Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-04-29

and the palms ever waving, aud the hallelu-
jahs ever rising, and the harps ever sound
ing, and temple always open, AMI the golden
streets always a-rush with chariots of saliva
ton, and tbs last place which you ought
ever to want to go to is heaven unless you
want TO be busy.
Alas, my hearers. that in this world there
SHOULD be 50 many loungers and so fe"
workers. We go into the vineyard Of the
church and we hear the arbor groan under
the heft Of the vines and the clusters hang
ing down. large aud thick aud ripe, cluster
and cluster fairer than the punches OF
Eshcol and Engeii, and at a touch they will
turn into wine more rudy than that OF
Libanus an1 Hebon. But where are the
men to gather ths vintage and tread the
wine press2 There comes to your ear
sound of a thousand wheat fields ready for
the sickle. The grain is ready. lis tall, it
Is full, il Is golden. IL waves in the sunlight.
1t rustles in the wind. IL would Gil the
barns 1t would crowd the gamers. Aftsr
a while it will lodge, or the mildew and tina
rust will smite it.
Oh where are the reapers 10 bud the
sheavesl The enemies Of Col ara mar
shalei. You see the glitter Of their buck
lers. You hear the paving of their chargers.
aud all along the line of battle is heard the
shout of their great captain, AMI at the
armies Of the living God they hurl their de-
fance. They come, not in numbers like the
hosts OF SennachsriO but their mutitude is
Ike the leaves OF the forest, and the sound OF
their voices like the thunder OF the sea.
Mailed in helPs impsnetrable armor, they
advances with the waving of their banners
and the dancing of their plunes. Their
ranks are not easily to be broken for the
batteries OF hell will open to help them ami
L. ~ hnr frr1n- m
the fight. Where are the chosen few VINO
will throw themselves into the jaws OF this
conflict?
King james gave to Sir John Scott. for
his courage. a charter OF arms with a num-
Der Of spears for the crest and the motto,
"Ready. aye, readyp and yet. when God
calls US TO the WORK aud the cause demands
our espousal and interests dreadful as the
Judgment and solemn as eternity tremb.e In
the balance, how few Of US are willing to
throw ourselves into thu breach, crying,
Ready aye, ready
Oh, | should like to see Col arise for tho
defense Of His own cause AMI the disenthral-
ment Of a world in bondage How the fet.
ters would snap aud how tae darkness would
ly. and how heaven would sing. You have
never seen an army like that which God
shall gather from the four winds OF heaven
to fight His battles They shall cover every
hilltop AMI stretch through every valley AMI
man the vessels on every SCI. There shall
neither be uproar nor wrath nor smoke nor
bloodshed. Harvests shall not lie waste In
the track nor cities be consumed Instead
of the groans OF capeives shall cone the
song Of those redeemed.
Yet the conquest shall be none the less
complete, for il in that hour when all should
be vigilant the church OF God should neglect
TO seize the priZe and the cause should seem
TO fall from the gtaveyards and Gene
ferries of all Christendom tho good and faith
full of the past would spring to their feet IN
time TO save the cause, AMI though the sun
might not again stand still above Glbeon or
the moon in the valley OF Ajalon, the day
would be lon enough to gain decisive VIC
tory for God and the truth
Sut my text is descriptive also OF those
who hunt for opportunities, and when they
get them do not use them. The rabbit they
overcome by an early morning tramp lies
for weeks knocked in the Gooryard Inc
deer that they brought down after long anal
exhausting pursuit IN the Adirondacks lies
ON the doorsll undressed, aud the sayory
venison becomes malodorous carcass They
roast not that which they took in hunting.
OPPORTUNITIES laborously captured, yet use
less and that which came in invitlngly, lGe
a string Of plover and quail and wild duck
hung over a hunters shoulder, turns to some
thing worse than nothing.
SO with Agrippa when almost persuaded
TO be Christian. So with the lovely young
man who went away from Christ very sor-
rowful. SO with tens Of thousands VINO
have whole hands full, whole skies full OF
winged opportunities which profit them
nothing at all. because they roast not tnat
which they took in hunting. On, make ou'
of this captured moment banquet ioT ever.
nity. The greatest prize in the universe to
be won is the love and pardon OF CErlst.
Win that and you can say
Now have found Friend
Whose love shall never end
Tesns IA M incl