The Russellville Democrat., 1890-07-17


 should rise, so far from being ashamed, they would spring to their feet with more alacity than they ever sprang to the dance, the tears mingling with their exhilaration as they cried: I've ire witnessesr' And if they tried to sing the old Gospel hymn they would 1 break down with emotion by the time they got to the second line:
 Ashamed Of Jesus, that dear friend
 On whom my hopes of Heaven depend2
 Nol When blush, be this my shame;
 That no more revere His name.
 Again l remark that we are witnesses of the Gospels power to comfort. There arc Christian parents here who are will ing to testify to the power of this Cos pei to comfort. Your son had just grad going into business, and the Lord took him. Or your daughter had just gradu- ated from the young ladies' seminary, and you thought she was going to be a useful woman and of long life; but the Lord took her, and you were tempted to say: 'All this culture Of twenty years for nothing" Or the lit tie child came home from school with the hot fever that stopped not for tho agonized prayer or for the skillful phy- sician, and the little child was taken. Or the babe was lifted out of your arms by some quick epidemic, and you stood wondering why God ever gave you that child at all, if so soon He was to take it away. And yet you are not repining, you are not fretful, you are not fighting against God. What has enabled you to stand all tho trial2 Oh" you say, 'I took the medicine that God gave my sick soul. In my distress I threw myself at the feet of sympathizing God; and when 1 was too weak to pray or to look up, He breathed into me peace that think must be the foretaste of that Heaven where there is neithera tear nor a farewell, nor grave" Come, all ye who have been out to the grave to weep there-come, all Ye comforted souls get up of your knees Is there no power in this Gospel to soothe the heart? Is there no power in this religion to quiet the worst paroxys of grief? There comes up an answer from comforted widow hood, and orphanage, and childlessness, saying: "Ay, ay, we are witnessesl'
 When man has trouble the world comes in and says Now get your mind of this; go out and breathe the fresh air; plunge deeper into business. What poor advicel Get your mind off itl When every thing is u upturned with the bereavement, and every thing reminds you of what you have lost. Get your mind of it? They might as well advise you to stop thinking. You can not stop thinking, and you can not stop thinking in that direction. Take a. walk in the fresh air. Why, along that very street. or that very road, she once accompanied you. Out of that grass plat she plucked flowers, or into that show window she looked, fascinated, saying: Come see the pictures Go deeper into business? Why, she was associated with all your business ambition, and since she has gone you have no ambition left Oh, this is a clumsy world when it tries to comfort broken heart. can build a Corliss engine, can paint Raphael's Madonna" can play Beethoven's ''Erotca Symphony" as easily as this world can comfort broken heart And yet you have been comforted. How was it done? Did Christ come to you and say: Get your mind off this; go out and breathe fresh air; plunge deeper in- to business?" No. There was minute when He came to you-perhaps in tho watches of the night, perhaps in your place of business, perhaps along the street-and He breathed something into your soul that gave peace, rest, infinite quiet, so that you could take out the photograph of the departed one and look into the eyes and tho face of the dear one, and say: ''It is all right; she is better off; would not call her back. Lord, I thank Thee that Thou hast com forted my poor heart"
 Again, l remark that we are wit nesses of the fact that religion has power to give composure in the last moment l never shall forget the first time I confronted death. We went across the cornfields in the country. I was led by my fathers hand, where the bereavement had come, and we saw the crowd of wagons and carriages, but there was one carriage that especially at tracted my boyish attention, and it had black plumes. l said: What's that? what's that? why those black tassels on the top?" And after it was explain ed to me l was lifted up to look upon the bright face of an aged Christian woman, who three days before had departed in triumph; the whole scene made an im- pression l never forgot
 In our sermons and in our lay exhor-. tations we are very apt, when we want to bring illustrations of dying triumph, to go back to some distinguished per sonage-to John Knox or a Harriet Newell. But l want you for witnesses. 1 want to know if you have ever seen any thing to make you believe that the religion of Christ can give you com posture in the final hour. Now, in the courts, attorney, jury and judge will never admit mere hearsay. They de- mand that the witness must have seen with his own eyes, or heard with his own ears, and so am critical in my ex- animation of you now; and l want to know whether you have seen or heard any thing that makes you believe that tho religion of Christ gives you com posture in the final hour.
 "Oh, yes, you say, 'I saw my father and mother depart. There was great difference in their death beds. Stand ing by the one we felt more veneration. By the other there was more tender ness Before the one, you bowod per haps in awe. In the other case you felt as if you would like to go along with her. How did they feel in that last hour? How did they seem to act? Were they very much frightened? Did they take hold of this world with both hands as though they did not not want to give it up? 'oh, no" you say; mo. I remember as though it were yesterday; she had kind word for us all, and there were few mementoes distributed among tho children, and then she told |. 1rs. l.s IA fat