The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-07-29

tried to wrench ourselves away from
the grasp, but we could not. It flung
us fat, and when we arose we were -
much changed as Gourgis, the heather,
who went into prayer-meeting with .
dagge. and gun to disturb the meet.
ing and destroy 1t, but the next day
was found CRYING: "Oh! my great sins!
Oh! my great Saviour:" and for eleven
years preached the Gospel OF Christ to
his fellow mountaineers, the last words
on his dying lips being: "Fres Grace!
Oh, 1t was free grace!"
There is man who was 70, ten years
ahard drinker.s The dreadful appetite
had sent down its roots around the
palate and the tongue, and on down nn-
til they were interlinked with the vitals
of the body mind and soul; but he has
not taken any stimulants for two years
What did that? Not temperance So
cieties. Not prohibition laws. Not
moral suasion. Conversion did it.
why" said one upon whom the great
change had come, '.sir, I feel Just as
though Iwere somebody else" There is
a sea captain who swore all the way
from New York to Havana, and from
Havana to San Francisco, and when he
was in port he was worse than when he
was on sea. What power was it that
washed his tongue clean of profanities
and made him a psalm-singer? CONVEX
sion by the Holy spirit There are
thousands of people here to-day yhc
are no more what they once were TIM
water-lily is nightshade, or morn
ing lark is q vulture, or day is night. 4
Now, il I should demand that all
those people here present who have
felt the. converting power Of religion
should rise, so far from being ashamed,
they would spring to their feet with
more alacrity than they ever sprang to
the dance. the tears mingling with their
exhilaration as they cried, "We are
Witnessed And II they tried to sing
the old Gospel hymn, they would break
down with emotion by the time they
got to the second line:
Ashamed Of Jesus that dear friend
On whom my hopes OF Heaven dependi
No when, blush, be this my shame;
That I no more revere His name.
Again, remark that I'VE are wit.
nesses" Of the Gospels power to comfort.
When a man has trouble the world
comes in and says: snow get your mind
of this; go out and breathe the fresh
air; plunge deeper into business"
What poor advice! Get your mind OF
it when every thing is upturned with
the bereavement and every thing re-
minds you Of what you have lost. Get
yo.r mind of i'll They might as well
advise you to stop thinking, and you
can not stop thinking in that direction.
Take a walk in the fresh air! Why,
along that very street, or that very
road, she once accompanied you.
Out of that grass-plot she plucked
flowers, or into that window
she looked a fascinated, saying,
"Come see the pictures Go
deeper into business! Why, she was
associated with all your business am.
bition, and since SIZE has gone you have
no am bition left. Oh, this is clumsy
world, when IL tries to comfort bro,
ken heart! can build a Corliss -
CINE, ! can paint . Raphaers ''Madaa.
ma" ! can play Beethoven symph
- easily - This world can corhfdlcS
broken heart And yet you have
been comforted. How was It done? Did
Christ come to you and say, Get your
mind off this, 60 out and breathe the
fresh air; plunge deeper into business?'
No. There was minute when he
came to you-perhaps in the watches Of
the night, perhaps in your place Of bus
mess, perhaps along the strickland He
breathed something into your soul that
gave peace, rest, infinite quiet. so that
you could take out the photograph OF
the departed one and look into the eyes
and the face of the dear one and
say: 1T is al! right; she is better off;
would not call her back. Lord, thanh
Thee that Thou hast comforted my
poor heart" There are Christian
parents here who are willing to testify
to the power Of this Gospel to comfort
Your son had just graduated from
school or college and was going into
business, and the Lord took him. o.
your daughter had just graduated from
young ladies, seminary, and YOU
Thought She was going to be useful
woman and of long life: but the Lord
took her, and you were tempted to say
"All this culture Of twenty years TO,
nothing!'
|. Or the little child came home from
school with the hot fever that stopped
not for the agonized prayer or for the
akillful physician, and the little child
was taken. Or the babe was lifted out
Of your arma BY some quick epidemic,
and you stood wondering why God ever
gave you that child ct all, Il 20 soon BE
was to take il away. And yet yoa an
not repining, you are not fretful, you
are not fighting against God. What en-.
abled you to stand all the trial? ''Oh,
you say, II took the medicine that God
gave my sick soul. In my distress
threw myself at the feet of a synpa.
timing God; and when was too veal
to pray, or to look up He breathed
into me peace that think must be
the forestate of that Heaven where
there is neither tear nor q farewell
nor grave" Come, all We who have
been out to the grave to weep there
come all We comforted souls, get up of
your knees. Is there no power in the
Gospel to soothe the heart? Is there
no power in this religion to quiet the
worst paroxysm of grief? There comes
up an answer from the comforted wild