The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-07

US lnulVloualS, made rapid advancement
inthe Christian life these stereotyped pray
ers we have been making for ten or fifteen
years would be as inappropriate to US as the
shoes, and the hats, and the coats we wore
ten or fifteen years ago. Oh. for q HIGHER
fight in the Christian life, the stork and the
crane in their migration teaching US the les
son!
Dear Lord, and shall we ever live
At this poor dying rate,
Our love so faint, so cold to Thee,
And Thine to US 80 great2
Again, I remark that the birds of the air
are wiser than we because they know when
to start. If you should go out now and
shout, "Stop, storks and cranes, don't be In
a hurry {" they would say: "No, we cannot
stop. Last night We heard the roaring In
the woods bidding US away, and the shrill
flute OF the north wind has sounded the re-
treat. We must 60" So they gather them.
selves into companies and turning not aside
for storm, or mountain top, or shock
of musketry over land and sea,
straight as an arrow to the mark, they
60. And if you come out this morning with
a sack of corn and throw 1t in the fields and
try and get them to stop they are so far up
they would hardly see It. They are on their
way south. You could not stop them. Oh,
that We were as wise about the best time to
start for God and heavenl We say: "Wait
until 1t is little later In the season OF
leaves of hope are all dried up and have
been scattered. Wait until next year."
After awhile we start, and 1t Is too late,
and we perish in the way when Gods wrath
is kindled but little. Thereare you know,
exceptional cases, where birds have started
too late, and in the morning you have found
them dead on the snow. And there are
those who have perished half way between
the world and Christ. They waited until
the last sickness, when the mind was gone,
or they were on the express train going at
forty miles an hour, and they came to the
bridge, ana the ''draw was up" and
pray? Two seconds! To do the work of
lifetime and to prepare for the vast eternity
In two seconds! Twas reading Of an enter
tainment given In kings court, and there
were musicians there, with elaborate pieces
of music. After awhile Mozart came and
began to play, and he had blank piece Of
paper before him, and the king Familiarity
looked over his shoulder and said "What
tare you playing? I see no music before
you" And Mozart put his hand on his brow.
as much as to say, 81 am improvislng." 1t
was very we'll for him; but, oh, my friends,
we cannot extemporize heaven. II we do
not get prepared In this world, we will never
take part4n the orchestral harmon1es Of the
saved. Oh, that we were as wise as the crane
and the stork, flying away, dying away from
the tempest!
Some OF you have felt the plnohlng frost
OF sin. You feel 1t to-day. You are not
happy. Hook into your faces, and know
you are not happy. There are voices within
your soul that will not be silenced, telling
you that you are sinners, and that without
the pardon of God you are undone forever.
What are you going to do, my friends, with
the accumulated transgressions OF this
lifetime? Will you stand still and let the
avalanche tumble over you2 Oh, that
you would 60 away into the warm heart OF
Gods mercy! The southern grove, redolent
with magnolia and cactus, never waited for
northern focks as God has waited for you,
saying; "I have loved thee with an everlast-
ing love. Come unto Me, all ye who are
weary and heavy laden, and will give you
Another frost is bidding you away. It Is
the frost of sorrow. Where do you live now2
youmovey" You say, "Idon't want as large
not q aV want I as large house? You say, dMy
family Is not 50 large" Where have they
gone to? Eternity Your mind goes back
through that last sickness, and through the
almost supernatural effort to keep life, and
through those prayers that seemed un-
ayailing, and through that kiss which
received no response because the lips
were hfeless, and I hear the bells tolltng,
and I hear the hearts breaking. While I
speak I hear them break. A heart! An
other heart! Alone, alone, alone! This
world, which In your girlhood and boyhood
was sunshine, is cold now, and, oh weary
dove, you fly around this world as though
you would like to stay, when the wind, and
the frost, and the blackentng clouds would
bid you away Into the heart OF an all COM
forting God.
You may have noticed that when the
chaf1nch, or the stork, or the crane starts
on its migration 1t calls all those OF Its kind
to come too. The tree tops are full OF ehirp
The bird does not start off alone. It Itgathers
all of its kind. Oh, that you might be as
wise In this migration to heaven, and that
you might gather all your families and your
friends with you! I would that Hannah
might take Samuel by the hand, and Abra-
ham might take Isaac, and Hagar might
take Ishmael. ask you If those who sat at
your breakfast table this morning will sit
with you in heaven. I ask you what In
,fuences you are trying to bring upon them,
what example you are setting them. Are
you calling them to go with your Aye, aye'
have you started yourself?
Start for heayen and take your children
with you. Come, thou and all thy house,
into the ark Tell your little ones that there
are realms Of balm and sweetness for all
those who fly in the right direction. Swifter
than eagles stroke put out for heaven. Like
the crane, or the stork, stop not night or day
until you find the right place tor shopping:
Seated to-day in Christian service, will
you be seated in the same glorious serv-
Ice when the heavens have passed away
with great noise, and the elements have
melted with fervent heat, and the redeemed
are gathered around the throne OF Jesus3
The Saviour calls.
Ye wanderers, come.
Oh, ye benighted souls,
WhJ longer roam?
The Spirit calls to-day;
Yield to His power.
Oh, grieve Him not away,