Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-07-04

q moment to understand the mysteries when
there are so many ctrtitIiess Why spend
our time exploring the dark garrets AMI cca
holes of a great palace which has above
ground one hundred rooms fooie1 with sun
shine? It takes all my time to absorb what
has been revealed, 81 that | have no time to
upturn and root out and drag forth what
has not been revealed. The most OF the ef-
fort to solve mysteries and explore the inex.
plicable and harmonic things is an attempt
10 help the Lord out of Theological difficult
ties. Good enough intention. NV brother.
no doubt. but the Lord is not anxious ohave
YOU help Him. He will keen His throne with
ont YOUR assistance. Don't be afraid that
the Bible will fall apart from inconsistencies.
1t hung together many centuries before YOU
were born. and your funeral sermon will be
preached from a text taken from its undis-
turbed authenticity
Do You know that | think that il, all min
listers III all denominations would stop this
nonsense Of ecclesiastical strife aud take hold
the word Of God, the Only question with each
OF us being how many souls We can bring to
Christ and in how short IA time. the Lord
would soon appear for the salvation of all
nationss Why not all at once light all the
torches of Gospel, invitatlOn3 Why not ring
all the bills of welcome? Why not light up
the long night of the worlds sin and suffer
ing with bonfires Of victory? why not un-
Timber all the Gospel batteries and let them
boom across the earth, and boom INTO
the parting heavens. The King Is
really TO land if we are ready TO receive
Him. : Why cannot we who are now living
see His descent? Must it all be postponed
to later ages? Has not tour poor world
groane1 long enough in moral agonies?
Have there not been martyrs enough, and
have not the lakes of tears and the rivers
Of blood been deep enough? Why cannot
the final glories roll III now? Why cannot
this DYING century feed the incoming tides
Of the oceans OF heavenly mercy2 Must
our eyes close in death and our ears take
on the deafness Of the tomb. and these
heart, beat their last throb before the day
comes in: Q Christ? Why Earliest Thou?
Wit Thou not, before We go the way of all
the earth, let US see Thy SCARED feet under
some MONDAY cloud coming this ways Be
fore we die let US behold Thy hands that
were spiked. spread out in benediction for
a lost race. And why not let us, with our
mortal ears, hear that voice which spoke
peace as Thou didst 90 up, speak pardon
and emancipation and love and holiness
!, and iov to all nations as Thou contest down?
But the skies DO not part. hear no rum
bling Of chariot wheels coming down over
the sapphire. There Is no sWoop of wings.
] see no flash of angelic appearances. All IS
still. | hear nothing but the tramp OF my
own heart as | pause between these utter
ances. The King does not land because Che
world is not ready and the church is not
ready. TO clear the way for the Lords conf
ing let us devote all our energies OF body,
mind and soul. A Russian general riding
over the battlefield, his horse treating amid
the dying and dead, Il wounded soldier asked
him for water, but the officer did not under
stand his language and knew not what
the poor fellow wanted. Then the
soldier cried out "Christo1,' and that
word meant sympathy and help, and
the Russian officer di>inounted ami put Il
the lips Of the sufferer Il cooling draught.
Be that the charmed word vita which We
90 forth to do our whole duty. IN many
languages 1t has only a little difference o!
termination. Christosl it stands for sym.
pathy. 1t stands for help. 1t stands for
pardon, 1T stands for hope. 1t stan Is for
heaven. CIristosi In. that name we were
baptised. In that name we took our first
sacrament. That.will he the battle shou'
that will win the whole world for God
ChriStos' Put it on our banners when w
march Put it on our lips when we die
Put in the funeral psalm at our ol@e Iuies
Put it on the plain slab over oar grave
Christosf Blessed be Ills glorious name for
ever Amen!