Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-11-07

or Tod fear anything. for IL the most de-
structive Of all elements was that day fash
Toned Into vehicle for q departing saint
nothing can ever hurt you who love and trust
the Lord
am 50 glad that that chariot OF Elijah
was not made out Of wood or crystal or any
thing ordinarily pleasant, but out Of fire and
yet he went up without having so much as
70 fan himself. When stepping from amid
the foliage OF these oleanders aud 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 toward the wide
open gate OF heaven, it was a scene forever
memorable. So the hottest Affections of
your life may roll you heavenward. So the
most burning persecutionS the most fiery
troubles, may become uplifting. Only be
sure that when you pull on the bits of fire
you drive up toward God and not down to-
ward the Dead Sea. When Latimer and Rid
ley died at the stake they went up in q
chariot OF fire. When my friend p. p Bliss,
the Gospel singer, was consumed with the
rail train than broke through Ashtabula
bridge and then took fame, said, Another
Elijah gone up in a chariot OF firer'
But this river is river OF baptisms.
Christ was here baptized and John baptized
many thousands. Whether on these occa-
sions the candidate for baptism and the Of
ficer Of religion went into this river, and
then while both were standing the water was
dipped In the hand Of one and sprinkled upon
the forehead of the other, or whether the
entire form of the one baptized disappeared
for a moment beneath the surface OF ts
food, do not now declare. While cannot
think without deap emotion OF the fact that
nv narents held mo in infancy n the hap
usmal Iont In the OLD meerins house at Som
erville and assumed VOWS on my behalf,
must tell you now OF another mode OF bap-
tisp observed in tho river Jordan on that
afternoon in last December, the particulars
Of which now for the first time relate.
It WAS a scene OF unimaginable solemnity.
A comrade In our Holy Land journey rode
up by my side that day and told me that a
young man who is now studying for the
Gospel ministry would like TO be baptized by
me in the river Jordan. | got all the facts
Icould concerning his earnestness and faith,
and through personal examination made my
self confident he was a worthy candidate.
There were among our Arab attendants two
robes not unlike those used for American
baptistrics, and these were obtained. As
we were TO have a largo group Of different
daughter few vei'5es and had copies
enough made to allow all to sing.
Our dragoman 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 read from the Bible
the accounts of baptisms 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 in full and resembling
voice:
And cast wlshful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
oh, the transporting. rapturous scene
That rises TO my sight:
Sweet fields arrayed In living green
And rivers o. delight
BY this time we had reached the middle Of
the river AS tho candidate sank under the
| floods ambrose again under q baptism in the
name OF the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, there rushed through our soul,
tide Of holy emotion such as we shall moi
| probably feel again until we step into the
! Jordan that divides earth from heaven. viii
those waters be deeps Win those tides bt
strong! No matter il Jesus steps in with us.
Friends ON this shore 10 help us off. Friend,
on the other shore to see US land. Seel They
! are coming down the hills on the other side 10
| greet us How well we know their step
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, "Is that you, fatherr' rs that you
motherr and we answer by asking, "Is that
you, my darlingf' How near they seem, and
how narrow the stream that divides usl
Could We but stand where Moses stood
Aud view the landscape DER,
Not Jordsn's stream nor Deaths cold food
Could fright as from the shore,