The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-01-23

now. Lord Jesus, thou didst die for the
chief of sinners. That's mel 1t seen. !,
Lord, as if my work is done, and poorly
done, and upon II infinite mercy cast
myself, and in this hour of shipwreck
and darkness commit myself and her
whom l hold by the hand to Thee, O
Lord Jesus! praying that it may be a
short struggle in the water, and that at
the same instant we may both arrive in
glory" OH l tell you man prays
straight to the mark when he has a
cyclone above him, an ocean beneath
him and eternity so close to him that he
can feel its breath on his cheek
The night was long. At last we saw
the dawn looking through the port holes.
AS in the olden time, in the fourth watch
of the night, Jesus came walking on the
sea, from wave cliff to wave cliff; and
whom He puts His foot upon billow,
though it may be tossed up with might,
it goes down. He cried: 'Hush!'' They
knew His voice. The waves knew His
foot. They died away. And in the
shining track of His feet I read these
letters on scrolls Of foam and fire: "The
earth shall be filed with the
knowledge of God as the waters
cover the sea-" The ocean Gained. The
path of the steamer became more and
more mild, until, on the last morning
out, the sun threw round about us a
glory such as 1 never witnessed before.
God made pavement of mosaic, reach
Ing from horizon to horizon, for all the
splendors of earth and Heaven to walk
upon-a pavement bright enough for the
foot of seraph-bright enough for the
wheels of the archangel's chariot As a
parent embraces a child and kisses away
its grief, so over that sea, that had been
writhing in agony in the tempest. the.
morning threw it's arms of beauty and of
benediction, and the lips of earth and
Heaven met
AS l came on deck-it was very early.
and we were nearing the shore-I saw a
few sails against the sky. They seemed
like the spirits of the night walking the
pillows. I leaned over the taffrail of
the vessel, and said: ''Thy way, o God,
Is in the sea, and Thy path in the great
waters" 1t grew lighter. The clouds
hung in purple clusters along the sky;
AMI, as if those purple clusters were
pressed into red wine and poured out
upon the sea, every wave turned into
crimson. Yonder fire cleft stood OBJ
posite to fire cleft: and here, cloud,
rent and tinged with light, seemed like
a palace, with flames burning from the
windows. The whole scene lighted IN
until it seemed as if the angels of God
vera ascending a nd descending upon
stairs of fire, and the wave crests.
changed into jasper, and crystal, and
crystal, and amethyst, as they were
flung toward the beach, made me think
of the crowns of Heaven cast before the
throne of the great Jehovah / leaned
over the taffrail again, and said, with
more emotion than before: ''Thy way.
0 God, is in the sea, and thy path in the
great waters!''
So, thought, will be the going off OF
the storm and night Of the Christians
life. The darkness will fold it's tents
and away! The golden feet of the ris-
ing morn will come skipping upon the
mountains, and all the wrathful pillows
OF the world S woe break into the SPLEEN
dor of eternal JOY. And so we come
into the harbor. The cyclone behind
US. Our friends before us. God, who
is always good, all around US. And if
the roll of the crew and the
passengers had been called, seven hum
drcd souls would have answered to
their names. ''And so it came to pass
that we all escaped safe to land" And
may God grant that, when all our Sab
baths on earth are ended, we may find
that through the rich mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ, we all have wealth.
cred the gale!
into the harbor of Heaven now We glide.
Home at last
Softly we drift ON the bright silver tide
Home at lastl
Glory to Cod All our dangers are DER:
We stand secure on the gloriied shore
Glory to God! we win shout evermore,
Home at lastl
Home at last!