The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-01-25

| have been carried and at times have been
borne up far above the gunshot of the world
| and the arrow OF the devil
When our time on earth is closed on these
great wings of God we shall speed with in
Unite quclrness from earth's mountains to
| heavens bills, and as from the eagles cir
cult under the SUN men on the ground seem
small and Insignificant as lizards on rock,
20 all earthly things shall dwindle into
speck, aud the raging river Of death so Tar
beneath will sesm smooth and CLASSY as
/ Swiss lake.
It was thought in ancient times that an
eagle could not only molt its feathers in old
age but that after arriving to great age 1t
would renew its strength and become en-.
tirely young again. To this Isaiah aliudes
when he says: 'sThey that wait on the Lord
shall renew their strength. Thev shall
mount up with wings Of eagles" Even 30
the Christian In old age will renew his spirit
ual strength. he shall be young in ardor
and enthusiasm for Christ, and as the body
tails the soul will grow In elasticity till at
death it will spring up Like gladdened child
into the bosom OF God.
Yea, in this pathological study see
that Job says, "His days fly as an eagle that
hasteth to his prey" The speed Of hungry
eagle when 1t saw its prey score OF miles
distant was unimaginable. 1t went like
our days. Sixty minutes. each worth
heaven, since we assembled in this place
nave shot like lightning into eternity. The
DID earth is rent and cracked under the
,wift rush Of days and months and years
ind ages. ''Swift as an eaglo that hasteth
% his prey" Behold the fowls Of the airl
Havs you considered that they have, as you
md have not the power to change their
ht one minute they may be tele-
6opic and the next microscopic, now seeing
omething q mile away and by telescopic
yesight and then dropping to its food on
he ground, able to see 1t close by and with
microscopic eyesights
But what q senseless passage OF Scripture
hat is, until you know the fact, which says,
1.-THE sparrow hath found q house and the
Iwallow a nest for herself, where she may
ay her young, even thine altars 0 Lord OF
Hosts my King and my God| What has the
ywallow to do with the affairs OF the temple
1t Jerusalem? Ah, you know that swa allows
ire all the world over very tame, and In
summer time they used to fly into the win
dows and doors of the temple at Jerusalem
and build nest on the altar where the
priests were Offering sacrifices.
These swallows brought leaves and sticks
and fashioned nests on the affairs Of the tenn
ole and Matched the young sparrows In those
nests, and David had seen tho young birds
picking their way out Of the shell while the
old swallows watched, and no one In tho
temple was cruel enough to disturb either
the old swallows or the young swallows, and
David burst out In rhapsody, saying, "Ihe
swallow hath found nest for herself, where
she may Lay her young, even Thine aitars,
o Lord Of Hosts my King and my Godg,
What carpenters what masons, Waat
weavers, what spinners the birds arel Out
Of what small resources they make 80. ex-
quisite home. curved, pillared, wreathed.
Out Of moses, out Of sticks, out OF hchens,
out Of horsehair, out Of spiders web, out or
threads swept from the door bY the house
wife. out of the wool Of the sheep from the
pasture field. Upholstered by leaves actually
sewed together BY its own sharp bill Cush.
ioped with feathers from its own breast.
Mortared together with the gum OF trees
and the saliva Of its own tiny bill. Such
symmetry, such adaptation, such convent
snce. such geomstry Of structure:
Surely these nests were Dulie Dy some g91i
plan. They did not happen just 30. Who
drafted the plan for the birds nestS Godl
And do you not think that If He plans such
a house for chaf1nch, for an oriole, for q
bobolink, for q sparrow, He will see to 1t
that you always have home! "Ye are OF
more value than many sparrows." What
ever else surrounds you, you can have what
the Bible calls "the feathers OF the Al
mighty.n just think Of nest like that, the
warmth of it the sottness Of it, the safety
Of 1.-THE feathers OF the Almighty"
No famingo outaashing the tropical sun
set ever had such brilliancy Of pinion; no
robin redbreast ever had plumage dashed
with such crimson and purple and orange
and gold-''the feathers Of the Almighty"
Do YOU not feel the touch OF them now on
forehead and cheek and spirit, and was there
ever such tenderness OF brooding-'tne
feathers of the Almlghty?' So also in this
ornithology Of the Bible God keeps lm-
pressing us with the anatomy OF BIRDS
wing. r.. 80.
Over fifty times does the old Book allude
to the wing-"Wings OF dove" wings WING
Of the morning" Wings OF a3i,, the vino" ~ e..
wings" s'Wings OF thu Almighty" "All
fowl Of every wing" What does it all
mean, It suggests uplifting. 1t tells you
of flight upward. It means to remind you
that YOU yourself have wings. David cried
ont aOh, that had wings like dove. that
might fy away and be at rest!' Thank
God that you have better wings than any
dove Of longest or swiftest flight Caged
now in bars Of flesh are those wings but the
day comes when they will be liberated. Get
ready for ascension. Take the words OF the
old hymn, and to the tune unGo WHICH tna1
hymn is married sing:
RISE, my soul and stretch thy wing;
Thy better portion trace.
Up out of these lowlands into the heavens
OF higher experience and wider prospect.
But how shall we rise! Only as Gods holy
spirit gives Us strength. But that Is coming
now. Not as condor from a Chimoorazo
peak, swooping upon the aRrighted valley,
but at dove like that which put its soft
brown wings over the wet locks OF Christ at
the baptism in the Jordon. Dove OF gentle
pess! Dove OF peace!
Come, holy spirit. heavenly dove.
With all thy quickenlng powers;
20 Como shed abroad Saviouts love,
And ths. shall kindle ours.
WORDS OF WIsDOM.
The egoist is the first to criticise self
ishness. "~,.s ...' ....
The only vain gift is that which bene-
fits rot the giver.