The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-07-26


brow heavenward for the benediction,
BLESSED are the pure in heart y the last
vestige of selhshness submerged in heaven
descending charities all China worshipin2
DR.. Abeels Saviour; all India believing in
Henry Martyrs Bible, aboriginal super5ti-
tion acknowledging David Brainerd's piety e;
human bondage delivered through Thomas
Clarkson's Christianity; vagrancy coming
back from its pollution at the call OF Elizabeth
Fry's Redeemer; tho mountains coming
down the valleys going up; holiness in.
scribed on horses bell and silkworm's thread
and brown thrasher's wing and shells tinge
and manuf faoturer's shuttle and chemists
laboratory and kings scepter and Nations
Magma Charts. Not hospital, for there are
no wounds not an asylum, for there are no
orphans; not a prison, for there are no
no paupers not tear, for there are no sor-
rows? The long dirge Of earth's lamentation
has ended In the triumphal march Of re-
doomed empires, the forest harping 1t on
vine-strung branches. the water chanting it
among the gorges the thunders drumming
it among the hills, the ocean giving 1t forth
with its organs, trade winds touching the
keys and euroclydon's foot on the pedal.
Iwant to see John Howard when the last
prisoner is reformed. want to see Florence
Nightingale when the last sabre wound has
stopped hurting. I want to see William
Penn when the last Indian has bsen civil
lied. 1 want to see John Huss when the last
flame of Persecution has been extinguished.
want to see John Bunyan after the last
pilgrim has come to the gate Of the Celestial
City. Above all, want to see Jesus after
the last saint has his throne and begun to
sing halleluiah!
You have watched the oalmness and the
glory OF the evening hour. The laborers have
come from the field. The heavens are glow
ing with an tndescribable effulgence, as
though the SUN in departing had forgotten to
shut the gate after It. All the beauty of cloud
and leafswims in the lake. For star In the
sky, star In the water-heaven above and
heaven beneath. Not leaf rustling, or q
bee humming, or q grasshopper chirping.
Silence in the meadows, silence among the
hills.
Thus bright and beautiful shall bethe even
ing of the world. The heats Of earthly con-
flict are cooled. The glory of heaven fills all
the scene with love and joy and peace. At
eyentime 1t is hght-light!
Finally, my text shall find fulf1llment at
the end of the Christians life. You know
how short winters day Is, and how little
work you can do. Now, my friends, life Is
short winters day. The sun rises OF and
sets at 4. The birth angel and death angel
fly only little way apart. Baptism and
the mother rocks the cradle, and with the
other she touches the grave.
I went into the house Of one of my
parishioners on Thanksgiving day. The lit
tie child OF the household was bright and
glad, and with it bounded up and down the
hall. Christmas day came, and the light OF
that household had perlshed. We stood,
with black book, reading over the grave,
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust"
D,,k - Inr
have you weep. Thanks be unto God, who
giveth us the victory, at eventime 1t shall be
light have seen many Christians die I
never saw any OF them die in darkness.
What il the pillows of death do rise above
our girdle, who does not love to bathe? What
though other lights do go out in the blast,
what do we want Of them when all the gates
OF glory swing open before US, and from
myriad voices. myriad harps, \ myriad
thrones, q myriad palaces, there dash upon
US. "Hosanna.. Hossnna"
"Throw back the shutters and let the sun
come in." said dying Scoville McCollum, one
OF my Sabbath-school boys. You can see
Paul putting on robes and wings OF ascension
as no exclaims II have fought the good
lght. I have finished my course. have
kept the faith" Hugh McKstl went to one
side Of the scaffold OF martyrdom and cried:
Farewell sun, moon and stars Farewell!
all earthly delights !" Then went to the other
side of the scaffold and cried: "Welcome,
God and Father Welcome, sweet Jesus
Christ, the Mediator of the covenant! We'll
come death! Welcome glory"
A minister Of Christ in Philadelphia. dying,
,aid in his last moments II move into the
lightw They did not go down doubling and
fearing and shivering, but their battlecry
rang through all the caverns OF tho sepul
chre and was echoed back from all the
thrones ofheayen 30 death where is thy
sting2 o grave! where is thy victoryT
Sing, my soul. of joys 20 come.
saw beautiful being wandering up and
down the earth. She touched the aged, and
they became young. She touched the poor,
and they became rich. said, "Who Is this
beautiful being, wandering up and down tho
earthr They told me that her name was
Death. What strange thrill OF Joy when
the paIsied Christian begins to USE his arm
again When the blind Christian begins to
see again! When the deaf Christian begins
to hear again! When the poor pilgrim puts
his feet on such pavement and joins in such
company and has free seat in such great
temple!
Hungry men no more to hunger thirsty
men no more to thirst weeping men no more
to weep diving men no more to die. Gather
up all sweet words, oil iubilant expressions,
ali rapturous exclamations. Bring them to
me, and will pour them upon this stupend-
Gus theme OF the souls disenthrallment Oh,
the ioy OF the spirit as it shall mount up
toward the throne of God shouting: Free
Free Your eye has gs->d upon the gnrni-
ture of earth and heaven, hut the eye hath
not seen it. Your eye has ca ught harmonies
uncounted and indescribabil caught them
from harp's trlll and birds c,lrol and water
falls dash and oceans doxolosy, but the ear
hath not heard 1t.
How did those blessed ones get up into tne
light? What hammer knocked on their
chains? What loom wove their robes OF
light? Who gave them wings? All. eternity
Is not long enough to tell 1t ssraphim have
not capacity enough to realize 1.-THE mar
wells OF redeeming love! Let the palms wave,
let the crowns glitter, let the anthems as
cend, let the trees Of Lebanon clap their
hands-they cannot tell the holt OF it.
Archangel before the throne thou faile5t!
Sing on, praise on, ye hosts OF the gloriiled.
And II with your scepter5 you cannot reach
it and with your songs you cannot express
it, then lot all the myriads Of the saved unite
in the exclamation, 'Jesus! Jesus Jesus"
There will be password at the gait OF
heaven. A great multitude, come up and
knock at the gate. The gatekeeper says,
"The password" They say: "We have no
password. We were great On earth, and now
we come up to be great in heaven" voice
from within answers, II never knew you. "
Another group come up to the gate OF
heaven and knock The gatekeeper says,
1.-THE password" They say "We have no
password. We did great many noble things
on earth. We endowed colleges and took
care of the poor" A voice from within says,
EsT No knew "