The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-01-09


timbers. Nothing but oaks, hewn in the
forest of Divine truth, are staunch
enough for this craft.
You must have Love for helm, to
guide and turn the craft. Neither Pride,
nor Ambition, nor Avarice will do for
rudder. Love, not only in the heart,
but flashing in the eye and tingling in
the hand-Love married to Work, which
many look upon as so homely BRIDE
Love, not like brooks, which foam and
rattle, yet do nothing, but Love like
river, that runs up the steps of mill
wheels, and works in the harness of
factory bands-Love that will not pass
by on the other side, but visits the man
who fell among thieves near Jericho, not
merely saying, "Poor fellow! You are
dreadfully hurt" but, like the good Sa-
maritan, pours in oil and wine, and pays
his board at the tavern. There must
also be a PROV, arranged to cut and
override the billow. That is Christian
perseverance.
There are three mountain surges that
sometimes dash against soul in
minute-the world, the flesh and the
devil; and that is well-built PROV that
can bound over them. For lack of this
many have put back and never started
again. It is the broadside wave that so
often sweeps the deck and fills the
matches, but that which strikes in front
is harmless. Meet troubles courageous
~, and you surmount them. Stand on
the prov, and as you wipe off the spray
OF the split surge cry out with the
apostle: ''None of these things move
me-" Let all your fears stay aft. The
right must conquer. Know that Moses
in an ark of bulrushes can run down a
war steamer.
Have good, strong anchor. (Which
hope we have as an anchor" BY this
strong cable and windlass hold on to
your anchor. 'If any man sin we have
an advocate with the Father" Do not
use the anchor wrongfully. Do not al
ways stay in the same latitude and lon
gitude. You will never ride up the
harbor of eternal rest if you all the way
drag your anchor.
But you must have sails. Vessels are
not fit for the sea until they. have the
flying jib, the foresail, the topgallant,
the skysail, the gaffsail and other can
vas. Faith is our canvas. Hoist it, and
the winds of Heaven will drive you
ahead. Sails made out of any other
canvas than faith will be slit to tatters
by the first northeastern. Strong faith
never lost battle. 1t will crush foes,
blast rocks, quench lightnings, thresh
Rosr -
rior, a crank to the most ponderous
wheel, lever to pry up pyramids,
drum whose beat gives strength to the
heavenly soldiery, and sails to watt
ships laden with priceless pearls from
the harbor, of earth to the harbor of
Heaven.
But you are not yet equipped. You
must have what the seamen call the
running rigging. This comprises the
ships braces, halliards, clew lines and
such like. Without these the yards
could not be braced, the sails lifted, nor
the canvas in anywise managed. We
have prayer for the running rigging.
Unless you understand this tackling you
are not spiritual seaman. By pulling
on these ropes you hoist the sails of
faith and turn them every whittier.
The PROV of courage will not cut the
wave, nor the sail of faith spread and
flap it's wing unless you have strong
prayer for ballard.
One more arrangement and you will
be ready for the sea. You must have
compass, which is the Bible. Look at it
every day and always sail by it, as its
needle points toward the star of Bethle-
hem. Through fog, and darkness, and
storm it works faithfully. Search the
Scriptures. 'Box the compass" Let
me give you two or three rules for the
voyage. Allow your appetites and pas
sions an undertook passage. Do not
allow them ever to come up on the
promenade deck. Mortify your mem
bers which are upon the earth. Never
allow your lower nature any thing bet
ter than a Storage passage. Let watch
fulness walk the decks as an armed SEN
tinel and shoot down with great prompt
ness any thing like mutiny of riotous
appetites.
Be sure to look out of the forecastle
for icebergs. These are the cold Chris
OA@Ao hOa0AAs HbOuO III buS line
frigid zone professors will sink you.
Keep log book during all the voyage
an account of how many furlongs you
make day. The merchant keeps a
day-book as well as a ledger. You
ought to know every night, as we'll as
every year, how things are going. When
the express train stops at the depot, you
hear hammer sounding on all the
wheels, thus testing the safety of the
rail train. Bound, so we are, with more
than express speed toward a great eter-
nifty, ought we not often to try the work
of determination?
Be sure to keep your colors up! You
know the ships of England, Russia.
France and Spain by the ensigns they
carry. Sometimes it is lion, some-
times an eagle, sometimes star, some
times crown. Let it ever be known
who you are and for what port you are
bound. Let christian" be written on
the very front, with figure of a cross, q
crown and dove; and from tho mast
head let float the streamers of Emman-
uel. Then the pirate vessels of teunta-