The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-11-28

that were answered were short prayers.
''God be mercifnl to me, a sinner" "Lord,
that 7 may receive my sight"
t'Lord, save me or perish" The longest
prayer, Solomon's prayer at the dedication
of the temple. less than eight minutes In
length, according to the ordinary rate OF
enunciation. And just hear them pray now
see them shake hands. No putting forth of
the four tips Of the fingers in normal way,
but hearty grasp, where the muscles of the
heart seem to clinch the fingers Of one hand
around the other hand. And then see those
Christian faces, how illumined they are. And
see that old man get up and with the same
voice that he sang fifty years ago in the old
country meeting house say, "Now, Lord,
lettest. Thou Thy servant depart In peace. for
mine eyes have seen Thy salvation" There
was man Of Keith who was hurled into
prison in time Of persecution, and one day
be got off his shackles, and he came and
stood BY the prison door, and when the
iailer was opening the door with one Stroke
he struck down the man who had incarcera.
!ed him. ..
Passing along the streets Of London. he
wondered where his family was. He did
not dare to ask lest he excite suspicion, but
passing along little way from the prison he
saw Keith tankard, cup that belonged to
the family from generation to generation.
He saw It In window. BIS family, hoping
that some day he would get clear, came and
lived as near as they could to the prison
house, and they set that Keith tankard IN
the window, hoping he would see 1t, and ne
came along and saw It, and knocked at the
door, and went in, and the long absent fam
ily were all together again. Oh, II you
would start for the kingdom Of God to-day,
think some OF you would find nearly all
your friends and nearly all your families
around the holy tankard Of the holy COM
munion-fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters,
around that sacred tankard which com
memorates the love of Jesus Christ our Lord
Oh, it will be great communion day when
FOUR whole family sits around the sacred
!ankardl One on earth, one In heaven.
igal gets back the Inhabitants OF heaven
keep festival. am very certain OF 1t. II
sou have never seen to legraphic charity ,yog
have no idea how many cities are connected
together and how many lands. Nearly al
the neighborhoods OF the earth seem rettcu.
lated, and news flies from city to city and
from continent to continent. But more rap
Idly 60 the tiding5 from earth to heaven,
and when prodigal returns 1t ts announced
before the throne of God.
And If these souls to-day should enter the
kingdom there would be some one In tho
heavenly kingdom to say, 'That's my
father" ''That's my mother" "That's my
son." ''That's my daughter" "That's my
friend, )" "Thst's the one used to pray for
''That's the one for whom I wept 80 many
tears," and one soul would say, "HosannaE p
and another soul would say, "Halleluiah |"
Pleased with the news, the saints baloI
In songs their tongues employ.
Beyond the skies the tIdings go,
And heaven Is filed with Joy. i
Nor angels can their Joy contain, \
But kindle with new fire.
The sinner lost is found. they sing, -:.
And strike the sounding lyre.
At the banquet OF Lucullus sat Cicero, tht
orator. At the Macedonian festival sal
Philip, the conqueror. At the Grecian ban,
quet sat Socrates, the philosopher, but al
our Fathers table sit all the returned prodt
gals, more than conquerors. The table is 80
wide Its leaves reach across seas and across
lands. It's guests are the redeemed OF the
earth and the glorlhed Of heaven. The ring
of Gods forgiveness on every hand, the
robe OF q Saviour's Righteousness adroop
from every shoulder. Tho wine that glowi
in the cups Is from the bowls OF 10, 900 sacra,
ments Let all the redeemed Of earth and
all the 9lorifed of heaven arise, and with
cleaning chalice drink to the return OF
thousand prodigals. Sing, sing, sing!
"Worthy Is the Lamb that was slain to re,
ceive blessing and riches and honor and
glory and power. world without end"