The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-05-07
day it would be all one great Methodist

ithioICl VIII GiOuSuI LIlaU Ill the MlllGn- |
lal Gay it would be all one great Pres
'Yterian church. Now | think they arc
III mistaken. | thing the Mlllennial
hurch will be Il composite church; and
ust as you may take the best parts of
i've or six tunes, and under the skilltul
lands Ola Handel, Mozart or Beethoven
entwine them into one grand and over
powerlng symphony, so 1 suppose, in
the latter days OF the world, God will
take the best parts OF all denominations
OF Christians, aud weave them into one
great ecclesiastical harmony, broad as
the earth and high rs the heavens, and
that will be the church of the future.
Or, as mosaic is made up of jasper and
agate, and many precious stones cement
Ell togcthcr-mOsaic a thousand feet
square in ST. Marks, or mosaic hol stcd
i'll colossal scraphim in st. Sophia-so |
suppose God will make, after awhile,
one great blending of all creeds, and all
faiths, and all Christian sentiments, the
amethyst. and the jasper, and the chal-
ccdony OF all different experiences and
belief, Ccmentcd side by side in the great
mosaic OF the ages; and while the nations
look upon the COlums and architravcS of
that stupcndOus church of the future, and
cry out: "What mean yC by these
StoncS?" there shall bc innumcrable
voices to rcspond.-''W mean the Lord
God Omnlpotcnt rclgncth."
Still iurthcr you mean by these stones
the salvation fthc people. We did not
build this church for mere worldly re-
forms, Cr for an educational institution,
or as platform OH which to read essays
and philosophical dsquisitions; but a
place for the tremendous work Of soul
saving. Oh, | had rather be the means
in this church Of having one soul pre-
pared for a joyful eternity than five
thousands souls prepared for mere
worldly success. All churches are in
two classes; all communities in two
classes. all the race in two classes-be-
levers and unbclicvers. TO augment
the number of The one and substract
from the number OF the other, We build
this church; and toward that supreme
and eternal idea We dedicate all our SER
mons, all our songs, all our prayers, all
our Sabbath hand-shaiings.
We want to throw detection into the
cncmy's ranks. We want to make them
either surrender Internationally TO
Christ or else fly in rout. scattering the
way with cantccns, blankets, and KNAPP
sacks. Want to pnpulariZc 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 sympathy, and love, and
mercy. We want to arouse up IN cnthu-
slaSm Tor him greater than WAS felt tor
Nathaniel Lyon when he rode along the
rankS-grcatcr than was exhibited for
Wellington when he came back from
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. than was expressed
for Napoleon when he stepped ashore
from EIba. We really bclcJc in this
place Chnst will enact the same scenes
that were enacted by him when he land
cd III the Orient; and there will be such
an opening ct blind eyes, and unstopping
OF deaf ears, and casting out Of unclcan
sprlts-sllch sllcncing bcstOrmcd Gen
nesarcts rs shall make this house
memorable five hundred years after you
and | arc dead aud forgotten. Oh, my
friends, we want but one revival in this
church, that bcginning now and running
on to the day when the chscl of time.
that lrings down even st. Paul's and
the Pyramids, shall bring this house
into the dust.
Oh, that this day of dcdic ,Lion mis hit
be the day OF emancipation of all i'm
prlSoncd souls. My friends, do not
make the blundcr Of the ship carpenters
i'll Noah's time, who helped to build the
ark; but did not get into It. God forbid
that You who have been 80 generous in
building this church. should not get I'M
der It's saving influence. "C0mc thou
and all thy house into the ark.' DO YOU
think 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 a
bridge Oh the way u Albany, and after
the catastrope, they were looking around
among the timber5 Of the crushed bridge
and the fallen train, and found the con-
durtor. He was dying, and had only
strength to say one thing, and that was:
''lloist the flag Tor the next train" SO
there come to us tonight, from tho cter-
nal work, voices Of God, voices of
angels, voices ofdcpartcd splri,s, crying:
''Lilt the warning. Blow the trumpet,
give the alarm. Hoist the flag for the
next train"
On! that Tonight my Lord Jesus
would sweep his arm around this great
audience, and take you all to his holy
heart. You will never see 50 good
time for personal conservation as now.
"What mean yc by these stoncs?" We
mean your redemption from sin, and
death, aud hell, by the power of an
omnipotcnt Gospel"
Well, the brooklyn Tabernacle is
erected again. We came here tonight
not to dedicate 1t. That was done This
morning. Tonight we dedicate our
selves. In the Episcopal and Methodist
churches they have a railing around the
altar, and the people come and kncel
down at that railing and get the sacrc-
mental blessing. Well, my friends, it
would take more than night to gather
you IN circles around this altar. Then
uSt bow where YOU are for this blessing.
Aged men, this is the last church that
Sou will ever dedicate. May the God
who comtortcd Jacob the Patriarch and
Paul the aged make this house to YOU
he gate Of heaven: and when, in your
'ld lays, you put on your old spcctaclcs
o read the hymn or the Scripture lesson