The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-01-14
out price, take this sweet cluster from
tha vineyards Of God -

iii
I am coming to the close Of my SER
mon. / sought fol textappropriate
for the occasion. / thought OF taxi.
ing one in Job: "My Days Fly: as a,
Weaver's Shuttle" of a text in the
Psalms:"So Teach Us to Number Orr
Days That We May Apply Our Hearts
Unto Wisdom" OF the prayer Of the
vine dresser: "Lord, Let It Alone
This Year Also" but pressed upon nv
attention first OF all, and last Of ali.
and above all were the words: sstrhis
Year Thou Shalt De-
Perhaps 1T may mean me. Though
in perfect health now, it does not take
God one week to bring down the
strongest constitution. | do not want
to die this year. We have plans and
projects on foot that / want to see
completed; but God knows best, and
he has a thousand better men than
| to do the work yet undone [
havea hope that,not withstanding all
my sins and wanderings, shall,
through the infinite mercy OF my Saw
Tor, come out at the right place. I
have nothing to brag Of by way OF
Christian experience but two things
have learned-my utter helplessness
before God, and the all-abounding
grace of the Lord Jesus. If the
text means some Of you, my hearers,
l do not want you to be caught I'M
prepared. 1 would like to have you,
either through money you have laid
up.o or life insurance 'sbe able to leave
the world feeling that your family
need not become paupers But if you
have not done your best, and you
leave not one dollars worth of estate
you may confidently trust the Lord.
who hath promised to care for.
THE WIDOW AND FATHERLEss.
| would like to have your soul fitted
out for eternity, so that If, any morn
Ing, or noon, or evening, or night, Of
these 365 days, death should look in
and ask, care you ready?" you might,
with an outburst ofChristian triumph
answer, "Ay, ay! all ready"
l know not what our last words
may be. Lord Chesterfield prided
himself on his politeness, and said, in
his last moment, "Give Dayrolles a
chair" DR.. Adam, q dying school
master, said, cit grows dark. The
boys may dismiss" Lord Tenterden,
supposing himself on a bench OF a
court room, said, in his last moment:
"Gentlemen Of the jury, you will now
consider your verdict" Adying play
actor said, "Drop the curtain. The
farce is played out" I would rather
have, for my dying words, those Of
one greater than Chesterfield, or DR..
Adam, or Lord Tenterden: II am now
ready to be offered, and the time of
my departure is at hand. l have
fought a good fight, I have finished
my course; I have kept the faith;
henceforth there is laid up for me
crown Of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give
me-" ..s~
The sooner the, last hour comes the
better if we are fitted for entrance in
the celestial world. There is no clock
I'M heaven, because it is an
everlasting day; yet they keep an &C
count Of the passing years, because
they are all the time hearing from our
world. The angels flying through
heaven report how many times the
earth has turned onsits axis, and in
that way the angels can keep
diary; and they say it is almost time
now for father to come up, or for
mother to come up. Some day they
see q cohort leaving heaven and they
say, "Whither bound?" and the an
swer is; "To bring up a soul from
earth;" and the question is asked,
"What soul?" And a family circle in
heaven find that it is one of their own
number that is to be brought up, and
they come out to watch, as on the
beach we now watch for a ship that is
to bring our friends home. After
awhile the cohort will heave in sight,
flying nearer and nearer until with
a great clang the gates hoist, and
with an embrace, wild with the &C.
stacy of heaven, old friends meet
again. Away with your stiff, formal
heaven! [ want none Of it. Give me a
place of infinite sociality. My feet free
from the clods of earth, I shall bound
the hills with gladness, and break
forth in a laugh Of triumph. Anal
aha! We weep now, but then we
shall laugh. "Abraham's BOSOM"
means that heaven has open arms to
take us in, Now we fold our arms
oVCl Jul C1l1O CCll WIG WOI1u 10
stand back, as though our bosom was
a two-barred gate to keep the world
out. Heaven stands not with fol ded
arms, but with hearts open. It is
"Abraham's BOSOM" see mother
and her child meeting at the foot of
the throne after some years absence.
The child died 20 years ago but
is a child yet. 1 think the
little ones who die will remain children
through, all eternity. It would be no
heaven without the little darlings. I
do not want those that are in heaven
to grow up. We need their infant
voices in the great song. And when
we walk out in the fields Of light, we
want them to run ahead, and clap
their hands, and pick out the bright
est Of the field flowers
This is the last January to some
who are present. You have entered
the year, but you will not. close it.
Within these IL months your eyes
will shut for the last sleep. Other
hands will plant the Christmas tree,
and give the New Years congratula-
tions. AS a proclamation Of Joy to
some, and as q matter of warning to
Others leave in vOl1r enrs thacn f;va