The Red Cloud chief., 1892-06-03

s%epulchrize religion, when we ought to
present II In animated and spectacular
manner.
sabbath morning by Sabbath morn.
ing address many theological students
who are preparing for the ministry.
They come in here from the different
institutions I say to them this morn
ing: If you will go home and look over
the history of the church you will find
that those men have brought most souls
to Christ who have been dramatic.
Rowland Hill, dramatic; Thomas Chal-
mers, dramatic; Thomas Guthrie. dra-
matic; Robert McCheyne, dramatic;
John Knox, dramatic; Christmas Evans,
dramatic; George Whitefeld, dramatic;
Robert Hall, dramatic; Robert South,
dramatic; Fcnelon, dramatic; John
Mason, dramatic; DR.. Mott, dramatic.
When you get into the ministry, IL you
attempt TO culture that element, and try
to WELD 1t for God, you will meet with
mighty rebuff and ~caricature, and &C.
closiastical council will take your case
in charge, and they will try TO put you
down; but the God who starts Won will
help you through, and great will b the
eternal rewards for the assiduous and
the pluclsy.
Next I speak Of the Selah OF perpetu-
ity. The Targum, which is the Bible
In Chaldec, renders this word of my
text forever" Many writers agree in
believing and stating that one meaning
of this word Is forever" In this very
verse from which l take my text Selah
means not only poetic significance, and
intcrmission, and emphasis, but it means
eternal OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES! Gods
government forever. Gods goodness
forever, the gladness of the righteous
forever. OF course you and l have
not surveyors chain with enough links
to measure that domain of meaning. In
this world we must build everything on
a small scale. A hundred years are a
great while. a tower 500 feet is a great
height. A journey of 1000 miles is
very long. But eternity! II the arch
angel has not strength Of wing to fly
across 1t, but flutters and drops like q
wounded sea gull, there is no need Of
our trying in the small shallow Of
human thought TO voyage across it.
A skeptic desiring TO show his con.
tempt for the passing years, and to
show hat he could build enduringly,
had his W scpulchre made Of the fin
est and the hardest marble, and then
he had put on the door the words, "For
time and for eternity" but it so hap
pened that the seed of a tree somehow
got into nm unseen crevice Of the
marble. That seed grew and enlarged
until 1t became q tree, and split the
marble to pieces. There can be no eter-
nalization of anything earthly. But for
ever! VIII you and l live as long as
that? We are apt to think of the grave as
the terminus. We are apt to think Of
the hcarsc rs our last vehicle. We arc
apt to think of seventy or eighty or
ninety years, and then n cessation. In
stead of that we find the marble slab Of
the tomb is only a milestone, marking
the first mile, and the great journey Is
beyond. We have only time enough in
this world to put On the sandals and to
clasp our girdle and to pick up our staff.
We take our first step from cradle to
grave, and then we open the door and
start-great God. whittier? The clock
strikes the passing away OF time, but
not the passing away OF eternity:
Measurcless! Measureless! This Selah
Of p~crpetuity makes earthly inequali-
ties so insignificant, the difference be-
tween sccp.er and needle between AL
hambra and hut, between chariot and
cart, between throne and curbstone, be-
tween Administer and bare floor, be.
tween satin and sackc!oth, very trivial.
This Se!ah Of perpetuity makes our get
ting ready S o important. For such pro-
%longation of travel what outfit of
guidebooks, of passports and Of escort?
Are we putting out on a desert
simeon swept and ghoul haunted or
into regions Of sun lighted and spray
s%prinkled gardens? Will it be Elysium
or Gehenna? Once started in that
world we cannot stop. The current is'
so swift that once in no oar can resist il
or helm can steer out of it, no herculean
or titanic arm can baffie il. .Hark to the
long rcsounding echo ''forcver!" O,
wake mp to tho interest of your death.
less spirit! Strike out for Heaven.
Selah! Selah! Forever! Forever!