The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-03-29

there at all. What heaven 1t will be II
we have all our families there to look
around and see all the children ara present.
You would rather have them all tn ere, and
you 60 with bare brow forever. than that
one should be missing to complete tbs gar
lands OF heaven for your coronal. The Lord
God OF Joshua gave them safe Jordanic
passage.
Even children will go through dry shoj.
Those OF US who were brought up in the
country remember, when the sum mer was
coming on in our boyhood days, we always
longed for the day rlen we were to 60
barefooted, and after leasing our mothers
in regard to 1T for a good while, and, they
consented, we remember the delicious sensa-
ton OF the cool grass wnen we put our uu-
covered foot on it.
And the time will come whsn these shoes
we wear now, lest we be cut Of the sharp
places of this world, shall be taken off, and
with unsandled foot we will step into the
bed OF the river; with feet untrammeled,
free from pain and fatigue, we will gain
that last journey, when, with one foot in
the bed Of the river and the other foot on
the other bank, we struggle upward. That
will be heaven. Oh, pray for all my dear
people a safe Jordanic PASSAGE Thai is
what the dying Christian husband felt wnen
he said: "How the can lie fickers. Nelliei
Put it out. I shall sleep well tonight and
wake in the morning" g..
all the bereaved. You see, our departed
friends have not been submerged, have not
been swannped in the waters. They have
only crossed over. These israelites wers'
JUST as thoroughly alive on the western
banks Of the Jordan as they had been on the
eastern banks of the Jordan, and our de.
parted Christian friends have only crossed
oyer-not sick, not dead, not exhausted, not
extinguished, not blotted out, but with
healthier respiration, and stouter pulses and
keener eyesight, aud better prospects
crossed over, their sins, their physical and
mental disquiet, all left clear this side. an
eternally flowing, impossible obstacle be-
tween them and all human and satanic pur.
suit. Crossed overl Oh, shake hands OF
congratulation with all the bereaved In the
consideration that our departed Christian
friends are safei ..
Why was there so much joy In certain
circles in New York when people heard
from the friends who were on board that
belated steamer? lt was feared that vessel
had gone to the bottom of the sea, and when
the friends on this side heard that the
steamer had arrived safely in Liverpool, had
we not q right to congratulate the people In
New York that their friends had got safely
across! And is it not right this morning
that congratulate you that your departed
friends are safe on the shore OF heaven!
Would you have them back again! would
you have those old parents back againf You
know how hard it was sometimes for them TO
get their breath In the stiaed atmosphere OF
the summer. Would you have them back In
this weather. Didn't they use their brain
long enough? Would you have your chill
dren back again? Would you have them
take the risks Of temptation which throng
every human pathway? Would you have
them cross the Jordan three times! In ad-
dition to crossing it already, cross 1t again
to greet you now and then cross back after
wards For certrinly you would not want 70
keep them forever out OF heaven.
Pause and weep, not for the freed from pam.
But that the sigh Of love would oring them paoS
again. r.
.. ask question, and there seems TO come
back the answer in heavenly echo: What
will YOU never be sick agaiu!" Newer
sickEagain. ."-"What will you never be
tired again?s 'Never - tirei - again"
"What, will you never weep again? Never
-weep-again." "What, will you never
die aeainYH "Never-die-again."
oh, ye army Of departed kindred, we hail
Won from bank to banki Wait for us when
the Jordan of death shall part for us. Come
down and meet us nalt way osImeeh euo
widowed banks Of earth and the palm groves
Of heaven. May our great High Priest 60
ahead of US, ana with bruised feet touch the
water. and then shall be fulfilled the words
of NV text. .tAn Israel went over on dry
ground until all the people were gone clear
through Jordan"
III ask you what shall be the glad hymn
Of this morning, think there would
be thousand voices that would choose tna
same hymu-the hymn that iiumines 80
many death chambers-ths hymn tnae Has
been the parting hymn in many an instancs
the old hymn:
On Jordan1 stormy banks stand
And cast wistful eye
To Canaan's fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.
Oh, the transporting. rapturous scens
That rises on my sight!
Sweet fields arrayed In living green
And risers Of delight.