Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-05-19

religion done that II should be so assailed?
Whom hath It bitten and left with hydro
phobia virus in their veins that 1t should
sometimes be chased as though II were
maddened canine?
To head of and trip up and push down
and corner our religion was the dominant
thought in the life OF David Hume and Vol
taire and Shaftesbury and even the Earl OF
Rochester, until one day in a princely house,
In which they blasphemously put God on
trial. and the Earl OF Rochester was the attor-
ney against God and religion and received
the applause of the whole company, when
suddenly the earl was struck under convic-
ton and cried "Good God. that man who
walks uprightly, who sees the wonderful
works OF God and has the use OF his senses
and reason, should use them in defying his
Creator wish had been a crawling leper
In ditch rather than have acted toward God
rs l have done.
Javelin, OF wit, javelin OF irony, javelin OF
scurrility, javelin Of sophistry, javelin OF hui
man and diabolical hostility have been flying
for hundreds of years and are flying now.
But aimed at what2 At something that has
come to devastate the world2 At something
that Stays nations? At something that would
maui and trample under foot and excruciate
and crush the human racer
No, aimed at the gospel harp-harn On
which prophets played with somew nat linger-
ing and uncertain fingers. but harp on which
apostles playedt with sublime certainty, and
martyrs played while their fingers were on
fire. Harp that was dripping with the blood
of the Christ. out OF whose heartstrings the
harp was chorded and from whose dying
yroan the strings were keyed. Oh, gospel
harp All thy nerves a-tremble with stories
Of self sacrifice. Harp thrummed by fingers
10 a1 20 that mazda
heaven listen and will yet make all the earth
hear. Harp that sounded pardon to my sinful
soul and peace over the grave where my dead
sleep. Harp that will lead the chant OF the
blood washed throng resigned around the
throne. May javelin STAY me before hing
javelin at that. Harp which it seems al
most too sacred for me to touch, and so !
call down from their thrones those who used
to finger 1t and ask them to touch 1t now.
"Come down. William Cooper, and run your
fingers over the strings of this harp" He
says, Il will, and he plays;
There Is a fountain flied with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins.
"Come down, Charles Wesley. and touch the
strings" He says, Il will, and he plays
Jesus, lover OF my soll,
Let me TO Thy bosom M.
"Come down, Augustus Toplady, and sweep
your fingers across this gospel harp. de
says, II will, and he plays
Rock OF Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself In thee.
Come down. Isaac watt7, and take this
harp" He says, Il will, and he plays;
Alas. and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sovereign die?
up. p. Bliss. come down and thrum this Cos
mel harp" He says, Il will, and he plays
Hallelujsh. tbs donei
believe on the Son.
Inefrable harp Transporting harp Harp
of earth Harp Of heaven Harp sanity
and seraphic! Harp Of God Oh, like the
idea of that old monument in the ancient
church at Ullard. near Kilkenny, Ireland.
The sculpture on that monument, though
chiseled more than thousand years ago, as
appropriate to-day rs then, the sculpture
representing harp upon cross. That 10
Ehere hang it now that is where you had
better hang it. Let the iayelin be forever
buried. the sharp edge down, but nanS the
harp upon the cross.
And now upon our souls LET the harps Of
heaven rain music, and rs when the sun
ravs fall aslant i Switzerland at the approach
of eventide. and the shepherd among tho
Alps puts the horn to his lips and blows a
blast and saws Glory be 70 God. and all
the shepherds on the Alpine heights or down
the deep valleys respond with other blasts OF
horns. saying. GLORY be to God, ana theh
all the shepherds uncover their heads ana
kneel in worship. and after , few moments oil
silence some shepherd rises from his knees and
blows another blast Of the hora and says,
"Thanks Ice to God. and all through the
mountains the response comes from other
shepherds. Thanks be to God, 80 this mo,
ment let all the valleys OF :he earth respond
TO the hills Of heaven, with sounds OF glory
and thanks. and it be harp Of earthly worship
to harp Of heavenly worship. and the WORD,
OF st. John in the Apocalypse be fulfilled, -
Ieard voice from heaven as the voice OIL
many waters and rs the voice OF great
thunder and as the voic. Of harpers harpine
with their harps.