Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-10-31

some from Europe, and some from Asia,
theory resounded The JOrdanl The Jor-
dam" Hundreds OF thousands OF pilgrims
have chanted on its banks and bathed In its
waters. Many OF them dip wet gown In
the wave and wiring IL out and carry IL home
for their own shroud. IL is an impetuous
stream and rushes on as though IL were
Fastening to tell It's story to the ages. Many
an explorer has IL whelmed, and many a
boat has IL wrecked. Lieutenant MolineuX
had copper bottomed crafts split upon its
shevings. Only one boat, that of Lieuten-
ant Lynch, ever lived to sail the whole
length OF IL. AT the season when the SHOWS
on Lebanon melt, the rage OF this stream Is
likedhe Conemaugh when JOhnstown perish
ed, and the wild beasts that may be near
run for the hills, explaining what jeremiah
says: "Behold he shall go up like a lion
from the swelling OF Jordan" No river so
often changes its mind for 1t turns and
twists, travelling two hundred miles 20 do
that which In n straight line might be done
IN sixty miles. Among banks now low, now
high, now Of rocks now OF mud, and now OF
sand, having the Feet OF the terebinths and
oleanders, and acacias, and reeds and pista-
chiUs and silver poplars. This river marrles
the Dead Sea TO Lake Galilee, and did ever
so rough groom take the hand OF so fair IA
bride?
This is the river which parted to let an
army OF two million lsraelites across. Here
the skilled ma or-genersl OF the Syrian host
at the seventh plunge cropped his leprosy,
not only by miraculous cure, but suggest
Ing to all ages that water and plenty OF 1t,
has much TO do with the sanitary improve
ment of the world. Here is where some
theological students of Elisha's time were
cutting trees with which 10 build theOlog-
zeal seminary. and an aX-head not sutii-
emily wedged to the handle, flew of into
the river and sank, and the young man de-
ploreC not so much the loss OF the aX-head,
Al 10 Il
cried, "Alas. it was borrowed" and the
prophet throw n stick into the river and, In
defiance of the law OF gravtation, the iron
aX-head came to the surface and tioated
Ike cork upon the water, and kept foat-
ing until the young man caught IL.
miraCls performed to give one an opportun-
ity to return that which was borrowed, and
"A rebuke in all ages for those who borrow
and never return, In -ir bad habit in this
respect so est blshed that IL would be a
miracle IL they did return 1t. Heai from
the bank Of this river Elijah took as team of
fire. showing that the most rag NJ element is
servant of the good, and that there Is no need
that child OF God fear anything; for, If
the most destru tive of all elem n s, was
that day fashioned into a vehicle for a de-
parting saint, nothing can ever hurt you
who love and trust the l. rd. l am so glad
that that chariot OF Elijah was not made
out Of wood or crystal. or anything ordi-
narily pleasant, but out OF fire. and yet he
went up without having so much as To fan
himself. When, stepping from amid the
| foliage OF these oleanders and tamarisks on
the banks of the Jordan, he put his foot on
the red step Of the red equipage. and took
the red reins OF vapor in his hands, and
! spurred the galloping steeds towards the
| wide open gate OF heaven, IL was scene
Z forever memorable. So the hottest afliic-
| tions Of your life may roll you heavenward.
! So the most burning prosecutions, the most
no lply
b. sure that when you pull on the bits OF
! fire, you drive mp toward God and MT down
| toward the Dead Sea. When Latimer and
| Ridley died at the stake, they went up in a
chariot OF fire. When my friend, L. +.
| Bliss, the Gospel singer, was consumed with
| the rail ira n that broke through Ashtabula
bridge and then took flame, said
"Another Elijah gone up in a chariot OF
fire."
hut this river Is n river of baptisms.
| Christ was here baptized and John baptized
many thousands Whether on these Occa-
| sions the candidate for baptism and the
! officer of religion, went into this river, and
| then. while both were standing the water
| was pped in the hand Of one and sprinkled
| upon the furehe ad Of the other. or whether
the entire foI m Of the one baptized disap-
pearcd for moment beneath the surface of
| the flood, do not now declare. While l
| cannot think without deep emotion OF the
| fact that my parents held me in infancy, to
| the baptisimal font in the old meeting house
| at Somerville, and assumed VOWS on my be-
| half. must tell you now Of another mode
| OF baptism observed In the river Crdan, on
| that afternoon in last December, the par
t.culars OF which l nov for the first time
relate.
ltwas scene OF unimagnable solemnity.
| A comrade in our Holy Land journey rode
up to my side that day, and told me that n
young man, who Is now studying for the
| N Il m WOnl6 A hantigpd
! by me In the river Jordan. got all the
| facts i could concerning his earnestness
aud faith, and through personal examina
ton. made myself confident he was worthy
| candidate. There were among our Arab at
| tendants, two robes not unlike those used in
American baptisteries. and these we OBJ
| tanned. AS we were TO have a large group
| OF different nationalities present, i dictated
TO my daughter a few verses, and had copies
enough made 10 allow all to sing. Our drago-
man had man familiar with the river wade
| through and across to show the depth and
the swiftness OF the stream, and the most
| appropriate place for the ceremony. Then
| i read from the Bible the accounts OF bap-
| tisms in that sacred stream, and implored
| the presence of the Christ ON whose head
| the dove descended at the Jordan. Then, as
| the candidate and myself stepped into the
waters the people on the banks sang IL full
| and resounding voice:
On Jordan's stormy banks L stand,
And cast a wstfal eye -
| To Canaan's fair and happy land
Where my possessions line.
Oh. the transporting. rapturous scene
| That rises to my sight:
Sweet fields arrayed In living green,
And rivers OF delight.
BY this time we had reached the middle
| of the river. AS the candidate sank under
tire floods and rose again under bar tism
in the name of the Father ARK the Son and
the Holy Ghost there rushed through our
| souls tide of holy emotion such we shall
| probably not feel again until VIC step into
| the Jordan that divides earth from heaven.
| Will those waters be deep? VIII those tides
| be strong? No matter, IL Jesus steps In with
US. Friends on this shore TO help us of.
| Friends on the other shore to see us land.
See! They are coming down the hills on the
other side to greet u.s. How well we know
their stepl How easily We distinguish their
| voices! From bank to bank we hail them
| with tears and they hail US with palm
| branches. They say TO us. els that you,
father?'' "Is that you motherf" and we an
swer by asking, "Is that you my darling2"
4 NJ hon hnxU