Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-05-25

pathway.
Iremark again, If we want to win
the society of our friends in heaven, we
will not only have to travel a path OF
faith and path of tribulation, but we
will also have to positively battle Tor
their companionship David and his
men never wanted sharp swords, and
invulnerable shields, and thick breast
plates so much as they wanted them on
the day when they. came down upon the
Amalekites. If they had lost that bat
tie, they never would have got their
families back. l suppose that one glance
at their loved ones in captivity hurled
them into the battle with tenfold
courage and energy. They said: we
must win it. Everything depends upon
it. Let each one take man on point
of spear or sword. We must win 1t. "
And l have to tell you that between US
and coming into the companionship OF
our loved ones who are departed there
is an Austerlitz, there is Gettysburg,
there is a Waterloo. War with the
world, war with the flesh, war with the
devil. We have either to conquer our
troubles, or our troubles will conquer
us David will either slay the Amale-
kites. or the Amalekites will Stay David.
And yet is not the fort to be taken
worth all the pain, all the peril all the
besiegement?
Look! Who are they on the bright
hills of heaven yonder? There they are
those who sat at your own table, the
chair now vacant. There they are, those
whom you rocked in infancy in the
cradle or hushed to sleep in your arms
There they are, those in whose life your
life was bound up. There they are, their
brow more radiant than ever before you
saw it, their lips waiting for the kiss OF
heavenly greeting, their cheek roseate
with the health of eternal summer, their
hands reckoning you up the steep, the
feet bounding with the mirth OF heaven.
The pallor Of their last sickness gone
out Of their face, nevermore to be sick,
nevermore to cough, nevermore to
limp, nevermore TO be old, nevermore
to weep. They are watching from those
heights to see if through Christ you can
take that fort, and whether you will
rush in upon them-victors. They know
that upon this battle depends whether
you will ever join their society Up
Strike harderl Charge more bravely
Remember that every inch you gain puts
you so much farther on toward that
heavenly reunion.
Families Reunited
II this morning while l speak you
could hear the cannonade Of foreign
enemy which was to despoil your city,
and if they really should succeed in car
rying your families away from you, how
long would we take before we resolved
to go after them? Every weapon,
whether fresh from the armory or old
and rusty in the garnet. would DO
brought out and we would urge on, and
coming in front Of the foe we would
look at them and then look at our fam
lilies, and the cry would be, Victory or
DEATH" and whsn the ammunition was
gone we would take the captors on the
point Of the bayonet or under the breeoh
Of the gun.
If you would make such a struggle fQS
the getting back Of your earthly friends,
will you not make as much struggle for
the gaining of the eternal companionship
Of your heavenly friends? Oh, yes, we
must join them We must sit in their
holy society We must sing with them
the song. We must celebrate with them
the triumph Let il never be told on
earth or in heaven that David and his
men pushed out with drawer hearts for
the getting back Of their earthly friends
for o few years on earth than we to get
our departed
You say that all this implies that our
departed Christian friends are alive
Why, had you any idea they were deadi
They have only moved II you should
90 on the Cd Of May to house where
one Of your friends lived and find him
gone, you would not think that he was
dead. You would inquire next door
where he had moved TO. Our departed
Christian friends have only taken anoth-
er house. The secret is that they are
richer now than they once were and can
afford q better residence. They once
drank out Of earthenware. They now
drink from the Kings chalice. Joseph
is yet alive" and Jacob will 60 up and
see him. Living, are they? Why, II
man can live in this damp, dark dun
geon Of earthly captivity, can he not
live where he breathes the bracing at
mosphere Of the mountains Of heavens
Oh, yes, they are living
Do you think that Paul is so near
dead now as he was when he was
living in the Roman dungeon? Do you
think that Frederick Robertson Of
Brighton is as near dead now as he
was when, year after year, he slept
seated on the floor, his head on the
bottom of a chair because he could
find ease in no other position? Do
you think that Robert Hall is as near
dead now as when on his couch he toss
ed in physical torturesl No. Death gave
them the few black drops that cured
them. That is all death does to Chris
tian-cures him. l know that what ]
have said implies that they are living.
There is no question about that The
only question this morning is whether
you will ever join them.
The Glorious Promise.
But 1 must not forget those 200 men
who tainted by the brook Besor. They
could not take another step farther.
Their feet were sore; their head ached;
their entire nature was exhausted. Be
sides that they were broken hearted be-
cause their homes were gone. Ziklag in
ashesl And yet David, when he comes
up to them, divides the spoils among
them He says they shall have some OF
the jewels, some Of the robes, some OF
the treasures look over this audience
this morning, and 1 find at least 200
who have tainted by the brook Besor-
the brook Of tears. You feel as if you
could not take another step farther, as
though you could never look up again
But am going to initiate David and
divide among you some glorious tro-
phies. Here is a robe, "All things work
together for good to those who love