Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-08-06
the slippery rasllnes and broken ON the hal,

the sippery rdbiines anu broken on the hal
yards. we may die a sailors death. On
mission OF mercy in hospital, amid broken
bones and rocking leprosies aud raging
fever, we may die philanthropist's death
On the field of battle. serving God and our
country, the gun carriage may roll over us
and we may die a patriots death. But.
after ALL there are only two STYLES of de.
parture; the death OF the righteous and the
death of the wicked, and we all want to die
the former
God grant that when that hour comes YOU
may be at homel You want the hand of
your kindred In your hand. You want your
children to surround you. You want the
light on your pillow from eyes that have
long reflected your love. You want the
room still You do not want any curious
strangers standing around watching Won.
You want your kindred from afar to hear
your last PRAYER. think that is the wish
of all of us But is that ali? Can earthly
friends hold Us when the pillows o. death
come up TO the glrdIey Can human voice
charm open heavens gate? Can hu nan
hands pilot US through the narrows of death
into heavens har3ors Can an earthly
friendship shield us from tbs arrows of
death and in the hour when satan shall
practice upon us his intern u archery No,
no. no, mol Alasl poor soul, if that Is all.
Better die in the wilderness, far from tree
shadow AMI from fountain, alons, vultures
circiing through the air waiting for our
body, unknown to meP, and to have no
burial, it Only Christ could say through tbs
solitudes, 81 will never leave thee, will
never forsake thee" From that pillow OF
stone q ladder would soar heavenwari,
angels coming and going; aud across lns
solitude AMI the bsrrenness would CONS ths
sweet notes of heavenly minstrelsy.
Toward the last hour OF our earthly resi-
dencs we are speeding. When see ths sun
set say, Zone day less to live" When /
see the spring bloss pms scattered say, "An-
other season gone forever" When | close
this Bible on Sabbath night say, Another
Sabbath departed" When bury frienf
l say. Another earthly attraction gone for
ever" What nimAle feet the years havel
The roebucks and the lightnings run not SO
fast. From decade to decade, from sky to
sky they go at bound
There is place for US, waetnsr marked
or not, where you aui | will sleep the last
sleep, and the men are now living who will
with solemn tread carry US TO our resting
place. Aye, it's known in heaven whether
our departure will be coronation or a ban
ishment. Brighter than a banqusting had
t rough which the light feet of tls dancers
go up and down to the sound of trumpeters
will be the sepuchre through WHOSE riffs
the holy light OF heaven streameth. Cod
will watch you. He will sen His angels to
guard your sumbering ground until at
Christs behest they shall roll away the
stone.
So also Christ is aoove all in heaven.
The Bible distinctly says that Christ is the
chief theme of the celestial ascription, all
the thrones facing His throne, all the palms
waved before His face, all the crowns down
at His feet. Cherubim to caerubim, sera-
phin to seraphim, redeemed spirit to re-
deemed spirit shall recite the Saviour's
earthly sacrifice
Stand on some high hill of heaven and in
all the radiant sweep the most glorious OBJ
iect will be Jesus Myriatis gazing on the
scars of His suffering. in silence first,
afterward breaking forth into reclamation.
The martyrs, ell the purer for the fame
through which they passed, will say, This
is Jesus, for whom we died" The apostles,
all the happier for the shipwreck and the
scourg ing through which they went, will say,
This is the Jesus whom we preached
at Corinth, aud at CappadocIa, and at
Antioch, and at Jerusalem." Little children
clad in white will say, This IS the Jesus
who took us in His arms and blessed us, and
when the storms OF the world were too cold
and loud brought us into this beautiful
place. The mutitudes of the berett will
say, This is the Jesus who comforted US
when our hearts broke" Many wle-had
wanderei clear off from Col and plunged
into vagabondism, but saved by grace, will
say: This is the Jesus who pardoned US. We
were guilty and He made us white us snow"
Mercy boundless, grace unparalleled. And
then, after each one has recited his peculiar
deliveraDces and peculiar mercies rectei
them by solo, all the voices will come to-
gether in great chorus. which shall make
the arches echo aud re-echo with the eternal
reveroeration of gladness and peace and tri
umpo.
Edward | was so anxiou, to go to the
Holy Lan1 that when he was about to ex-
pire he bequeathed $3.50, 900 to have his
heart, after his decease, taken to the Holy
Land in Asia Minor, aud his request was
complied with. But there are hundreds to-
day whose hearts are already in the holy
land of heaven. Where your treasures are
there are your hearts also. John Bunyan,
of whom l spoke at the opening Of the dis
course, caught glimpse of that place, and
in his quaint way he said; And heard in
my dream, and To- the bells of the city rang
again for joy; and as they opened the gates
to let in the men looked in after them, and
10! the city shone like tde sun, AMI there
were streets of gold, and men walked on
them, harpS in their hands, to sing praises
with all, and after that they shut up the
gates, which when had seen | wishe my
self among themm