The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-03


should make that poor soul suffer for week
and months and years upon that sick bee
when the meridian OF life has not yet beer
reached, and when these helpless days mlSh
be spent in Christian activity.
1t seems strange that He should make tina
aged saint, who long has seemed SO ripe fol
heaven. lie there through weary years VIII
eyes dim or vision gone. or with limbs weak
ened with disease and decrepitude. You nave
seen many an aged disciple compelled thus u
linger in This poor world in sight Of the prom
sed land long before they were permitted tt
cross the river.
And then on the other hand we have some
times seen this strange providence. The ia
ther, when wife and little ones were entirely
dependent upon him for food and ralmenI
has suddenly been Smitten down in the midS
of his days, in the vigor of strong manhood
and Il needy family lett TO the desolation OF
life OF loneliness and hardship and suffering
And sometimes when the mothers presence
and prayers in the household seem most need
ful. when all think that she can not be spared
at all. then it, is the Master calls. long before
the three score years and ten are uone ana Llie
bcreaved ones sit around the vacant chaii
with hearts torn and bleeding. speechless In
the agony of their greatest loss-a vile ano
mother.
And then you have seen the son or daugh
ter, the pride and delight OF the parents, y
may be Just ready TO graduate I'm college, fall
dead upon the threshold of life that prom
iSed SO well.
Many of you know what it means to sit by
an empty cradle. God dropped the rose FOR {;
little while into your home, and then TOOK II
back and up to heaven.
But might consume the whole hour In re-
counting such providences as these. But IL Is
useless u speak farther thus
II. Now | wish to say word FOR our en-
coGragement. Brethren, study these dolngs
of the Almighty that you understand only In
part, in the light of such passages as this, "All
things work together for good to them that
braces things which even seem against you.
In your perpleXity remember also that II Is
Father that acts so strangely towards you,
Like as father pitieth his children. so the
Lord pitielh them that fear him."
Then friends, when you are afiected oy
these providences that you can't half under
stand, remember Him whose you are. lie
treats yon thus, not because ne nates you U1.
because he loves you; not because he wants
to please you now, but because he wants 10
bless you. Your soul sometimes needs the dis
cipline of this kind Of treatment. God knows
that a baptism of tears or passing through
the fires OF atiliction is the best thing for his
people sometimes. There Is many grace In
the heart that grows in the darkness OF toll
that would lie In the unbroken sunshine OIL
prosperity. Thus we understand IN part the
lessons OF providence. But. brethren, this
glorious truth Remains Wc shall understand
fully heredtter
The text teaches this. do not think that
we Will spend Il long time in heaven studying
the strange book OF these lives on earth. IL
will be a thrilling study. AS one says, "When
Jacob saw JoSeph'S wagons sent TO carry him
down TO Egypt, and learned Of the honor
which crowned the son he thought dead. he
understood for the first time the dreamings
and sutferingS Of his favorlte boy, and unrav-
eled The tangled skein Of providence which
had confouuded the long sad years"
But the ways OF God That sadden our lives
often find no explanation here as Jacobs did,
and We must walt in patience Till Gods ap-
pointed time to reveal them.
know that heaven will be place OF Won
Il tul
1.-The inheritance of the saints in ligM" " Wen
there be restored 10 the image OF God: and
think restoration in knowledge will be part
OF that Image.
Oh, it. will be beautiful then to study the
unlearned lessons OF this life, TO see the
strange riddle solved. DR.: Robert f. Sample
was right when he said: "From the submits
OF The heavenly estate we shall survey the
earthly life, as from mountain top the trav-
e!er traces all the windings of the way thith-
er. Much that was ineXplicable here Will be
made plain there. The wisdom and goodness
OF God will appear written on every passage
that was painful, and shine in every expert
ence that was dark. We shall See how the va
rled and olt.recurring trials OF life were neces-
sary to keep us humble, 10 mellow our char
acter, to increase our knowledge Of ourselves
and of Christ, TO enlarge our usefulness, to de-
liver US from threatening evil, and shut US up
TO The narrow way.
Then we shall see why that temporal loss,
that financial embarrassment, come just
when IL did. Then we'll see why that saint
was so long afflicted with some dreadful dis
ease through the painful years on earth.
Then we'll see why II was best that dea' h
came when IT did desolating our hearts and
homes, "For what do thou knowes: not now,
but thou shalt know hereafter" These are
the Masters words.
Now we know in part, but "when that
which is perfect Is come, that which is In part
shall be done away. For now we see through
d glass darkly; but then lace to face" AS l
close utter the exclamation of the godly
Henry who has found out what all these
things mean, 80 glorious change! To pass
from darkness to light, from clouds to the
clear sunshine of our Saviour's face, and in
Gods own light to see light"