The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-07-03

myself looking through the wickets of
prison. I see face SCARED with every
crime. His chin on his open palm, his elbow
on his knee-a picture Of despair. AS
open the wicket he starts, and hear his
chain clank. The Jail keeper tells me that
he has been in there now three times. First
for theft, then for arson, now for murder
He steps upon the trap door, the rope is fas
tened to his neck, the plank falls, his body
swings into the air, his soul swings of into
eternity. Who is he, and where is he! To-
DAY playing kite on tho city commons
Mother, you are to-day hosting throne or
forging chain-you are kindling q star
or digging dungeon.
A good many years ago Christian mother
sat teaching lessons Of religion to her child
and he drank in those lessons. She never
knew that Lxmphier would come forth and
establish the Fulton street prayer meeting,
and by one meeting revolutionize the devo-
tions of the whole earth, and thrill the
eternities with his Christian influence.
Lamphier said it was his mother who
brought him to Jesus ChrisA She never
had an idea that she was le$djag forth
such destinies. But, On, when I Neee q
mother reckless of her influence. ,raIttling
on toward destruction, garlandea. foE the
sacrifice It'll unseemly mirth ma god
lessnesf yly tripping o.. dowhrto ruin,
taking III hildren in the same direction, I
can not but say: There they 90, there
they go gar and Ishmaelin tell you
there are Yer deserts that Beersheba in
many Of domestic circles of this day.
Observation-Disclosures leading dissipated chill
dren. Avaricious parents leading avari-
cious children. Prayerless parents leading
prayerless children. They go through every
street, up every dark alley, into every cellar,
along every highway. Hagar alA Ishmaeli
and while pronounce their names, it seems
like the moaning Of the death wind-Hsgar
and Ishmaell
learn one more lesson from this Oriental
scene, and that is, that every wilderness
has a well in it. Hagar and Ishmael gave
up to die. Hagar's heart sank within her
as she heard her child crying: "Water!
water! waterr "Ah," she says, tiny dar-
ling, there is no water. This is desert"
And then Gods angel said from the cloud:
"What sileth thee, Hagara" And she
looked up and saw him pointing to well Of
water where she filled the bottle for the
lad. Blessed be God that there is in every
wilderness a well, If you only know how to
find it-mountains for all these thirsty souls
to-day. "On that last day, on that great
| day Of the feast Jesus stood and cried: 'If
any man thirst, let him come to me and
drink" All these other fountains you find
are mere mirages in the desert. Paracelsus,
you know, spent his time in trying to find
out the elixir of life-a liquid which, If
taken, would keep one perpetually young in
this world, and would change the aged back
again to youth. OF course, he was disap-
pointed; he found not the elixir. But here
| tell you to- day of the elixir of everlasting
life bursting from the "Rock of Ages" and
that drinking that water you shall never
get old, and you will never be sick, and
you will never die. "Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come We to the waters" All,
here is man who says: ~ have been
| looking for that fountain great while,
but can't find it." And here is some
one else who says: II believe all you
say, but have been trudging along in the
wilderness, and can't find the fountain. v
Do you know the reasons will tell you
You never looked in the right direction
"O,n you say, have looked every where.
have looked north, south, east and west, and
] haven't found the fountain" Why, YOU
are not looking in the right direction at all
Lookup where Hagar looked. She never
YNSS,id RsSe foasissA the 1untaiR\ at al, Bd1
| when she heard the voice Of the angdrh
looked up, and she saw the finger pointing
I to the supply. And 0, soul, if to-day, with
one earnest, intense prayer you would only
Look up to Christ, he would point you down
to the supply in the wilderness. "Leok
unto Me all We ends Of the earth, and be We
saved; for l am God, and there is none
else.n Look! look as Hagar looked.
Yes, there is well for every desert OF q,
reavement. Looking over the audience t.
day notice signs Of mourning Have you
found consolationl o man beret, Owoman
bereft, have you found cons olatic}s Heqyse
after hearse. We step from one ill
ock to another grave hillock. rs f&1pw
corpses, ourselves soon to be like hem. THE
world is in mourning for its dead. Every
heart has become the sepulcher Of some
buried Joy. But sing We to God, every vii
derness has we'll in it; and come, tc
that well to-day, and l begin to dras
water from that well. If you hRvE
lived in the country, you have some
times taken hold of the rope OF the old well
sweep, and you know how the bucket came
updripping with bright, cool water. And
lay hold of the rope of Gods mercy to-day
and l begin to draw on that gospel well
sweep, and l see the buckets coming up
Thirsty souls here Is one bucket Of life
come and drink Qfit: whatsoever will, lei
him Gomez 4 tS60Pf the water Of life free
ly." M1eD- n gain at the rope and
anotherr We< Jes up. 1t is this prom
iso: "VVxpiAg E1 endure for night, but
Joy sonk th in thd morning" l lay hold Of
the ropd and pull away with all my
strength and the bucket comes up bright
and beautiful, and COOL Here is the prom
Use: "Come unto me, all We who are weary
and heavy laden, and will give you rest.
The old astrologers used to cheat tn,
/ from the position of the stars what woul(
occur in the future, and if a cluster Of stars
stood in one relation, that would be
,, prophecy of evil; if u cluster of stars stoot
! In another relation, that would be prophe
cy of good. What superstitionl But her
: is a new astrology, in which put all m.
faith. BY looking up to the Star of Jacob
, make this prophecy in regard to thos
who put their trust in God "Al
j things work together for good to thos
who love God" / read it out on tn
sky. read it out in the Bible. rea,
| it out in all things: "All things work To
/ gether for good to those who love God" D.
you love Hint Have you seen the Nyetan
thes, 1t is beautiful flower, but it give
very little fragrance until after sunse,
Then it pours its richness on the air. An
this grace of the gospel that l commend +
you this day, while it may be very swee
during the day of prosperity, it pours fort
, its richest aroma after sun down, and it wi
r be sun down with you and me after awhile
When you come to go out Of this world, vii
it be desert march or will it be fountain
for your souls