The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-10-07

used to light the pipe OF witticism by
some, but for us it is staff in life, a
pillow in death and our joy for eternity,
Walk all up and down this Bible do,
main! Try every path. Plunge in at
the prophecies and come out at the
epistles. Go with the patriarchs until
you meet the evangelists. Rummage
and ransack, as children who are not
satisfied when they come to new house
until they know what is in every room
and into what every door opens. Open
every jewel casket. Examine the sky
lights. Forever be asking questions.
Put to higher use than was intended
the oriental proverb, "Hold all the skirts
of thy mantle extended when heaven is
raining gold"
Passing from Bonn to Coblentz on
the Rhine, the scenery is comparatively
tame. But from Coblentz to Mayence
1t is enchanting. You sit on deck and
feel as if this last flash of beauty must
exhaust the scene; but in a moment
there is turn Of the river, which COW
ers up the former view with more lux
uriant vineyards, and more defiant cas-
ties, and holder bluffs, vine wreathed,
and grapes so ripe that if the hills be
ouched they would bleed their rich life
away into the bowls of Bingen and
Hockheimer Here and there there are
streams of water melting into the river,
like smaller joys swallowed in the
bosom of great gladness.
And when night begins to throw its
black mantle over the shoulder of the
hills, and you are approaching disem.
barkation at Mayence, the lights along
the shore fairly bewitch the scene with
their beauty, giving one thrill that he
feels but once, yet that lasts him for
ever. So this river of Gods Word is not
a straight stream, but winding splen-
dor-at every turn new wonders to at
tract, still ripper vintage pressing to the
brink and crowded with castles of
strength-Stolzenfels and Johannisber-
ger as nothing compared with the strong
tower into which the righteous run and
are saved-and our Decentralization at
last in the evening amid the lights that
CLEAN from the shore of heaven. The
trouble is that the vast majority of BIZ
BILE voyagers stop at Coblentz, where the
chief glories begin.
A BoUNDLEss SEA.
The sea of Gods Word is not like Gen
nesaret, twelve miles by six, but bound
less, and in any one direction you can
sail on forever. Why then confine your
self to short psalm or to few verses
of an epistle? The largest fish are not
near the shore. Hoist all sail to the
winds of heaven. Take hold of both
oars and pull away. elike some of the
whalers that went out from New Bed
ford or Portsmouth to be gone for two
or three years. Yea, calculate on a life
time voyage. You do not want to land
until you land in heaven. Sail away.
o ye mariners, for eternity! Launch
out into the deep!
The text is appropriate to all Chris
tians of shallow experience. Doubts and
fears have in our day been almost elected
to the parliament of Christian graces
Some consider it bad sign not to have
any uOuDUS. DOuDUS ana Tears are not
signs of health, but testers and carbun-
cles. You have a valuable house or
farm. 1t is suggested that the title is
not good. You employ counsel You
have the deeds examined. You search
the record for mortgages. judgments
and liens. You are not satisfied until
you have certificate. signed by the
great seal of the state, assuring YOU that
the title is good. Yet how many leave
their title to heaven an undecided mat
ter! Why do you not 90 to the records
and find out? Give yourself no rest, day
or night, until you can read your title
clear TO mansions in the skies.
Christian character is to come up to
higher standards. We have now to
hunt through our library to find one
Robert M'Cheyne, or one Edward Pay
son, or one Harlan Page. The time will
come when we will find half dozen of
them sitting in the same seat with us
The grace OF God can make great deal
better men than those have mentioned.
Christians seem afraid they will get
heterodox by going too far. They do
not believe in Christian perfection.
There is no danger of your being per-
feet for some time yet. | will keep
watch and give you notice in time, If
you get too near perfection for the safety
OF your theology.
One-half of you Christians are simply
stuck in the mud. Why not cut loose
from everything but God? Give not to
him that formal petition made up of
1870 Lord" this and 80 Lord"
that. When people are cold and have
nothing to say to God they strew their
prayers with sos" and Forever and
ever, Amen" and things to fill up. Tell
God what you want with the feeling
that he is ready to give it, and believe
that you will receive, and you shall have
it. Shed that old prayer you have been
making these ten years. 1t is high time
that you outgrew it. Throw it aside
with your old ledgers, and your old hats,
and your old shoes. Take q review of
your present wants. of vour present sins
and of YOU present blessings. With n
sharp blade cut away YOUR past half
and half Christian life. and with new
1A.L.