Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-04-28


sorry. bu5 thsy had no time to listen.
Then st. Thomas concluded that it was
because they were so busy that the ApOs-
ties and the devout women had no doubts.
Idleness not only leads a man into AS
sociations which harm his morals, but
often thrusts upon him the worst kind OF
skepticism. Loafers are almost always in
6dels. or fast getting to be. Consummate
idlers never read the Bible, and if they APP
pear in church can be distinguished in an
audience of Thousand by their listless-
ness. for they are too lazy to hear. IL Is
not so much among occupied merchants,
industrious mechanics and professional
| men always busy that you hear the reli-
gion of Jesus maligned, as in public
lounging places. given up to profanity and
dissoluteness They have no sympathy
with the Book that says. LET him that
stole steal no more: but rather let him
labor, working with his hands the thing
which is good, that he may have to give
to him that needeth."
never knew a man given up to thor
ough idleness that was converted. Simon
and Andrew were converted while fishing.
and Lydia while selling purple, and the
shepherds of Bethlehem watching their
IlOChS HcdIu Alt NOlNI VI dAktlNf anu NAA
con was thrashing on the thrashing floor,
but no one was ever converted with his
hands in his pockets. Let me tell the idler
that there is no hoDe for him either in this
world or in the world which is to come
If the Son of God who owned the whole
universe, worked in the carpenter shop OF
Joseph, surely we, who own so little, yet
want so much, ought to be busy. The re-
-. u I,F
exciting songs they sing!
On what messages of love they fly
through all the universe, fulfilling Gods
high behests and taking worlds in one cir.
cult: rushing with infinite ferceness
against sin and cruelty and oppression.
and making the gates OF hell 10 quake at
the overthrow Of the principalities OF dark
ness. and in the same twinkle of an eye
speeding back to their thrones with the
news of Sim RS repentant. The River of
Life is ever flowing, and the palms ever
waving, and the hallelujahs ever rising.
aud the harps ever sounding, and the tenn
Pile always open, and the golden streets
always a-rush with chariots of salvation,
and the last place which you ought ever to
want TO go To i heaven, unless you want
10 be busy
Alas, my hearers, that in this world |
there should he so many loungers and so
few workers. We 20 into the vineyard of
the church and we hear the arbor groan |
under the heft OF the vines and the clus- |
tiers hanging down, large and thick aud |
ripe, cluster against cluster, fairer than the |
lunches of Eshcol aud Engedi, and at
touch they will turn into wine NOR ruddy |
than that of Libanus and Helbon. But |
where are the men TO gather the vintage |
and tread the wine presss There comes to
your ear "A sound Of thousand wheat
fields ready for the sickle. The grain is
ready. 1t is tall, it is full, it is golden.
II waves in the sunlight. Il rustles in the
wind. 1t would fill the barns Ii would
crowd the gamers. After awhile it will
lodge. or the mildew and the rust will
smte it.
REAPERs IN THE WORLDS HARVEST.
Oh, where are the reapers to bind the
'heavesl The enemies Of God are mar
,haled. You see the glitter of their buck
ers. You hearthe paving OF their chargers,
aud all along the line OF battle is heard the
'hout of their great captain, and at the
armies Of the living God they hurl their
defiance They come not In numbers like
he hosts of Sennacherib, but their multi
ude is like the leaves of the forest, and the
ound of their voices like the thunder Of the
ea. Mailed in helrs impenetrable armor,
hey advance with the waving OF their
,anners and the dancing of their plumes.
Their ranks are not easily to be broken.
or the batteries of hell viii open to help
hem and ten Thousand angels OF darkness
ningle in the fight Where are the chosen
ew who will throw themselves into the s
avs Of this eouliictg
King James gave to Sir John Scott. for
is courage, a charter Of arms with a mum
er of spears for the crest and the motto,
Ready aye, ready and yet. when God :
ais rs to the work and the cause demands
ur espousal and interests dreadful as the s
Judgment and solemn as eternity tremble =
q the balance, how few Of US are willing /,
o throw ourselves into the breach, crying, |
READY aye, ready Z
Oh, | should like TO see God arise for
he defense of his own cause and the dis I
nthralment of a world in bondage. How !
he letters would snap and how the dark I
ess would fly, and how heaven would !
ing. lou have never seen an army like =
hat which God shall gather from the four t
'inds of heaven to fight his battles. They 1
hall cover every hilltop and stretch {
trough every valley and man the vessels o
n every sea. There shall neither be up
,ar nor wrath nor smoke nor bloodshed. '
Iarvests shall not lie waste in the track =
or cities be consumed. Instead of the y
roars of captives shall come the song of a
nose redeemed.
Yet the conquest shall be none the less
,mplete, for il in that hour when all Il
lould be vigilant the church of God
iould neglect to seize the prize and the
luse should seem to fail, from the grave q
ir,is and cemeteries of all Christendom CT
lie good and faithful of the past would o.
ring to their feet in time to save the h,
luse, and though the sun might not again Al
and still above Gideon, or the moon in M NJ
lie valley of Ajalon, the day would be long 50
lough to gain decisive victory for God =,
I'd the truth. ali
But my text is descriptive also Of those a
no hunt for opportunities, and when they
I them, do not use them. The rabbit :
ey overcome by an early morning tramp
: for weeks uncooked in the dooryard