Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-28

from them. You will see that vacant
chair. Your eye will catch at the sug-
gestive picture.
You cannot fly the presence of such
ills. You go to Switzerland to get clear
of them; but, more sure footed than the
mule that takes you up the Alps, your
troubles climb to the tiptop and sit shiv-
ering on the glaciers You may cross
the seas, but they can outsail the swift
est steamer. You may take caravan and
put out across the Arabian desert but
they follow You like a simoom, armed
with suffocation. You plunge into the
Mammoth cave, but they hang like sta
lactites from the roof of the great cav
eel. They stand behind with skeleton
fingers to push you ahead. They stand
before you to throw you back. They
run upon you like reckless horsemen.
They charge upon You with cleaning
spear. They seem to come haphazard.
scattering shots from the gun of a care
less sportsman. But not so. 1t is good
aim that sends them just right, for God
is the archer.
This summer many of you will espe-
cially feel your grief as you go to places
where once you were accompanied by
those who are gone now. Your trou-
bles will follow you to the seashore and
will keep up with the lightning express
in which you speed away. Or, tarrying
at home, they win sit beside you by
day and whisper over your pillow night
after night. Iwant to assure you that
you are not left alone and that your
weeping is heard in heaven.
You will wander among the hills and
say, "Up this hill last year, our boy
climbed with great glee and waved his
cap from the top" or "This is the place
where our little girl put flowers in her
hair and looked up in her mother
face" until every drop of blood in your
heart tingled with gladness, and you
thanked God with thrill of rapture
and you look around as much as to say
"Who dashed out that hghtp Who filled
this cup with gal2 What blast froze up
these fountains Of the hearth. Ia.
Some of you have lost your parents
within the last 12months. Their plRyers
for you are ended. You take up their
picture and try to call back the kind
ness that once looked out from those
old, wrinkled faces and spoke in such
tremulous voice, and you say it is q good
picture, but all the while you feel that.
after all, it does not do justice' and you
would give almost anything--you would
cross the sea; you would walk the earth
over-to hear just one word from those
lips that few months ago used to call
you by your first name, though 80 long
you yourself have been parent. .,
Now, You have done your best to hide
your grief. You smile when you do not
feel like it. But though you may de-
ceive the world, God knows. He looks
down upon the empty cradle, upon the
desolated nursery, upon the stricken
home and upon the broken heart, and
says: This is the way / thrash the
wheat; this is the way scour my jew
elsl,, Cast thy burden, on my arm, and
will sustain you. All those tears / have
gathered into my bottlews l0HSbN
USES OF GODS LAcHRYMAToRY.
But what is the use of having 30 many
tears in Gods lachrymatoryf In that
great casket or vase, why does God pre-
serve all your troublesi Through all
the ages of eternity, what use Of great
collection of tearsl do not know that
they will be kept there forever. do
not know but that in some distant age
of heaven an angel of God may look
into the bottle and find 1t as empty Of
tears as the lachrymals Of earthenwaFe
dug up from the ancient city. Where
have the tears gomez What sprite Of
hell hath been invading Gods palace
and hath robbed the lachrymatories2
None. These were sanctifed sorrows,
and those tears We're echanged into pearls
that are now set in the crowns and
robes of the ransomed.
walk up to examine this heavenly
coronet, cleaning brighter than the sun
and cry, Prom what river depths of
heaven were those gems gatheredl" and
a thousand voices reply, These are
transmitted tears from Gods bottle" j
see scepters of light stretched down from
the throne of those who on earth were
trod on of men, and in every seepter
point and inlaid In every ivory stair "
kOAQCu btAIOhC a OChOiN al AEAhCoSh ADobAg
and luster and cry, From
whence this streaming hght-these hash- |
ing pearlsS" and the voices Of the elders
before the throne, and Of the martyTs |
under the altar, and Of the hundred and |
forty and four thousand radiant ON the |
CLASSY sea exclaim, Transmitted tears |
from Gods bottle" .sg.nti Hlta 5eeaJ |
Let the ages of heaven roll on-the |
story of earth's pomp and pride lonL
ago ended; the kohinoor diamonds that |
make kings proud, the precious stoner
that adorned Persian tiara and famed
In the robes of Babylonian processioDS
the Golconda mines, charTed
in the last conhagration. but firm As the
everlasting hills and pure as the hight |
that streams from the throne, and bright
as the river that flows from the eternal
rock, shall CLEAN, shall sparkle, shall
flame forever these transmitted tearA OF
Gods bottle. rnr in i1.a9a |
Meanwhile let the empty lachryma4
tory of heaven stand for ever. Let no
hand touch 1t. Let no wing strike It.
Let no collision crack 1t. Purer than
beryl or chrysoprasus. Let It stand on I