Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-05-13

Ana thought to myseif--how like tina cnY-
oen OF Christ All around it the bsrrenness
OF SIN and the barrenness of the world. but
our eyes are unto the hills, from whence
streams whereof shall make glad the CITY Of
our God, the fountain Of gardens and streams
rom Lebanon. Water to slake the thirst
water 70 refresh the fainting. water to wash
Tee unciean, water to toss up in fountains
under the sun OF Righteousness until you can
see the rainbow around the throne
wandered In garden OF Brazilian cashew
nut, and saw the iuxurianco of those gar
aens was helped by the abundant supply OF
water. | came to it on day when strangers
were not admitted, but by strange coinci-
denee, at the moment / got in, the kings
chariot passed, and the gardener went up on
the MIL and turned on the water and it came
nashing down the broad stairs OF stone until
sunlight and wave III gleesome wrestle tum-
bied at my feet And so it is with this garden
OF Christ. Everything comes from above
pardon from above, peace from above, COM
fort from above, sanctifcation from above.
Streams from Lebanon Oh, the consolation
in this thought! Would God that the garden
ers turned on the fountain OF salvation until
the place where we sit and stand might
become Elm with Twelve wells OF
water and threescore and ten palm trees But
hear His sound at the garden gate. / hear
the lifting OF the latch of the gate, Who
comes there? 1t is the Gardener, who passes
in through the garden gate He comes
through this path OF the garden. and He
comes to the aged man, and He saws. '.Old
man, I come to help thee; | come to
strengthen thee. Down to hoary hairs will
shelter thee; l will give thee strength at the
time OF old age. I will not leave; l will
never forsake thee. Peace, broken hearted
old man l will be thy consolation forever"
And then Christ. the Gardener, comes up
another path of the garden, and He sees q
soul in great trouble, and He says, flush,
troubled spirit the sun shall not smite thee
by day, nor the moon by night; the Lord
shall preserve thee from all evil the Lord
shall preserve thy SOUL And then the Gar
dener comes up another path of the garden,
and He comes where there are some beautiful
buds, and say, "Stop, o Gardener; do not
break them of. 9 But He breaks them OF,
the beautiful buds, and I see great flutter
among the leaves, and 1 wonder what He is
doing, and He says: 81 do not come to
plant them in higher terrace and
in the garden around Ny pal
ace. have come into My garden to gather
lilies. must take back whole cluster of
rosebuds. Peace, troubled soul; all shall be
well. Suffer the little children to come unto
Me and forbid them not, for of such is tho
kingdom of heaven Oh, glorious Gardener
He has right to come. We look into the
face of the Gardener as He breaks off the bud,
and we say "Thou art worthy to have them.
Thy will be done" The hardest PRAYER a
bereaved father or mother ever uttered
''Thy will be done"
But you have noticed that around every
kings garden there is high wall YoumaY
have stood at the wall of kings court and
thought, ''How would like to see that ga,-
Gen" and while you were watching the
gardener opened the gate, and the royal
equipage swept through it, and you caught
glimpse OF the garden. but only glimpse,
for then the gates closed
bless God that this garden of Christ has
gates on all sides that they are opened by
day, opened by night, and whatsoever will
may come in. Oh, how many there are who
die in the desert when they might reyei
in the garden How many there are who
are seeking in the garden of this world that
satisfaction which they can never find
1t was so with Theodore Hook, who made
all nations laugh while he was living And
yet Theodore on a certain day, when in the
midst of his revelry he caught a glimpse of
his own face and his own apparel in the
mirror, said: "That is true. look Just as
Iam-lost, body, mind, soul and estate lost p
And SO it was with Shenstone about his gar
den, Of which spoke in the beginning of my
sermon. He sat down amid all its beauty
duu Ills udllUS anu Salu, nave tOSI
my way to happiness; am frantic; hate
everything; l hate myself as mad man
ought to-" Alas, so many in the gardens Of
this world are looking for that flower the
never can find except in the garden of Christ
Substantial comfort will not grow
In natures barren soil.
All we can boast TIL Christ we know
Is vanity and toll.
How many have tried all the fountains o
this worlds pleasure, but never tasted of tn
stream from Lebanon How many have re
yeled in other gardens to their soul ruin, bu
never plucked one flower from the garden @
our God / swing open all the gates OF tn
garden and invite you in, whatever your MS
tory, whatever your sins, whatever your temp
tations, whatever your trouble. The invita-
ton comes no more to one than to all,
'sWhoseever will, let him come"
The flowers of earthly gardens soon fade
but, blessed be God, there are garlands thu
never wither, and through the grace of Chri:
Jesus we may enter into the joys which ar
provided for us at God's right hand. OF
come into the garden. And remember, q
the closing thought, that God not onl
brings US into garden here, but it is gal
den all the way with those who trust an
love and serve Him, garden all through tn
struggles of this life, garden all up th
slope of heaven.
There everlasting spring a5ides
And never whitening flowers.
DEATH like a narrow stream. divides
That heavenly land from ours.