
verse lave no idea that God I: |
harl when he made all things lac
most brilliant thing known to us is
light. and for the creation of that he
only used II worl of command. As
out 81 Hint u frontiersiilan strikes n
spark. so out of one word God struck
the uoOn,lay sun. For the making of
the present universe ] do not read that
God lifted so much MS finger. The
Bible frequently speaks Of God's hand.
and Gods arm. and Gods shoulder.
and Gods foot; then suppose he
Astt. ...t
shoulder and foot To utmost ten.
sion. what could h. not makei That
God, Of such demonstrated and un.
demonstrated strength. you may have
for your present aud everlasting
friend. But stately and rrticcnt
friend, harl Ia get ut. but as approach
able as "A country mansion an u sum
mcr day when all The doors and win.
dows are wide open. Christ said: Il
am the door" And he il wide door.
high door. n palace door. an always
open door. Ny four.ycar-old child
got hurt and did not cry until hours
after. when her mother came home.
and then she burst into weeping. and
some Of the domcsiics. not understand
Ing human nature. said to her: why
did you not Cry before" She answer
cd: There was no one To cry To.
Now have 10 tell you that while lu
man sympathy may I've absent. divine
sympathy is always accessible. Give
God your love and get his love;
your service and secure his help;
your repentance and have his
pardon. God friend. Why.
that means all your wounds mcdi
Gated. all your sorrows soothcd
and il some sudden catastrophe should
hurl you ont Of earth il would only
hurl you into heaven II God is your
friend, YOU cannot go out of the world
too quickly or suddenly. 50 far as your
own happiness is concerned. There
were two Christians last Tuesday who
entered heaven; the one WAS standing
at window in perfect health watch.
ing shower. and the lightning in
sian,ly slew him; but the lightning
did not flash down the sky as swiftly
ns his spirit flashed upward The
/ Christian man who died ON the
same day next door had been for
year or two failing in health, and
for the last three months had
suffered from disease that made the
nights slecplcss and the days an an.
guish. Do you not really think that
the case Of the one who went instantly
was more desirable than the one who
entered the shining gate through
long lane Of Insomnia and congcsiioni
In the one case il was like y-.,r, stand.
ing wcarily ut door. knoch and
waiting. and wondering il il Mi ever
open. and knocking and waiting again,
while in the other ease il was u swing
ing open of the door nj the first touch
uf your knucklc. Give your friend
shin Ia God. and have Gods friendship
for you. and even the worst accident
will bc victory.
IIUM:S FRIENDSHIP REFRESHING
How refreshing is human friend
,hip. aud true friends. what priceless
treasures When sickness comes. aud
trouble comes. and death comes wc
snl inr oar friends iiiSi of all. and
their apInG.Iglinr in OIr doorway in
amy crisis = enforcement. and when
;hrv have entered. We say Now il
- Ill ri"lIt,' Oh. what would We do
without friends. p I>plG,l friends. bIsi.
mess friends. family friends: But We
want something niigliler than human
friendship in the great exigcmcics.
When jonathan Edwards in his final
hour ha,l given the laS, g,od-by to all
his earthly friends. lac turned on his
pillow and closed his eyes confident.
Is saying: Now where is Jesus
uf Nazareth. my true and never
failing fricnd!" Yes, admire
human friendship as seen ia the case
of David and Jonathan. Of Paul and
Oncsiplorus. of !Icr,lcr and Goethe.
of Goldsmith aud Reynolds. of Bcau
mont and Fletcher. of Cowlcy and
Harvey. of Erasmus and Thomas
More. of lcssing and Mcndclssolin. Of
Indy Churchill and Princess Anne. Of
Orsics and Pylatles each requesting
that himself might take the point Of
the dagger 81 the other might bc
spared. Of Elmininon,lns aud Pclopidns.
who locked their shields in battle de
icrmincd To die together. but the
grandcsi. the mighiicSt. the icndcrcst
friendship in all the universe is the
friendship between Jesus Christ
and believing soul. Yet after
all | have said | feel have only
done what james Marshall. the
miner. did in iSiS in California. be
fore lis gold mines were known.
lie reached in aud put upon the table
Of his employer. Capt. Sutton. thin
blcfnl of gold dust. Where did you
get ihati" said his employer. The ~.
ply was: Il got il this morning from,
mill race from which the water had
been drawn oil. Bu; that gold dust
which could have been taken up he
tween the finger and the thumb was
the prophecy and specimen that re
vcalcd CALIFORNIA; wealth la ali nn.
iions. And today have only put lc.
fore YOU II specimen of the value Of
divine friendship. only thimblcful
of mines incNlrauSiible and infinite,
though all time aud all eternity "a
nn with the exploration.
4 club manager was arrested IN Lon
don on charge oi stealing $50 unl'
L.. saN