The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1893-09-23
RET. DR.. lALNAGB'S SERMON,
The Brooklyn Divine's Sund@S
Serncn,
Subject: GA Bottle Of Tears.''

Hardly mail has como to ne for twenty
years that has not contained letters saying
that my sermons have comforted the writers
ofthose letters. have not this summer nor
for twenty years spoken on the platform OF
any outdoor meeting but coming down T
have been told by hundreds Of people tha
same thing. So think will keep on trying
TO be ''son Of consolation.
The prayer Of ny text was pressed out OF
DaVid'S soul by innumerabie calaCoities. but
it Is Just aS appropriate for the distressed OF
all ages. Within the past century travellers
and antiquarians have explored the ruins OF
many OF the ancient cities. and from the very
heart OF those buried splcndors Of other days
have been brought up evidences OF customs
that long ago vanished from the world.
From among tombs Of those ages have been
brought up lachrymatories, or lachrymais,
which are vials made OF earthenware. 1t
was the custom for the arcientS to catch the
tears that they went over their dead III a bot
tie, and to place that bottle in the graves OF
the departed, and we have many specimens
OF the ancient lachrymatories, or tear bottles,
In our nusuems.
When on the way from the Holy Land our
ship touched at Cyprus, We went back into
the hills of that island and bought tear bot
ties which the natives had dug out OF the
ruins Of the Old ety. There is nothing moro
suggestive to ne than the tear bottles which
I brought home and put among my curiosl-
ties. That was the kind Of bottle that my text
alludes TO when David cries. PUT tnou my
tears into thy bottle"
The text iEtimates that God has an init
mate acquaintance and perpetual remem-
brance OF all our griefs, and vial, or lachry-
matory, or bottle. in which He catches and
saves our tears, and bring to you the con-
dolence Of this Christian sentiment. Why
talk about grief? Alas, the world has its
pan2s, and now, while I speak, there are
thick darGnesses Of soul that need TO be
lifted There are many who are about to
break under the assault OF temptation, and
perchance. II no words appropriate to their
case be uttered, they perish. 1 come on no
fools errand. Put upon your wounds no
salve compounded by human quackery bur,
pressing straight to the mark, hail you as ;
vessel midsea cries to a passing craft,
"Sh;p ahoyr' end invite you on board Il
vessel which has faith for q rudde-. and
prayer for sails, and Christ for captain, and
heaven for an eternal harbor.
Catherine Rheinfeldt, Prussian, keeps a
boat with which she reScues the drowning.
When a storm comes on the coast, and other
people 20 TO their beds to rest she puts cut
in her boat for the relief Of the distressed,
and hundreds Of the drowning has She
brought safely to the beach. In this lteboat
OF the Gospel I put out to-day, hoping, by
Gods help, to bring ashore at least one soul
that may now be sinking in the biliows OF
temptation and trouble The tears that were
once caught in the lachrymatories brought
up from Herculaneum and Ponpeii are all
gone, and the bottle is as dry as hescoria OF
the volcano that submerged them. but not so
with the bottle in which God gathers all our
tears.
First, Irenark that God keeps perpetuai!y
the tears of repentance. Many nun has
awakened in the morning so wretchel fro.l
q nights dehauch that he has sobbed and
wcpt Pains in the head, aching in the eyes,
sick at heart and unfit TO step into the light.
Ist grieyes, not about his m!sdo!ng, but onij
about its consequences. Goi makes no rec
ord of such weeping. OF allthe million toar5
that have gushed as the result OF such mis-
deneanor, not one ever got into Gods bot
tie. They dried on the ferercd cheek or
were dashed down by the b!oatei hand or
fell into the red wine cup as it came again to
the lips, foaming with still worse insoSlca-
ton
But when 4 man is sorry for his past and
tries to do better-Tnen he mour1S his wasted
advantages and bemoans his rejection OF
Gods mercy and cries amid the laceratl0ns
OF an aroused conscience for help out OF his
terrible predicament. then God listens then
heaven bows down then scepters OF pardon
are extended from the throne then MS cry
ing rends the heart of heavenly compassion;
then his tears gre caught in Gods bottle.
On, when I see the heavenly Shepherd
bringing lamb 1ro.n the wilderness; when
I hear the quick tread OF the prodigal has
tening home to ind father when sse 3
sailor boy comio, on the wharfand hurryinS
away 10 beg his mothers pardon for long
neriect and unkinIness when l see the
hcuseIess conin., to Cod FOR shelter, and the
wretched. and III. vie. Gnl the s;n burned,
and the passion blasted appealing ior mercy
to a compassionate God, exclaln ID ecstasy
and triumph More tears for Gods bottle!
Again, God keeps atenler remembrance OF
ell YOUR scknessss. How many OF you are
thoroughly sound IN body? Not one out OF
teni do not exaggerate. The vast majority
OF the race are constant subjects OF ailments.
There IS some one form Of disease that you
ara particularly subject to. You have weak
side or back or are subject to headaches or
faintnesses or i1ngs easily distressed. 1t
would not take a very strong blow to shiyer
the golden bowl OF | te or break the pitcher
at the fountain. Many OF you have kept on
in life through sheer force OF Will. You
think no one can understand your ulstresses:
Perhaps you LOOK strong, and it is suppose1
that YOU are q hyHochondriac. They say
YOU are nervous-;.s il that were nothing
God have mercy upon any man OF woman
that is nervous
A. times vJu st alone In your room.
Friends 90 nj come. You feel IN inde-
scr;babls ion!iuc>s in your suferings, but
God Knows; Col fees; God compassion
ates he counts the sleepless nights. Ha
regards the acuteness OF the pain: He
estimates the hardness OF the breathing.
While YOU pour out the medicine from the
bottle sri count out the drops, God counts
all vour falling tears. As you look at tho
yiais filed With nauseous drafts and ut tne
bottles Of d:stasteTul tonic that stand on the
shelf, remember that there IS larger bottle
than these, which is filled with no mixture oy
earthly apothacaries. tut 1t is Gods oott4e. n
which he hath gathered all our tears.
AGAIN. Goa remembers all the sorrows OF
noyerty. There is mu h want that never comes
70 inspection. The deGcons of the church
never see it. The comDtrollers OF the aims
houses never report it. It comes not to
church, for it has no appropriate apparel!
II makes no appeal for help, but chooses
rather TO suffer than expose its bitterness.
Fathers who fail to gain livelihood. 50 {hit
they and their children submit to con-, i':s
privation sewing women, who canaot -
the needle quick enough to e2rn them sAal-
ter and bread
But whether reported or uncomplaln;nS,
whether in seemingly comfortable pa!lor, or
IN damp cellar, or ir hot garnet, God'sansels
~ mercy are on the watch. This moment
those griefs are being collected. Down on
the back streets, in eli the alleys. amid shan
ties and log cabins, the work goes on. Tears
Of want-seethinc IN summers heat or freez'
ing in winters co.h-they fsil not a1heedod.
They are jewels Cor heavens casket. They
are pledges Of divine sympathy. They ara
tears for Gods bottle
Again. the Lord preserves the ramc~1-
brance OF all paterral any;eties. You see q
man from the most infamous surroundings
step out into the kingdom Of God. He has
heard no sermon He has received no
startling proridensial warning. What
brought him to this new mind? This is the
secret-God looked over the bottle in which
He gathers the tears OF HIS people, AMI He