The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-05-13

He lives. all CORY to Ills name
He lives my Jejue, still the same,
Oh, the sweet JOY this sentence gives
know that my Redeemer lives.
Blessed be His glorious name forever!
Again, if any one asks the question OF the
text "What mean ye by these stones" the
reply is we mean the communion OF saints.
Do you know that there is not single de-
nomination Of Christians in Brooklyn that
has not contributed something toward the
building Of this house? And If ever, stand.
ing in this place, there shall be man who
shall try By anything he says to stir up bit
terness between different denominations OF
Christians, may his tongue falter, and his
cheek blanch, and bis heart stop! My
friends, If there is any church on earth
where there Is mingling OF all demo
tions it is our church. just wish that John
Calvin and Arminius, II they were not TOO
busv would come out Oh the battlements
and see US.
Sometimes in our prayer meetings have
heard brethren use the phrases Of beautiful
liturgy, and we know where they come from; b;
and In the same prayer meetings l have
heard brethren made audible ejaculation,
"Amenr' 'sPraise ye the Lordp and we did
not have to guess twice where they came
from. When q man knocks at our church
door, il he comes from sect where they
will not give him a certificate, we say:
.'Come in by confession of faith" While
Adoniram Judson, the Baptist, and John
Wesley, the Methodist, and John Knox. the
glorious old Scotch Presbyterian, are shak.
ing hands in heaven, all churches OIL earth
can afford to come into close communlca.
ton: Zone Lord, one faith, one baptism" !"
Bethel fights-the Fourteenth New York
so,;z,ook dpbfipo ba Eiffaopfh Maacachu-
setts regiment. Now, let all those who ara
for Christ and stand on the same side 60
shoulder to shoulder, and this church, instead
Of having a sprinkling Of the divine blessing,
20 clear under the wave in one glorious I'M
merton in the name of the Father and OF the
Son and of the Holy Ghoss.
Isaw little child once in its dying hour,
put one arm around its fathers neck and the
other arm around its mothers neck and
bring them close down to its dying lips and
give a last kiss. Oh, said, those two per-
sons will stand very near to each other al
ways after such an interlocking. The dying
Christ puts one artn around this denomina'
ton Of Christians, and the other arm arounj
that denomination Of Christians, and He
Nings them down to His dying lips while He
gives them this parting kiss: "My peace
cave with you. Ny peace give unto you.
How swift tho heavenly course they run.
Whose hearts and faith aud hopes are one.
heard Baptist minister once say that
ie thought in the millennium it would be
al one great Baptist church; and l heard
/ Methodist minister say that he thought
n the great millennial day it would be all
me great Methodist church; and l have
tnown Presbyterian minister who
thought that In the millennial day it would
Do all one great Presbyterian church: Now
think they are all mistaken. l think the
nillennial church will be composite
church; and just as you may take the best
parts of five or six tunes, and under the Skill.
tul hands Of Handel, Mozart or Beethoven
,ntwine them into one grand and overpower-
ing symphony, So suppose, in the latter
lays of the world, God will take the best
carts of all denominations Of Christians, and
weave them into one great ecclesiastical
harmony, broad as the earth and high as the
heavens, and that will be the church Of the
future. Or, as mosaic is made OF jasper and
agate and many precious stones cemented
together-mosaic a thousand feet square in
St. Marks, or mosaic hoisted In colossal
seraphim in st. Sophia's-so suppose God
will make, after while, one great blending
Of all cresds, and all faiths, and all Christian
sentiments, the amythest and the Jasper, and
the chalcedony Of all different experiences
and belief, connected side by side in the great
mosaic Of the ages: aud while the nations
look upon the columns and architraves OF
the stupendous church Of the future, and
cry out, "What mean ye by these stonesT'
there shall be innumerable voices to re-
spond, "We mean the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth."
Still further, you mean by these stones the
salvation of the people. We did not bulld
this church for mere worldly reforms, or for
an educational institution, or as platform
on which to read essays and philosophical
disouisitions, but placs for the tremendous
work OF soul saving. On, 1 had rather be
the means in this church OF having one soul
prepared for a joyful eternity than i've
thousand souls prepared for mere. worldly
success. All churches are in two classes, all
communities in two classes, all the race In
two ciasses-beievers and uubelievers. To
augment the number Of the one and subtract
from the number Of the other we built this
church, and toward that supreme and eter-
nal idea we dedicate all our sermons all our
songs, all our prayers, all our Sabbath hand
shakings We want to throw detection into
the enemy's ranks. We want to make them
either surrender Internationally to Christ or
else fly in front, scattering the way with
canteens blankets and knapsacks. We
want to popularize Christ We would
like to tell the story Of His love here until
men would feel that they had rather die than
live another hour without His sym mpathy and
love and mercy We want to rouse up an
enthusiasm for Him greater than was felt
for Nathaniel Lyon when he rode along the
ranks; greater than was exhibited for Well
ington when he came back from Waterloo;
greater than was expressed for Napoleon
when he stepped ashore from Elba. Wereally
believe in this place Christ will enact the
same scenes that were enacted by Him when
He landed in the orient, and there will be
SUCH an opening Of blind eyes and unstop.
ping of deaf ears and casting out Of ulclean
spirits-such silencing bestormed Gennesa-
rets as shall make this house memorable fve
hundred years after you and | are dead and
forgotten. Oh, my friends, we want but one
revival in this church, that beginning now
and running on to the day when the chisel oi
time, that brings down even st. Paurs and
the Pyramids, shall bring this house into the
dust.
Oh, that this day of dedication might be
the day Of emancipation OF all imprisoned
souls. My friends, do not make the blundel
OF the ship carpenters in Noah's time, who
helped to build the ark, but did not get into
it. God forbid that you who have been Sc
generous in building this church should not
get under its influences. Come thou and
ali thy house into the ark" Do you think q
man IS safe out Of Christ? Not one day, not
one hour, not one minute, not one second
Three or four years ago. you remember, q
rail train broke down bridge on the way to
Albany, and after the catastrophe they were
looking around among the timbers Of the
crushed bridge and the fallen train and found
the conductor. He was dying, and had only
strength to say one thing, and that was,
Hoist the flag for the next train" So there
come to us tonight, from the eternal word
voices of God, voices of angels, voices of de
parted spirits, crying: Lift the warning
Blow the trumpet. Give the alarm. Hoist
the flag for the next train"
Oh, that tonight my Lord Jesus would
sweep His arm around the great audience and