Democratic messenger., 1894-11-17

deeper than all depth. and higher than
all height. ami wider than all width. and
vastcr than all immensity. 4 overtnps,
it under2irl>, il puiweighs all the unit
ed Splcndor and joy Of the universe.
Who can tell what Gods joy is:
The Rejoicing Father.
You remember reading the story Of !.
king who on some great day of festivi-
~ scattered silver and gold among the
people, who sent valuable presents to
his courjieIs, hut methinks when soul
comes back G"d is so glad that to ex-
press his joy he filings out new worlds
into space. kindles up new suns and
rolls among the white robed anthems of
the redeemed u greater halleiuiah, while
with voice that rcverberates among
the mountains of frankincense and is
echoed back from the everlasting gates
he cries. This. my SON. was dead and
is alive again
At the opening Of the exposition III
New Orleans ] saw - Mexican fiutist.
and he PLAYED the solo, and then after
ward the eight or ten bands of music.
accompanied hy the great organ, came
in, but the sound of that one flute rs
compared with all the orchestra was
greater than all the combined joy of the
universe when compared with the re-
sounding heart of Almighty Gcd.
For ten wears father Went three
times "a day to the depot. His son went
off III aggravating circumstances, hut
the father said, He will com. back -
The strain was too much. and his mind
parted. and three times day the father
went In the early morning he watch
ed the train-its arrival. the stepping
ont of the passengers, and then the tie
parture of train. AT noon he was there
again, watching the advance Of the
train. watching the departure.
At night there again, watching the
coming. watching the going, for ten
years. He was sure his son would come
back. God has been watching and wait
ing for some Of you, my brothers. 10
years. 30 years, so years. 40 years. per
haps so years, waiting. waiting. watch
ing, watching. and il this morning the
prodigal should come home. what y
scene of gladness and festivity and how
the great Fathers heart would rejoice
at your coming home! You will come.
some of you. will you not: You will.
vou will!
Joy Over the Repentant.
notice also that when n prodigal
comes home there is the joy Of the min
listers of religion. Oh. it is grand thing
TO preach this gospel! know there has
been great deal said about the trials
and the hardships of the Christian min
istry / wish somebody would write
good, rousing hook about the joys of the
Christian ministry. Since / entered the
profession have seen more of the good
ness of God than will be able to cele-
brate in all eternity. l know some boast
about their equilibrium. and they do not
rise into enthusiasm, and they do not
break down with emotion, hut confess
to you plainly that when see a man
coming to God and giving up his sin
feel in body, mind and soul u transport
When i see man who is bound hand
and foot in evil habit emancipated, re-
joice over it as though it were my OWN
emancipation. When. in our commun-
ion service, such throngs Of young and
old stood mp at the altars and in the
presence of heaven and earth and hell
attested their allegiance to Jesus Christ.
felt "a joy something akin to that which
the apostle describes when no says:
Whether in the body cannot tell. or
ont of the bcdy cannot tell. God know
eth.
Have not ministers right to rejoice
when prodigal comes home: They
blew the trumpet, and ought they not
to be glad of the gathering of the host:
They pointed to the full supply, and
ought they not to rejoice when souls
pant rs the hart for the water brooks?
They came forth saying. "All things
are now ready" Ought they not re-
joice when the prcdigal sits down ut
the banquet:
How Ministers Are Sustained.
Life insurance men will all tell yon
that ministers of religion rs a class live
longer than any other. Ii is confirmed
by the statistics of all those who calcu
late upon human longevity. Why is it:
There is more draft upon the nervous
system than i'll any other profession. and
their toll is most exhausting. / have
seen ministers kept on miserable sti-
pends by parsimonious congregations
who wondered mt the dullness of the
sermon, when the men Of God We're
perplexed almost to death by questic ns
of livelihood and had not enough nu.
tritious food to keep any fire i'll. their
temperament. No fuel. no fire. ! have
sometimes seen the inside Of the life of
many Of the American clergymen-
never accepting their hospitality be-
cause they cannot afford it-but have
seen them struggle on with salaries of
$500 and 5000 year, the average less
than that, their struggle well depict
ed by the western missionary who says
in letter: THANK you for your last
remittance Until il came we had not
any meat in our house for one year.
and all last winter. although it was "a
severe winter, our children wore their
summer clothes.
And these men of God find in differ
ent parts of the land. struggling against
annoyances and exasperations innumer-
able some of them week after week en-
tertaining agents who have maps to sell
and submitting themselves To all styles
of annoyanceS. and yet without cOEi-
plain: and cheerful Of soul. How d.
you account for the fact that these life
insurance men tell Us that ministers as
class live longer than any others! 1t
is because of the joy Of their work, the
JOY of the harvest field. the joy of greet
ing prodigals home To their Fathers
house.
Our Innocent Joys.
We are III sympathy with all innocent
hilaritics. We can enjoy "a hearty song,
and we can he merry with the merricst.
but those Of us who have toiled III the
service are ready 10 testify all these Joys
are tame compared with the satisfac-
tion of seeing men enter the kingdom of
God The great eras of every minister
are the outpourings Of the Holy Ghost.