The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-05-04


into the graves that open to swallow
down what we love best? Was Lazarus
more dear to him than our beloved dead
to us? No. We have right to weep.
Our tears must come. You shall not
drive them back to scald the heart. They
! fall into Gods bottle. Afflicted ones
have died because they could not weep.
Thank God for the sweet, the mystic
rious relief that comes to us in tears
Under this gentle rain the flowers of
corn put forth their bloom. God pity
that dry, withered. parched, all consum-
ing grief that wrings it's hands and
grinds its teeth and bites it's nails unto
the quick, but cannot weep! We may
have found the comfort Of the cross and
yet ever after show that in the dark
night and by the brook Jabbok we were
trouble touched.
The Day Breaketh.
Again, we may take the idea of the
text and announce the approach of the
day dawn. No one was ever more glad
to see the morning than was Jacob after
that night of struggle. 1t is appropriate
for philanthropists and Christians to
cry out with this angel of the text,
1.-The day breaketh. The world S pros
poets are Frightening. The church of
Christ is rising up in its strength to go
forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun
and terrible as an army with banners "
Clap your hands, all We people, the
day breaketh. The bigotries of the earth
are perishing. The time was when we
were told that if we wanted to get to
heaven we must be immersed or sprin-
killed., or we must believe in the perse-
verance Of the saints, or in falling away
from grace, or liturgy, or no liturgy,
or they must be Calvinists or Armin-
ians in order to reach heaven. We have
al come to confess now that these are
nonessentials in religion.
During my vacation one summer I
was in Presbyterian audience, and it
was sacramento day, and with grateful
heart received the holy communion.
On the next Sabbath 1 was in Metho-
dist church and sat at love feast. On
the following Sabbath I was in an Epis-
copalian church and knelt at the altar
and received the consecrated bread. |
do not know which service | enjoyed |
the most 81 believe in the communion
Of saints and in the life everlasting"
'The day breaketh.
AS look upon this audience see |
many who have passed through waves
Of trouble that came up higher than
their girdle. In God name I proclaim
cessation of hostilities. You shall not
go always saddened and heartbroken.
God will lift your burden. God will
bring your dead to life. God will stanch
Jhe heart bleeding. l know he will.
Like as a father pities his children, so
he Lord pities you. The pains Of earth
will end The tomb will burst. The
lead will rise. The morning star trem-
oles ON Frightening sky. The gates of
he east begin to swing open The day
,reaketh.
Luther and Melanchthon WERE taking
ogether gloomily about the prospects
It the church. They could see no hope
# deliverance. After awhile Luther
,ot up and said to Melanchthon: Come,
'h1llpp, let us sing the forty-sixth psalm
t David: God is our refuge and
trength, a very present help in trouble.
therefore will not we fear, though the
arth be removed, and though the noun
aims be carried into the midst of the
"a; though the waters thereof roar and !
Q troubled though the mountains I
lake with the swelling thereof. Sc
III, >"
The Death Struggle. a
Death to many, nay to all, is q strug- O
lie and a wrestle. We have many a
lends that it will be hard to leave. | b
ire not how bright our future hope is. C
is a bitter thing to look upon this c
llr world and know that we shall new !,
again see its poisoning spring, its G
ling fruits, its sparkling streams and il
say farewell to those with whom we D..
aged IN childhood or counseled in II
anhood. In that night, like Jacob, we 81
ay have to wrestle, but God will not 81
ave US unblessed. 1t shall not be told u
heaven that dying soul cried unto
od for help, but was not delivered.
ne lattice may be turned to keep out
e sun, or book set to dim the light
the midnight taper, or the room
ay be filled with the cries of orphan
q and widowhood, or the church of
lrlst may mourn over our going, but
Jesus calls all is well. The strong
'estling by the brook will cease; the
ur of deaths night will pass along
o'clock in the morning; 2 O'Clock in
morning; 4 o'clock in the morning.
le day breaketh.
30 L would have it when l die. am
no haste to be gone. l have no grudge
alnst this world. The only fault l have
find with the world is that it treats
too well, but when the time comes
go L trust to be ready, my worldly
airs all settled. If / have wronged
lers, | want then to be sure of their
glveness. In that last wrestling, nv
n enfeebled with sickness and NV
vi faint, l want Jesus beside me. If
re be hands on this side of the food
etched out to hold me back, want
heavenly hands stretched out to draw
forward. Then, o Jesus, help me ON
help me up. Unfearing, undoubting,
y step right out into the light and
able to look back to my kindred and