The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-10-19
and groaned and Numbered when He


took it, tore out dozen pages, and
with them began to light his pipe.
Some years after the missionary hap
pened in the same house. The family
had Just lost their son in the Crlmean
war, and his Bible had been sent back
home. The missionary took it up and
saw that it was the very same Bible
that he had left in the house, and from
which the leaves had been torn. The
dying soldier had written on one OF the
leaves of the Bible: Rejected and
scoffed at, but finally believed in and
saved" The Bible may be used to light
the pipe of witicism by some, but for
us it is a staff in life, a pillow in death,
and our joy for eternity.
Walk all up and down this Bible do
main. Try every path. Plunge IN at
the prophecies and come out at the
epistles. Go with the patriarchs until
you meet the evangelists. Rummage
and ransack, as children who are not
satisfied when they come to new
house, until they know what is in every
room, and into what every door opens.
Open everyjewel casllet Examine the
skylights. Forever be asking questions.
Put to higher use than was intended
the oriental proverbs: Hold all the
skirts of thy mantle extended when
heaven is raining gold"
Passing from Bonn to Coblentz on the
Rhine the scenery is comparatively tame.
But from Coblentz to Mayence it is en-
chanting You sit on deck and feel as
if this last flash of beauty must exhaust
the scene; but in moment there is
| turn of the river, which covers up the
former view with more luxuriant vine
yard, and more defiant castles, and
holder bluffs, vine wreathed, and grapes
so ripe that if the hills be touched they
would bleed their rich life away into the
bowels of Bingen and Hockheimer.
Here and there, there are streams OF
water melting into the river, like
smaller joys swallowed in the
bosom of a great gladness. And
when night begins to throw its
black mantle over the shoulder OF the
hills, and you are approaching disem-
barkation at Mayence, the lights along
the shore fairly bewitch the scene with
their beauty, giving one thrill that he
feels but once, yet that lasts him for
| ever So this river of Gods word is not
a straight stream, but a winding SPLEEN
dor-at every turn new wonders to at
tract, still ripper vintage pressing to the
brink, and crowded with castles OF
strength (Stolzenfels and Johannisber-
ger as nothing compared with the
strong tower into which the righteous
run and are saved, and our disembark-
alton at last, in the evening, amidst the
lights that CLEAN from the shore OF
heaven. The trouble is that the vast
majority of Bible voyagers stop at
Coblentz, where the chief glories begin.
The sea of Gods word is not like Cen
nesaret, twelve miles by six, but bound
less; and in any one direction you can
sail on forever. Why then, contine
yourself to a short psalm, or to few
verses of an epistle? The largest FISH
are not near the shore. Hoistatl 81
to the wind of heaven. Take hold Of
both oars and pull away. Be like some
of the whalers that went out from New
Bedford or Portsmouth, to be gone two
or three years. Yea, calculate on life
time voyage. You do not want to land
until you land in heaven. Sail away, O
yc mariners, for eternity! Launch out
into the deep.
The text is appropriate to all Chris
tians of shallow experience. Doubts
and fears have in our day been almost
elected to the parliament of Christian
graces. Some consider it a bad sign not
to have any doubts. Doubts and fears
are not signs of health, but testers and
carbuncles. You have valuable house
or farm 1t is suggested that the title
is not good. You employ counsel. You
have the deeds examined. You search
the record for mortgages, judgments
and liens. You are not satisfied until
You have certificate, signed by the
great seal of the state, assuring you
that your title is good. Yet how many
leave their title to Hear.n an unde-
cided matter! Why do you not go tc
the records and find out? Give yourself
no rest, day or night, until you can
read your title clear to mansions in the
skies.
Christian character is to come up to
higher standards. We have now tc
hunt through our library to find on,
Robert McCheyne, or one Edward Pay
son, or one Harlan Page, The time
will come when we will find half a
dozen of them sitting in the same sea
with u.s. The grace of God can make ;
great deal better men than those
have mentioned. Christians seem afrait
they willget heterodoX by going too far
They do not believe in Christian per
lection. There is no danger of you
being perfect for some time yet will
keep watch and give you notice in time
if you get too near perfection for tn,
safety of your theology. One-half o
you Christians are simply stuck in tn,
mud Why not cut loose from every
thing but God? Give not to Him tina
formal petition made up of "O's' u
Lordm this and so Lordr' that. Whel
people are cold, and have nothing to sa,
to God they strew their prayers witt
"O's" and Forever and ever, Amen,
and things to fill up Tell God wha
you want, with the feeling that he i
ready to give it, and believe that yo
will receive, and you shall have it, She,
} that old prayer you have been maxim
these ten years 1t is high time tina
you outgrew it Throw it aside wit
, your old ledgers, and your old hats an
vour old shoes. Take n review of Won