The Penn's Grove record., 1891-05-01

fact that 1t proposes to garland and enthrou,
and i~mparndise an immortal spirit. Solomon
says 1t is a lily, Paul says it is a crown
The Apocalypse says 1t Is fountain kisset
cedar. Christ says IL is a bridegroom com,
to fetch home a bride. While Job in tn
g takes up a whole vase OF precious stone
the topaz, and the sapphire, and tn
chrysoprasus-and he takes out OF this beau
tiful vase just m crystal. and holds it II,
until 1t CLEANS in the warm light OF the enst
IN sky, and he exclaims, THE crystal can
not equal it,
Oh. it is not a stale religion, It is not 1
stupid religion, it Is not q toothless bag, a
some seem to hav represented 1T; 1t Ia not &
Meg Merriles With shriveled arm come Il
scare the world. It il the fairest daughtel
Of God, heiress Of all His wealth. Her cheel
the morning sky; her voice the music OF thu
south wind; her step the dance of the sea
Come and WOO her. The Spirit and the brid,
say come, and whosoever will, let him come
Do you agree with Solomon and say IL is
tlyf Then pluck It and wear it over you
heart. Do you agree with Paul and say i'll
q CROWN Then let this hour be your coro
nation. Do you agree with the Apocalyps,
and say IL Is springing ~fountain' Then
come ar slack the thirst OF your soul. d.
you believe with Ezekiel and say It Is {
toliaged cedari Then come under its shadow
Do you believe with Christ and say 1t Is
bridegroom come to fetch home a bride
Then strike hands with your Lord the Kine
while 1 pronounce you everlastingly one. o.
II you think with Job that 70 70 a Jewel, tner
put It on your hand like a ring, on your necl
like . bead, on your forehead like a star
while looking into the mirror Of Gods Wore
you acknowledge ''the crystal cannot equa
Again, religion is superior TO the crysta
IN its transformations. The diamond is only
Q capitalization of coal. Carbonate Of linn
rises till 1t becomes alcite or aragonite. Rec
oxide Of copper crystallizes into cubes and
octohedrons. Those crystals which adorn
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 I tell you In the gospel OF
the Son of God there is a more wonderful
Transformation. Over souls by reaso of sin
black a. coal and hard as iron God by His
comforting grace stoops and says, "They
shall be Mine in the day when I make up My
iewels.n
"What,B say you, twill God wear jewel
ryf' n He wanted He could make the
stars of heaven His belt and ave the even
ing cloud for the sandals Of His feet, but He
ioes not want that adornment. He will not
have that jewelry. When God wants jewel
~ He comes down and digs 1t out of the
ADPtkAo u - hh0os u bAhs - 1oe1 oh
all crystaliizations 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 was
pierced, on the temples that were stung.
''They hal be Nine" saith the Lord, .fn
The day when ! !. upiiM N.Y. jsw y ? o. Won,
equal It," There she Is, a waif of the
street, but she shall be a sister of charity.
There he ia, a sot in the ditch, but he shall
preach the gospel. There, behind the bars
Of a prison, but he shall reign with Christ
forever. When sin abounded grace shall
much more abound. The carbon becomes
the solitaire. THE crystal cannot equal it"
Now, I have no liking for those people
who are always enlarging in Christian meet
tngs about their early dissipation. Do
aot 20 into the particulars, my brothers.
Simply say you were sick, but make
no display Of your ulcers. The chief
took in trade Of some ministers and Chris
tian workers seems to be their early crimes
and designations. The number of pockets you
picked and the number Of chickens you stole
make very poor prayer nesting rhetoric.
Besides that 1t ~discourages other Christian
people who never gotdrunk or stole anything.
But 1t Is pleasant to know that those who
were farthsst down nave been brought high
est up. Out Of Internal serfdom into eternal
liberty. Out OF darkness into light. From
coal " tne sohsaHe Aho caysea1 Snnnot
equal It,"
But, my friends. the chief Transforming
power Of the gospel will not be seen Ii 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 a
magnificent setting for these jewels Of etern-
ityT I sometimes hear people representing
heaven In q way that Is far from attractive
to me. It seems almost a vulgar heaven as
they represent it with great blotches OF
color and bands Of music making a deafening
racket John represents heaven IA exquisite
ly beautiful. Three crystals. In one place
be says, 'Her light was like a precious stone,
clear as crystal In another place he says.
~ saw a pure river from under the throne,
clear as crysta1.n
In another place he says, '.Before the
throne there was . sea Of glass clear as crys-
tall" Three crystalsi John says crystal at.
mosphere. That means health. Balm OF
eternal June. What weather after the
worlds east windi No rack Of storm clouds.
One breath Of that air will cure the worst
tubercle. Crystal light on all the leaves
temples. Crystal light tossing in the plnmes
Of the equestrians Of eaven on white horses.
But s'the crystal cannot equal It," John
saws crystal river. That means joy. Deer
and ever rolling. Not one drop Of tn.
Thames or the Hudson or the hin to sol
IL. Not one tear of human sorrow to imbit-
ter 1t. Crystal, the rain out Of which u wa.
and ripple. Crystal, its infinite surface. But
'the crystal cannot equal It," John says
crystal sea. That means simultaneously
vast. Vast In rapture. Rapture vast as the
sea, deep as the sea, strong as the sea, ever
changing a. the sea. Biflows Of Light. Bill
lows Of beauty, blue with skies that were
never clouded and green with depths thai
- A-rffna and Apfat0
tics and Mediterraneans and Atlantics and
Paciics in crystalline magniicence. Three
crystals-crystal light falling on a crysta
river; crystal river rolling into q crysta
sea. But ''the cry stal cannot equal it"
''Oh," says some one, putting his hand
over his eyes, ''can it be that l who hav'
been in so much sin and trouble will evel
| come to.those crystalsY' Yes, II may be-
it will be- Heaven we must have, whatever
else we have or have not, and we come her,
to get It, "How much must l pay for it?
you say. You will pay for it just as much
as the coal pays to become the diamond
In other words, nothing. The same Almighty
power that makes the crystals in the mount
| aims will change your heart which is hardel
than stone, for the promise Is, 81 viii TAX
away your stony heart n l will give you
| heart of fesh."
"Oh.n saws some n 'ft Is just the doc
| trine L want. God is 10 do everything. an
| 1 am to do nothing" My brother, it is no
the doctrine you want. The coal makes N
resistance. 1t hears the resurrection voic
in the mountain, and it comes from crystal
iization, but your heart r~esists. The trouble
with you. Ry brother. is the coal wants t
| stay coal. do not want you to throw
| open the door and let Christ in. l only as
i that you stop boiling it and barring ii. Ga
my friends, we will have to get rid Of OF
sins. What will We do with our sins arson