The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-08-29

having come within sight OF Bethlehem,
unless he have a heart that cannot be
made to quake, and sure foot that
will not slip among infinite perils, and
an arm that can drive back the Son of
God, who stands in the center of the
broad road spreading out hi; arms and
shouting into the ear of the thought
less pilgrim, ''Stopl stopl"
THE SINNERS BURDEN HEAVIER THAN
THE CROSS.
We talk about taking up the cross
and following Jesus, but that cross is
not half so heavy as the burden which
the sinner carries. 1t is very solemn
thing to be Christian, but it is a more
solemn thing not to be a Christian.
There are multitudes who, afraid of
the self denials of the Christian, rush
into the harder self denials of the un-
believer. No yoke but Christ's, how
ever tight and CALLING! Orpah goes
back to her idolatries, but she re-
turns weeping; and all who follow her
will find the same sorrows. Just in
proportion as gospel advantages have
been numerous will be the disturbance
of the heart that will not come to
Christ.
The Bible says in regard to the place
where Christ was buried: ''In the midst
of the garden there was a sepulcher;"
and in the midst of the most flowery
enjoyments of the unpardoned there is
a chilliness of death. Although they
may pull out the arrows that strike
their soul from the Almighty's culver,
there remain sting and a smarting.
If men wrench themselves away from
Christ they will bear the mark of his
hand by which he would have rescued
them. The pleasures of the world
may give temporary relief from the up
braidings of conscience, but are like
Supplying drugs that dull the pain only
temporarily.
Ahab has a great kingdom and you
would think he ought to be happy with
his courtiers and chariots and palaces,
yet he goes to bed sick because Naboth
will not sell him his vineyard Hannah
is prime minister of the greatest nation
in the world, and yet one poor man
who will not bow the head makes him
utterly miserable. Herod monopolizes
the most of the worlds honor and yet
is thrown into rage because they say
little child is born in Bethlehem who
may after while dispute his authority.
Byron conquered the world with his
pen and yet said that he felt more I'M
happiness from the criticism of the
most illiterate reader than he expert
enced pleasure from the praise of all
the talented.
A LESSON FROM SHENSTONE'S LIFE.
In the last century in England lived
the immortal Shenstone. Portions of
his life were given to the writing of
poetry, but this was not evidently the
field for which nature had equipped
him. His name will never be forgotten,
because of the home which he adorned
and beautified until there probably
never has been SO bright spot since
the Garden of Eden as what he loved
to call 1.-The Leasowes." In addition to
the marvels which nature had wrought
he added the perfection of art. Arbor
and terrace and slope and rustic tenn
pie and reservoir and urn and fountain
here had their browning. Oak and
yew and hazel put on their glory of
verdure. What the greenness of deep
grass and the foam of cascade and the
glitter of still lake could give of beauty
were added. No life was more diligent
and no soul more ingenious than those
of Shenstone, and all that genius and
diligence were directed to the adorn-
ment of that treasured spot. What
more could one want to make home
happy9
Yet there is one man who sits signing
in those bowers, and casting gloomy
looks upon those parks, and the mirth
of leaping waterfalls makes no melody
in his ear. 1t is Shenstone, the owner
of the Leasowes. II have lost my road
to happiness" says the respondent
man. II am angry and envious and
detected and frantic, and disregard all
present things, just as it becomes a
mailman to do" My friends, there is
no solid happiness in anything but re
igion. care not how bright home
Orpah has in Moab, when she turns
away from duty she turns away from
peace. Amid the bacchanalia of Bel
shazzar's feast and the glitter of chal
ices there always will come out hand
writing on the wall fearfully ominous
'Teker'-weighed in the balances and
found wanting When you can reap
harvests off bare rocks, and gather
balm out of nightshade, and make sun
light sleep in the heart of sepulchers,
and build a firm house on a rocking
billow, then can an unpardoned soul
find firm enjoyment amid its trans
gressions. Then can Orpah go back to
Moab without weeping.
FAMILIES DIVIDED BY RELIGION.
Again, this subject teaches that a
religious choice and the want of it fire.
quently divide families Ruth and
Orpah and Naomi were tenderly at
tached. They were all widows, and
their life had been consecrated by a
baptism of tears. In the fire of trial
their affections had been forged. To-
gether they were so pleasantly united
you can hardly imagine them separated.
Yet fatal line is drawn dividing them
from each other, perhaps forever.
Naomi cannot live in heather coun-
try. She must go into Bethlehem, that
there among the pious she may worship