Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-11-02


we have the same old battles to fight over.
Why not whip ont our temptations and
then forward march. making one raid
through the enemy's country, stopping not
until we break ranks after the last victory.
10, my brethren, let US have some novelty
of combat, at any rate, by changing. by going
on. by making Advancement, trading off
our stale prayers about sins We O3C to
have quit long ago. going on tow m a H.. -er
state Of Christian chIracter ana routing out
sins that we have never thought OF yet.
The fact is, II tho church OF Col, II we
rs individuals, made rapid advancement
in the 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 tho coats We wore
ten or fifteen years ago. On, for higher
flight in the Christian life, the stork ami the
crane in their mi grafton 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 so great?
Again, 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 anl cranes, don't be In
a hurry I" they wouli say: "NO, we cannot
stop. Last night We hearl tho roaring III
the woods bidding US away, AMI the shrill
flute Of tho north wind has sOuniei 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 lani and sea,
straight as an arrow to tho mark, they
90. And if you como ont this morning with
a sack of corn and throw it in the fields and
try and get them to stop they are SO far mp
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 Gcd and heaven! We say: ''Wait
until it is little later in the season OF
mercy Wait until somo o. these green
leaves of hope are all driel up and have
been scattered. Wait until next year"
After awhile we start, and it is too late,
and we perish in the way when Cots wrath
is kndIed but little. There are, 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, and the 'draw was up," and
they went down. How long to repent and
pray? Tive. seconds To do the work of a
lifetime and to prepare for the vast eternity
| in two seconds! Twas reading OF an enter
tainment given in a kings court, and there
were musicians there, with elaborate pieces
/ of music After awhile Mozart came and
| began to play, and he hal a blank piece of
! paper before him. and the king Familiarity
| looked over his shoulder and said "What
| are you playng2 l see no music before
| you" Aud Mozart put his hand on his brow,
| as much as to say, Il am improvising." 1t
| was very we'll for him but, oh, my friends,
! we cannot extempOrize heaven. If we DO
| not get prepared In this world, we will never
! take part In the orchestral harmOnies of tue
saved. On, that we we're as wise as the crane
and the stork, flying away, flying away from
| the tempest
some of you have felt the pinehins frost
of sin. You feel it to-day. You are not
| happy. look into your faces, AM know
| you are not happy. There are voices within
! your soul that will not be silenced, telling
| YOU that vCu are sinners, and that without
the pardon of God you are undone forever.
What are you going to do, my friends, with
| the accumulated transgre5stOnS of this
| lifetime? Will you stanl still and let tho
| avalanche tumble over you? O1, that
| YOU would 90 away into the warm heart OF
| Goi's mercy! The southern grove, rei2lent
| with magnolia and cactus, never waited for
northern fiocks as God has waited tor you,
saying II have loved thee with an everlast-
ing love. Come unto Me, all ye VINO arc
weary and heavy laden, and viii give you
| rest"
Another frost is bidding you away II IS
the frost of sorrow. Where doyou live now:
"Oh," you say, ~ have moved" Why did
YOU move?'' You say, 81 don't want as large
a house now ns formerly'' Why do you
not want as large a house? You say, "My
family IS not so 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 hpS
were lifeless, and l hear the bells tolilng,
and 1 hear the hearts breaking. Whlle
sneak I hear them break. y heart An
other heart Alone, alone, alone! rms
world, which in your girihOod and boyhood
was sunshine, is cold now, and, oh weary
dove you fly around this world as thou%n
Won would like to stay, when the wind, and
The frost and the blnckening clouds would
bid YOU away into the heart OF an all COM
| fOrtinS God. A.
You NAV have noticed that when tho
chaff1nch, or the stork, or the crane starts
on its migration it calls all those OF Its KIND
to come too. The tree tops are full OF chlTp
and whistle and carol, and the long roll call
The bird does not start off alone Ii itSather'
! all Of its kind. Oh, that you might De a;
wise in this migration to heaven, ana thsH
YOU might gather all your families and youI
friends with YOU! l would that Hannat
: might take Samuel by tho hand, and Aora
ham might take Isaac, AMI Hagar nls'n
take IshmaeI. ask you if those who sat a,
YOUR breakfast table this morning VIII 81
with Won in heaven. l ask you what In
fuences you are trying to bring upon them
what example you are setting tnem. Al'
you calling them to go with youE aye, ay 81
have you started yourself?
Start for heaven and take your chllureI
, with you. Come, thou and all thy house
into the ark. Tell your little ones that ther'
! are realms of balm and sweetness for al
those who fly in the right direction. Swtfte
than eagles stroke put out for heaven. Lik
} the crane, or the Stork, stop not 1iSht or ia
until you find the right place tor shopping
Seated to-tay in CHRISTIAN service, WI
YOU be seated in the same glorious serV
ice when the heavens have passed ava
with n great noise, and tho elements nav
melted with fervent heat, and the redeeme
are gathered around the throne OF Jesus1
The SaviouI calls.
Ye wanderers, come.
o. yc benighted souls,
: WnT longer roam!
! The Spirit calls to-tay;
Yield to His power.
I Oh. grieye Him not away,
| -. =,