The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-04-30

fore becomes pelluoid. Now you find
God is not trying TO put you down.. Now
you understand why you lost that child
and why you lost your property; it was
TO prepare you for eternal treasures.
And why sickness came; it being the pre-
cursor of immortal juvenescence. And
now you understand why they lied about
you and tried to drive you hither and
thlthcr. 1t was to put you in the glori-
GUS company of such men as Ignatius,
who, when he went out to be DESTROYED
by the lions, said: Il am the wheat and
the teeth of wild beasts must first grind
me before can become pure bread for
Jesus Christ;" or the company of such
men as Polycarp, who, when standing
In the midst Of the amphitheatre waiting
lor the Ions to come out of their cave,
and destroy him, and the people in the
galleries jeering and shouting, "The
lions Tor Polycarp," "replicd: LET them
come on" and then STOPPING down TO-
ward the cave where the wild beasts were
roaring to get out, ''Let them come on, -
All, yes, it is persecution to put you in
glorious company; and while there are
many things that you will have to post
pore TO the future world for explanation,
tell you that it is the whole tendency
OF your religion to unravel aud explain
anu interpret and illumine and irradiate.
JOB was right. 1t is a glorious trans
parency. 1.-THE crystal connot equal
| it,"
l remark again that religion surpasscs
inc crystal in Its beauty. That lump ol
crystal Is putunder the magnifving giass
OF the crystallographer and he sees IN
IL indescribable beauty-snowtlrift anu
spllnters OF hOar-frost and corals and
wreaths and stars and crowns and cas-.
Sellatlons OF conspicuous beauty. The
TACT Is that crystal is so beautiful that
can think Of but one thing in all the uni
verse that is s" beautiful, and that is
the religion of the Bible. No wonder
I: This Bible represents that religion as the
} day-brcak, as the apple as the
glitter OF kings banquet. It's the Joy
= OF the whole earth.
= Icople talk too much about their cross
t and not enough about their crown. do
l you know the Bible mentions Il cross
but tWcnty-Sevcn times while il mtn-
+ lions a crown eighty times? Ask that
, old man what he th ks of religion. lie
has been close observer. He has been
1 culturlnT an ;rSthCtic taste. lie has seen
has been an early riser. lie has been an
: admircr of canoes and corals and all
kinds OF beautiful things. Ask him what
he thinks of religion and he Will tell YOU.
"lt Is the most beautiful thing | ever
saw The crystal cannot equal it,"
BE lutiui in its symmetry. When it
presents Gods character it does not
present Him as having love like a great
pr0tuDerance on one side of his nature,
out makes that love ia harmony with his
lustlce-a love that will accept all those
VINO come to him, and a justice that will
by no means clear the guilty. Beautiful
religion, i'll the sentiment it implants!
Bcautllul religion in the hope it kindlcs!
Beautiful religion in the fact that it pro-
poses to garland and enthrone and en-
paradise an immortal spirit. SO omOn
says lis lily. Paul says it is crown.
Inc Apocalypse says it is fountain
kissed of the sun. Ezekiel SAYS it is a
lolia9cd cedar. Christ says it is a BRIDE
groom come to fetch home bride.
Whllc JOB III the text takes up n whole
vase OF precious stones-the topaZ and
the sapphire and the chrysoprasus-and
he takes out of this beautiful vase lust
one crystal and holds it up until it
CLEANS in tho warm light of the eastern
sky, and he cXclaims, "The crystal ,an-
not equal it,"
on, il is not stale religion, it is not a
stupid religion, it is not a toOthless hao
as some seem to have represented it; It is
not Meg Merrilcs with shrlvcllcd arm
come to scare the world. 1t is the tairest
daughter ofGod; heiress of all his wealth.
Her check the morning sky; her voice
thc dance OF the sea. Come and WOO
her. The Spirit and the Bible say come,
and whosocvcr will let him come. DO
YOU agree with Solomon and say it is a
lily: Then pluck it and wear it over
your hcart. do you agree with Paul and
say 1t Is a crown: Then let this
hour be your coronation. Do you
agree with the Apocalypse and say
1t IS a sprlnging fountain? Then come
and slakc the thirst of your soul. DO
you believe with Ezekiel and say it is a
lollaged cedar? Then come under It's
shadow. Do you believe with Christ
anu say 1T is a bridegroom come to fetch
home bride? Then strike hands with
your Lord the King while l pronounce
you cverlastinglY one. Or if you think
Win Job that it is a jewel, then put it on
your hand like a ring, on your neck like
bead, on your forehead like star.
while YOU look into the mirror of GODS
word you acknowledge "thc crystal cam
not equal it,"
Again, religion is superior to the
crystal III its transformations. The
diamond is onlya crystalllzatono of coal.
carbonate OF lime rises till it becomes
calclte or aragonite. Red oxide Of
copper crystallizcs into cubes and
octachcdrons. Those crystals which
adorn our persons and our homes and
our museums have only been rcsurrccted
from forms that were far from lustrous.
Scientists for ages have been examining
theses wonderful transformations. But
l tell you i'll the Gospel of the Son of
God there is more wonderful transfor-
nation. Over souls by reason of sin
black as coal and hard as iron, God by
ms comforting grace stoops and says:
''Thcy shall be mine IN the day when