Democratic messenger., 1894-05-26

/
from being perfect. So suppose that
when we have gone some things in us
that are now only tolerable may be al
most rcsplendent But as they were like
us in deficiencies we ought to be like
them in taking supernal Christ to make
up for the deficits. Had it not been for
Jesus they would have all pcrished, but
Christ confronted them and said, II am
the way" and they took it.
The Path of Trouble.
have also to say to you that the path
that these captives trod was troubled
path, and that David and his men had
TO go over the same difficult way
While these captives We're being taken
off they said, "Oh, we are so tired; we
are so sick; we are SO hungry" But the
men who had charge of them said:
Stop this crying Go onr' David and
his men also found it hard way. They
had to travel it. Our friends have gone
into glory, and it is through much trib-
ulation that we are to enter into the
kingdom. How our loved ones used to
have to struggle! How their old hearts
ached! How sometimes they had tus-
sic for bread! In our childhood we Won
dcred why there were so many wrin-
kles on their faces. We did not know
that what were called crows feet" on
their faces were the marks of the black
raven of trouble Did you never hear
the old people, seated by the evening
stand, talk over their early trials, their
hardships, the accidents, the burials,
the disappointments, the empty flour
barrel when there were SO many hungry
ones to feed, the sickness almost unto
death, where the next dose of morphine
decided between CHASTITY bereavement
and an unbroken home circle? Oh. yes!
1t was trouble that whitened their hair.
1t was trouble that shook the cup in
their hands. 1t was trouble that washed
the luster from their eyes with the rain
of tears until they needed spcctacles. 1t
was trouble that made the cane ne
cessity for their journey. Do you never
remember seeing your old mother sitting
on some rainy day looking out of the
window, her elbow on the window sill,
her hand TO her brow, looking ont, not
seeing the falling shower at all you
well knew she was looking into the dis
tant past, until the apron came up TO
her eyes because the memory was too
much for her?
Oft the big. unbdden tear.
Stealing down the furrowcd cheek,
Told in eloQuencc sincere
Tales OF woe they could not speak.
But, this scene Of weeping DER,
Past this scene of toll and pain
They shall feel distress no more.
Never, never weep again.
"Who are these under the altar" the
question was asked, and the response
came, These are they which came out
of great tribulation and have washed
their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb" Our friends went
by path Of tears into glory. Be not
surprised il we have to travel tho same
pathway.
/ remark again, II 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 for
their companionship. David and his
men never wanted sharp swords, and
invulnerablc shields, and thick breast.
plates so much as they wanted them OH
the day when they came down upon the
Amalekitcs. If they had lost that bat
tie. they never would have got their
families back. / suppose that one glance
at their loved ones i'll captivity hurled
them into the battle with tenfold
courage and energy. They said: I'VE
must win it. Everything depends upon
it. Let each one take u man on point
Of spear or sword We must win it. "
And 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 n Gettysburg,
there is 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 Amalekitcs will slay David
And yet is not the fort to be taken
worth all the pain, all the peril, all the
besiegement?
Look! Who are they OH the bright
hills of heaven yonder: There they are,
chair now vacant There they are, those
whom you rocked in infancy in the
cradle or hushed to sleep i'll 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 beckoning 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, nevermorc 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
you will ever join their society. Up!
Strike harder! Charge more bravely!
Remember that every inch you gain puts
you so much farther on toward that
heavenly reunion.
Families Reunited
If this morning while / speak you
could hear the cannonade of foreign
enemy which was to despoil your city,
and if they really should succeed in ear
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 garret, would be
brought out, and we would urge on. and
coming III front Of the foe we would
look at them and then look at our fam
lilies, and the cry would be, Victory or
deathr' and when the ammunition was
gone we would take the captors on tine
point of the bayonet or under the breech
Of the gun.
If you would make such a struggle for
the getting back Of your earthly friends,
will you not make as much struggle for
the gaining Of the eternal companionship
% ,.o,,r fr,o,l.S IN, ..a. x,.a