Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-02-23

tlary, and pursuit OF wild mobs, and
the sword of decapitation. To make
David what he was it took all that
Ahithophel and Sail and Absalom and
Goliath and all the Philistlne hosts
could do against him. It took Robert
Chambers malformation of feet to
make him the literary conqueror. It
was bereavement that brought Will
liam Haworth of Wesley's time from
wickedness to an evangelism that won
many thousands for Heaven. The
world would never have known what
heroic stuff Ridley was made of had
not the fires been l.;2ilcI around Ills
feet, and. not liking their slow work,
he cried: II can not burn: let the fire
come to me; I can not burn" Thank
God that there are gems that unfold
their best glories under the lamp
light! Thank God for the ruby!
Moreover, I am sure that Solomon
was right in saying that religion, or
wisdom. is better than rubies, from the
fact that a thing is worth what it will
fetch. Religion will fetch solid hap
piness, and the ruby will not In all
your observation did you ever find
person thoroughly felicitated by an
encrustment of jewels? AS you know
more of yourself than anyone else, are
you happier now with worldly adorn-
ments and successes than before you
won them? Does the picture that cost
you hundreds or thousands of dollars
on your wall bring you as much salts
faction rs the engraving that at the
expense of five dollars was hung
upon the wall when YOU first be-
gan to keep house? DO all the cut
lerv and rare plate that glitter on your
extension dining-tabl surrounded by
nattering guests contain more real
bliss than the plain ware of the first
table. 1T which only two sat? Does a
wardrobe crowded with costly attire
give you more satisfaction than your
first clothes-closet with its four or five
pegs? Did nos the plain ring set on
the third finger of your left hand On
the day Of your betrothai give more
gladnrSS than the rubv that is now en-
throned on the third finger of your
right hand? If in this Journey OF life
we have learned anything. we have
learned that this world neither
with its emoluments nor gains
can satisfy tic soul. Why, here
comes as many witnesses as l
wish to call to tire stand to testify that
before high Heaven and the world in
! npanionship with Jesus Christ and a
good hope ot Heaven, they feel q JOY
that an the resources of their voca bu-
larlY fail he express Sometimes it
evidences itself in ciacula tons of ho-
sauna: sometimes in doXologv; some
times IN tears. A converted native of
India il2 a letter said: ''I1ow | long
for my 3oed, not that l may sleep; | lie
awake often and long, but TO hold
sweet communion with my God" If SO
mighty is worldly Joy that Julius
H., hearing his arnlles were triumph
ant, expired: and if Talva hearing
that the Roman senate has decreed
hire an honor, expired: and if Diony-
siEs and Sophocles overcome Of JOY,
expired, and if a nhipwrecRed purser
waiting on the coast Guinea in want
and starvation at the sight of a vessel
bringing relief, fell dead from shock
OF delight; is it any surprise TO You
Shat the joys Of pardon and Heaven
rolling over the soul SHOULD sometimes
be almost too much for the Christina
to endure and live? An aged aunt said
to me: DE Witt, three ,tImes l have
tainted dead away under too great
Christian JOY. It was in all three
cases at the Holy Communion" An
eminent Christian nam while in PRAYER
said: stop, Lord, | cam not bear
any more of this glaGness; It is
too much for mortal. Withhold! With
! holdr' We have heard of poor work
men or worlxwomen getting letter
suddenly telling them that fortune
had been left them, and how they were
almost beside themselves with glee,
taking the first ship to claim the es-
tate But, oh, what it Is to wake up
out of the Stup0r of q sinful life and
pardoninG grace find that all our Garth
ly existence will be divinely managed
for our best welfare, and that then all
Heaven will roll in upon the soul.
Compared with shat a spring morn
ing is stupid, and an August
sunset is insane, and an aurora has no
pillared splenGOr, and 8 diamond has
no flash, aud a pearl no light. and a
beryl no aquauarine, and Il ruby no
ruddiness My gracious Lord! My
glorious God! My precious Christ.
Roll over en- US few pillows OF that
rapture. And Now I ask you as fair.
minded men and women, accustomed
to make comparisons. is got such q Joy
as that worth more than anything one
can have in ieweled casket? Was
not Solomon right when he said:
"Wisdom is better than rubies?"
In olden time, Scotland was disturbed
by freebooters and pirates. To rid
the seas and ports of these .desperadoes
the hero, William Wallace, fitted out a
merchant vessel, but filled itgvith armed
men and put out to sea. The pirates
with their flag inscribed of deaths
head, thinking they would get an easy
prize. bore down upon the Scottish
merchantmen, when the armed
men of Wallace boarded the
craft of the pirates and put
them in chains, and then sailed for
port under the Scotch flag flying. And
so our souls assailed of sin and death
and held through Christ are rescued,
and the black flag of sin is torn down
and the striped flag of the cross is
hoisted. Blessed be God for any sign,
! for any signal, for any precious stone
that brings to mind the price paid for
such a rescue!
/ like the coral. for it seems the
solilihed foam of breakers; and like
the Jasper. for it gathers seventeen
colors into its bosom; and I like the