Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-08-19
Y. B. BISHOP, Island Pond, "

.eSSi III VIC uoep hBuI LOT snepnerus guard
ing the nocks areld, light for the poor who
have no lamps to burn, light for the down
cast and the weary, light for aching eyes
and burning brain and consuming captive,
light for the smooth brow of childhood and
the dim vision OF the octoyenarian, light for
the queens coronet and sewing girls needle
''Let there be light"
Now. says my text, "Who is she that
looketh forth clear as the sunP Our answer
is, the churcn. You have oeen gong alouS
a road before dayb-eaS, and on one side
you thought you saw a lion, and on the
other side you thought you saw a goblin OF
the darkness but when the SUI came out
you found these were harmless apparitions
And 1t is the great mission OF the church OF
Jesus Christ to come forth ''clsar as the
sun, to illumtne all earthly darknsss, to sx-
pIain, as lar as possible ait IN ystery, anito
make the world radiant in its brightness:
and that which you thought vas an aroused
lion Is found out TO be a sumbsrng lamt.:
and the sepulchral gates of your dead turn
out to be the opening gatss OF heaven; and
that which you supposed was a flaming
sword TO keep you out of paradise is an angel
oil light to becSon you in
The lamps on her affairs will cast their
glow on your darkest pathway and cheer
you until, far beyond the need OF lantern or
lighthouse, you are safely anchored within
LILO VEIL Ou, Suu Ol tue CuuTCn, SHINE on
until there Is no sorrow to soothe, no tears to
wipe away, no shackles to break, no more
souls to be redesmeIl Ten thousand hands
OF sin have attempted to extinguish the
lamps on her altirs but they are quenchless,
and TO silence her pulpits, but toe thun ter
would leap aud the lightning would fame.
The church Of God will yet come to full
meridian, and in that day all the mountains
OF the world will be sacred mountains
Touched with tho 1inru pf al nd oil
streams will flow by the mount OF God like
cool Sloan, and all lakes be radiant with
Gospel memories like Gennesaret and ali Isl
ands of the sea be crowned with apocalyptin
vision like Patmos, and all cities be sacred
as Jerusalem, and all gardens luxurious a.
paradise, with God walking In the cool of
the day. Then the chorIls Of grace will
drown out all the anthems OF earth. Then
the throne Of Christ will overtop all earthly
authority. Then the crown Of Jesus will
outfame all other coronets Sin DESTROYED.
Death dead. He'll defeated. The church
triumphant. All the darknesses OF sin, all
the darknesseS OF trouble, all the darknesses
OF earthly mystery hieing themselves to
their denS. Clear as the sun! Clear as
the SUM-
Further, "rerrible as an army with ban
ners." Take one more step in this subject
and say that il you were placed for the de-
Tense of a feeble town, aud a great army
were seen coming over ths hills with flying
ensigns, then you would be able to get some
idea OF the terror that will strike the hearts
of the enemies OF God when the church at
last marches on like IAN army with ban
ners."
You know there is nothing that excitos
soldiers enthusiasm so much as an old flag.
Many man almost dea 4, catching glimpse
OF the national ensign, has sprung to his feet
and started again into ths battle. Now. my
friends, l don't want you to think OF the
church OF Jesus Christ as n defeated institu.
tion as the victim o; inf lei sarcasm -some-
thing TO be kickei AMI cufei AMI tramole1
on through all the ages of the world. 1t is
'an army with banners" 1t has an in.
scription and colors such as never stirred
the hearts OF an earthly sodiery.
We have our banner of recruit and on it
Is inscribed, who is on the Lords sideP
Our banner of defiance AMI ON it is in
scribed, "rhe gates OF hell shall not prevail
against usr' Our banner OF triumph, and
on it Is inscribed. Victory through our
Lord Jesus Christi aui we mean to plant
that banner on every hilltop and wave 1t att
the gate OF heaven.
With Christ to lead us we need not fear.
will not underrate the enemy. They are a.
tremendous host. They come on with acutest
strategy. Their weapons by all the inhab-S y
itants of darkness have been forged in fur
naces of everlasting fire. We contend not
with flesh and blood, but with principalities
and powers and spiritual wickedness In
high places, but il God be for US who can be
against usS Come ON, ye troops of the Lordl
Fall into linei Close up the ranks, On,
through burning sands and over frozen
mountain tops until the whole earth sur.
renders to Coil He made it; He redeemed
1t; he shall have it. They shall not be
trampled with hoofs they shall not DO
/ III l. H.. ~
with wheels, they shall not be cloven with
battle axes, but the marching, and the onset
and the victory will be none the less decisive
| for that.
With Christ to lead us and heaven to look
down upon us, and angels to guard u.s. aud
martyr spirits to bend from their thrones,
and the voice of God To bid us forward into
the combat, our enemies shall fly like chaf
In the whirlwind, and all the towers of
heaven ring because the day is ours. l di-
vide this army with banners into two wings
the American wing and the European
wing. The American wing will march on
across the wilds of the west. over the table
lands, and come to the ocean, no more
stopped by the Pacific than the Isrselites
were stopped by the Red sea, marching on
until the remaining walls OF China will fall
before this army with banners, aud cold 81
IBERIA will be turned to the warm heart OF
Christ ami over lofty Himalayan peaks
shall go this army with banners until 1t halts
at Palestine.
The European wing will march out to
meet it, and Spanish superstition shall be
overcome, and French infidelity shall be
conquered, aud over the Alps, with moro
than HAnnibals courage, shall march that
army with banners, and up through the
SHOWS Of Russia, vaster in multitude than
the hosts that followed Napoleon into the
conflict And Hungary and Poland, by the
blood Of their patriots and by the blood of
Christ, shall at last be free. And crossing
into Asia the law shall again be proclaimed
on sinai, and Christ in the person OF Hi
minister's will again preach on Olivet and
pray in Gethsemane and exhibit His love or
Calvary. And then tho army will halt In
front Of the other wing the twain having
conquered all the earth for God.
W hen the rrussian army came back from
their war they were received in 1868 at tht
gates of Beriiu, and choir stood above til,
gates, and as the first regiment advances
and came to the gates the choir, in music
asked them what right they had to enter
there. And then the first regiment, in song
replied telling over the stories o. their con
Hicts ana victories. Then they marched In
and all the city was full OF gladness an,
triumph. But oh the great Joy when tn
army with banners shall come up TO tn
gates OF our King
1t will be choir to choir, music to music
hosauna to hosanna, halleluiah to halleluiah
Lift up your heads, ye everlasting gates,
and let them come In. There will be spread
the banquet of eternal victory. and the un
fallen ones of heaven will sit at it and al
the ransomed OF earth will come in and cele
brate the jubilee with unfading garlands oil
their brows telling of earthly conquests
All the walls OF that celestial mansion wi
ha -ulittar with ahal1u In, xrirtnrint
battle and adorned with the banners Of &c
that were carried in front Of the host. Hal
shall tell to harp the heroism in which Il
conquerors won their palm, and the chur'
, that day will sit queen at the banquet. IL
wanderings over, her victories gaine
Christ shall rise up to introduce her 70 I
the nations OF heaven, and as she pulls ash
.rail l..r.lr An,kc fha Han NJ