Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-05-08

cry photographer. and he sees in it indescrio-
able beauty-snow drift and splinter OF boar
frost and corals and wreatns and stars and
crowns and casteliations OF conspicuous
beauty. The fact is that crystal Is so beau
tiful that can think of but ore thing in all
the universe that is SO beautiful, and that is
the religion of the Bible. No wonder this
Bible represents that religion as the day
break, as the apple blossoms, az the glitter
of kings banquet. 1t Is the JOY OF the
whole earth
People talk too much about their cross and
not enough about their crown Do you know
the Bible mentions a cross but twenty-seven
times while IL mentions a crown eighty
times: Ask that old man what he thinks of
religion. He has been close observer. He
has been culturing aesthetic taste. He has
seen the sunrises OF half century. He has
been early riser. He has been an ad-
mirer of canoes and corals and all kinds of
beautiful things. Ask him what he thinks of
religion, and he win tell you, 1T is ths most
beautiful thing l ever saw" 1.-THE crystal
cannot equal it,"
Beautiful in its symmetry. When it pre-
sents Gods character it does not present Him
as having love like a great protuberance
one side OF His nature, but makes that
love in harmony with His justice-a love
that will accept all those who come to Him,
and a justice that will by no means clear
the guilty. Beautiful religion in the senti-
ment it implants? Beautiful religion in the
hope it kindles! Beautiful religion in the
fact that it proposes to garland and enthrone
and imparadise an immortal spirit. Solomon
says it is lily, Paul says it Is a crown.
The Apocalypse says it is a fountain kissed
of the sun. Ezekiel says it is a foiaged
cedar. Christ says it is a bridegroom come
to fetch home a bride. While Job in the
text takes up whole vase Of precious stones
the topaz, and the sapphire, and the
chrysoprasus--and he takes out of this beau
tiful vase just one crystal, and holds it up
until it CLEANS in the warm light of the east
ClyU a aXcaImS- CRYSTAL n
not equal it"
Oh, it is not stale religion, it is not a
stupid religion, it is not a tOOthless bag, as
some seem to have represented it; it is not
Meg Merriles with shriVeled arm come to
scare the world. It is the fairest daughter
of God, heiress of all His wealth. Her cheek
the morning sky; her voice the music of the
south wind; her step the dance Of the sea.
Come and WOO her. The Spirit and the bride
say come, and whatsoever will, let him come.
Do you agree with Solomon and say it is
lily? Then pluck it and wear it over your
heart. Do you agree with Paul and say it is
a crown? Then let this hour be your coro-
nation. Do you agree with the Apocalypse
and say it is a springing fountain2 Then
come and slack the thirst OF your soul. Do
YOU believe with Ezekiel and say it is
folaged cedar? Then come under its shadow.
Do you believe with Christ and say it is
bridegroom come to fetch home a bride:
Then strike hands with your Lord the King
while pronounce you everlastingly one. Or
if you think with Job that it is jewel, then
put it on your hand like ring, on your neck
like a bead, on your forehead like star,
while looking into the mirror of Gods Word
you acknowledge ''the crystal cannot equal
it."
Again, religion is superior to the crystal
in it's transformations. The diamond is only
a capitalization of coal. Carbonate of lime
rises till it becomes calcte aragonite. Red
oxide of copper crystallizes into cubes and
OOf OhQ6T WI
our persons and our homes and our museums
have only been resurrected from forms that
were far from lustrous. Scientists for ages
have been examining these wonderful trans
formations. But [ tell you in the gospel Of
the Son of God there is a more wonderful
Transformation. Over souls by reason of sin
black as coal and hard as iron God by His
comforting grace stoops and says, They
shall be Mine in the day when 1 make up My
jewels"
'What," say you, sswill God wear jewel
ry?' If He wanted He could make the
stars Of heaven His belt AMI have the even
ing cloud for the sandals OF His feet but He
does not want that adornment. He will not
have that jewelry. When God wants jewel
~ He comes down and digs it out Of the
depths and darkness Of sin. These souls are
all crystallizations of mercy. He puts them
on, and He wears them in the presence of the
holy universe. He wears them on the hand
that was nailed over the heart that
pierced, on the temples that were stung.
They shall be Nine" saith the Lord, Gin
the day when make up Ny jewels" Won
derful transformation The crystal cannot
equal it." There she is, a waif of the
street, but she shall be a sister of charity.
There he is, sot in the ditch, but he shall
preach the gospel. There, behind the bars
of prison. but he shall reign with Christ
forever. When sin abounded grace shall
much more abound. The carbon becomes
| the solitaire. 1.-THE crystal cannot equal it."
Now have no liking for those people
who are always charging in Christian meet
ings about their early dissipation. Do
not go into the particulars, my brothers.
| Simply say you were sick, but make
no display of your ulcers. The chief
tan workers seems TO be their early crimes
| and disspations. The number Of pockets you
I picked and the number of chickens you stole
| make very poor prayer meeting rhetoric.
| Besides that, it discourages other Christian
| people who never got drunk or stole anything
| But it is pleasant to know that those who
| were farthest down have been brought high
! est up. Out of Internal serfdOm into eternal
! liberty. Out of darkness into light. From
coal to the solitaire. 1.-The crystal cannot
| equal it"
But, my friends. the chief transforming
power of the gospel will not be seen in this
world, and not until heaven breaks upon the
soul. When that light falls upon the soul
| then you will see the crystals Oh, what
magnificent setting for these jewels of etern-
| ity! I sometimes hear people representing
| heaven in a way that is far from attractive
| to ME. It seems almost vulgar heaven as
they represent it. with great blotches Oh
| color and bands of music making deafenlng
racket. John represents heaven as exquisite
| ly beautiful Three crystals. In one place
| l;-r6% tlyao