Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-08-19


darkness have bombarded it. Not like some
baleful comet shooting across toe sky,
scattering terror and dis,nay among the
nations, but above the long howlng night
of the worlds wretchedness the Christian
church has made her mid way, Fair as
tiic MOON
| take a step further in my subject
''CIear as the sun" After a season OF storm
or fog, how you are thrilled when the sun
comes out at noondayI The mists travel up
hill above hill, mountain above mountain,
until they are sky lost. The forests are full
of chirp and buzz and song; honey makers
on the long, BIRDS beak pounding the bark
the chatter OF the squirrel on the rail. the
call of hawk out or clear sky makes you
thankful for the sunshine which makes all
the world so busy and 80 glad The same
sun which in the morning kindled conha.
grations among Tine castles of cloud scoops
down to paint the lily white and the butter
cup yellow and the torgetmenot blue.
What can resist the SUI? Light for voy.
ager on the Deep light for shepherds guard
ing the t1ocks afeld light for the poor who
nave 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 octogenarian, light for
the queens coronet and sewing girls eedle.
''Let there be light"
Now, says my text, 'Who is she that
looketh forth clear as the sun?' Our answer
is, the church. You have been going along
a road before daybreak, 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 sun came out
you found these were harmless apparitiOns.
And it is the great mission Of the church of
Jesus Christ to come forth ''clear as the
sum-" to illumine all earthly darkness, to ex-
plain, as far as possible, all mystery, and to
make the world radiant in its brightness;
hat ioI hon, Nh ,ol
lion is found out to be a sumbering lamb;
and the sepulchral gates OF your dead turn
out to be the opening gates OF heaven; and
that which you suppose was a flaming
sword to keep you out o. paradise is an angel
OF light to beckOn 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
the veil Oh, sun of the church, shine on
until there is no sorrow to soothe no tears to
wipe away, no shackles to break, no more
souls to be redeemedI Ten thousand hands
Of sin have attempted to extinguish the
lamps On her affairs, but they are quenchleSs,
and to silence her pull pits, but the thund er
would leap and the lightning would hame.
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 the glory Of Calvary, and all
streams will flow by the mount OF God like
cool Sloan, and all lakes be radiant with
Gosrel memories like Gennesaret, and all ISL
ands of the sea be crowned with apOcalyptlc
vision like Patmos, and all cities be sacred
as Jerusalem. and all gardens luxurious as
paradise, with God walking in the cool of
the day. Then the chorals 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.
Gafo %oS IL H.
triumphant. All the harnesses of sin. all
the harnesses Of trouble, all the harnesses
of earthly mystery hieing themselves to
their dens. Clear as the sum- Clear as
the sunr'
Further, "Terrible as an army with ban
ners." Take one more step in this subject
and say that if you were placed for the de-
Tense of feeble town, and a great army
were seen coming over the 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 excites
soldiers enthusiasm so much old flag.
Many man almost dead, catching glimpse
OF the national ensign, has sprung to his feet
an started again into the battle. Now, my
friends, | don't want you to think of the
church of Jesus Christ defeated institu-
ton, as the victim Of infidel sarcasm-some-
thing to be kicked and cuffed and trampled
on through all the ages of the world. 1t is
IAN army with banners" 1t has an in
scrlptlon and colors such as never stirred
the hearts Of an earthly soldiery.
We have our banner of recruit, and on it
IS Inscribed, "Who is on the Lords sde?"
Our banner of defiance, AMI on it is in
scribed, "The gates Of hell shall not prevail
against us~ Our banner of triumph, and
on it IS inscribed. ''Victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ" and we mean to plant
that banner on every hilltop and wave it at
the gate of heaven.
With Christ to lead us we need not fear
will not underrate the enemy. They are
tremendous host. They come on with acutest
strategy. Their weapons by all the inhab-
ltants 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 if God be for us who can be
against US? Come on, ye troops Of the Lord!
Fall into line! Close up the ranks! On,
through burning sands and over frozen
mountain tops, until the whole earth sur
renders to God! He made it; He redeemed
it; He shall have it. They shall not be
trampled with hoofs they shall not be
cut with sabers, they shall not be crushed
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 us, and
martyr spirits to bend from their thrones,
and the voice of God to bid us forward into
the combat, our enemies shall fly like chaff
in the whirlwind, and all the towers of
heaven ring because the day is ours I 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 Israelites
81 al hx-& ho pol