The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-02

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this mighty transformation In the lives. ol
those about us? How gratifying is it TO our
hearts! It may be, perhaps. the trult m Oh
more often is 1t the trying lesson brought
about by sad and hard experience with Inc
world A sudden grief, some great misfortune 9
has come upon our friend. AT once we nnte
a change. At FIRST, however, IL Is only the
sadness of burdened heart, heart mat mas
felt, perhaps, for the first time, the neliness
OF a sorrow too deep TO be uttered by human
lips. too deep even 70 be assuaged oy numan IN
sympathy. For awhile 1t Is the darkness nf
utter hopelessnes the agony OF An absolute
despair. But, all at once. at the very mo.
ment W hen all seems lost-the very moment
when the night is black est and most hupe-
less, light appears and at once anotner
change. 1t is not that he has returned 70 his
former elfagain, for he Is still different
man from the man we once knew. he ls not
however. nor again Is he the man oe'rWraught,
overburdened with the weight OF an all TOO
heavy grief No, the mark OF his trial may
be still upon his brow, his look, his word, his
manner may still portray the memory Of
fearful struggle-there may be yet some Dur,
den on his heart, but the crisis has passed
now. The heavenly vision has come at last,
q new meaning Of trial, sorrow and disap-
opened up before him And AZ month oy
month and year by year, time rolls onward
on his way, the change grows more and more
6aIfseelng world, may see but little trans
formation, but his friends note every chanRe.
They feel when talking with him that they
are in the presence OF holier man: Inc
thoughts Of the world are laid aside-frivolity,
lest and gossip all hushed, and men instinct
lively revere the sanctity Of his presence.
How wonderful Is The power OF holiness!
How awe-inspiring when suddenly and un'
expectedly we experience Its mighty poWer.
How all transforming in Its influence. Yes,
we note its influence first Of all upon the
mind and hearts. It purifies the affections,
raises the thoughts, transforms and eleVates
the character. 1t makes another man. II
lifts the soul from spiritual evil and spiritual
corruption. 1t makes man pure within
healthy In thought, strong In action, conn.
dent IN PURPOSE ana be se tbet
is the foul disease OF mind-ifto live In sin
means to die mentally, not only in life 10
come but in this life-if it corrupts mans
moral nature hrst OF io,od' a''' ovT 9H' ooes aons
crates mental evil, mental evil
{ enerates physical evil, and all evil dealn, ay'
death TO the moral, death to the mental,
death TO the physical man-if SIN be respon-
sIbIe for all this. say, none the less Is IL true
that Righteousness and true holiness Will de-
liver from these fearful consequences, what,
soever O man soweth, that shall he also reap.
II you SOW the seeds OF disease within you,
you must not be surprised TO reap the conse-
Quences-death-buti ii you SOW the seeds oil
health within you. you can likewise expect
It's natural result-Eternal Lie. so as we
body, mind and souI-so also will holiness.
Holiness will not stop with mind and heart.
It will take the body also. And this is the
resurrection-the change Of character, change
the Infinite power of Holiness. We
have witnessed the beginning OF such res
direction In our friend. We have seen his
mind develop and expand PA IN ,he ne ssx sssreng,dd nd
year by year we have watched the CROWN OF
the God like soul within him. More and
more as time flies onward we feel the ever
glory of His life, till finally, that which Is so
strong within must magnifest itself without.
The very countenance at last seems changed;
the uplifted eye, the smooth, calm brow seem
glowing with unearthly radiance. All there
The natural man may indeed wax old-long
years of sick ness and OF trial may nave done
their work, but through all the changes OF
the outer man, through sunken cheek and
faded eye, through wrlnkled brow and with
cred form stands forth, though only half re-
vealed, the glory Of another manhood. my
msesty Of the perfect man man 10 ane epe
body is forming eden now within US, the
more we live in Christ. This body that we
wear. this outward frame. this weight and
size" this flesh and blood Is but chrysalts
an outward shell, which, If the life OF Christ
be strong within will soon decay and perish,
only to reveal the greater beauty hid away.
Even now, despite the Intervening YELL the
view the imperishable glory OF the inner
man. How true it Is! Oh, II our spiritual
eyes were only open, oh, II the yell OF sin and
death were only torn asunder, how different
ali would be /! My brothers, the veil Is evil
before our eyes: 1t will be to the end OF life,
II Will never in this life be wholly cast aside
But even now, we may see more. Even now
we may see more or less dimly ''the light
that never was on land or on sea" envslop-
Ing all the world.
One instants meditation In the Holy Splr-
1t and all the world is changed-one instant
only, and as the eyes OF the disciple we're
opened to behold the glory of tn cir Redeem
er, that ever memorable day upon the mount
so in one moment may our eyes behold the
partial TRANSPORTATION OF our own sinful but
ment. it is a long, long process. Daily we
must die to sin, daily we must rise to Christ.
The light that has once burst upon our
hearts. must never go out, but must go on
broadening, broadening ever more and
more, even unto the Perfect day. Out
of the natural grows the spirituaL-"Time is
eternity begun" The world is but the step
theological fultllment of the life that is. Let the
evil die, let the good survive and live.