The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-09

the moth In the clothes closet. The black
wing Of a raven, the snowbank OF white
lilies, our extreme botheration about the
splinter Of imperfection In some one else's
character, the swine fed on the pearls,
wolves dramatizing sheep, and the perora.
ton made up OF a cyclone In which you hear
the crash of q rumbling house unwtsely con-
structed. No technicalities, no splitting OF
hairs between north and northwest S side; no N,
dogmatics, but great Christly throb OF
helpfulness. do not wonder at the record
which says, "When He was come down from
the mountain, great multtudes followed
Him" They had but one fault to find with
His sermon. It was too short. God
help all of Ms in Christian work TO get down
of our stills and realize there Is only one
thing We have to do-there Is the great
wound OF the worlds sin and sorrow, and
there Is the great healing plaster OF the gos-
plaster on the wound. All sufficient Is the
gospel II 1t IS only applied. A minister
preaching to an audience o. sailors con 'ern-
Ing the ruin by sin and the rescue by the gos-
pel accommodated himself to sailors vernac-
ular and said, 'This plank bears" Many
years after this preacher was called to see
diving sailor and asked him about his hope
and got the suggestive reply, "rhis plank
bears"
Yea, Christ was lovely in His chief LIES
work. There were thousand things TOR
Him to do, but His great work was TO gee
our shipwrecked world out OF the breakers:
That He came to do, and that He did, and
BE did It in three years. He took thirty
Years to prepare for that three years activ-
ity. From twelve to thirty years OF age we
hear nothing about Him. That Intervening
eighteen years think he was In India. But
~ ~, al 20 Dol md crnwH6d
everything into three years-three winters,
three springs, three summers, three eut-
umns. Our life is short, but would God we
might see how much We could do IN three
years. Concentrat on! IntensifcaHon
Three wears OF kim words! Three years OF
living for others Three years OF self-sacrl-
fee! Let us try 1t.
Ave, Christ was lovely in His demise. he
had right that last hour to deal in anathe-
ueanly treated. Cradle OF straw among
eosts and camels-that was the worlds re-
ception OF Him! Rocky cliff, with ham.
mers pounding spikes through tortured
neryes-that was the worlds farewell saluta-
tionI The slaughter Of that scene sometimes
hides the lovellness Of the sufferer. Under
the saturation of tears and blood we some
times fail to see the sweetest face OF eartn
and heaven. Altogether lovely! Can cold
est criticism find an unkind word he ever
SPOKE, or an unklnd action that He ever per-
Horned, or an unkind thought that He ever
harbored?
What marvel it is that all the nations OF
earth do not rise up In raptures OF atection
for Him! / must say 1t here and now. LIT
my right hand In solemn attestation. love
Him, and the grief OF my life is that do not
love Him more. Is 1t an impertinencs for
me to ask, Do you. my hearer-you, my
reader, love Him? Has He become part OF
your nature? Have you committed your
children on earth into His keeping, as your
children In heaven are already in His bosomi
Has He done enough to win your conddenceI
Can YOU trust Him, living and dying and for
everi Is your back or your face toward Him!
Would you Like to have His hand to guide
you, His might to protect you, His grace to
his arms to welcome you, His love to encir-
Gle you. His haven to crown you?
Oh, TINT Ye might all have something OF
the great German reformer's love for this
Christ which led him to say, "If any one
knocks at the door Of my breast and says,
'Who lives thereF my reply is, Jesus Christ
lives here, not Martin Luther. VIII 1t not
be grand II, when we get through this short
and rugged road Of life, we can 20 right up
into His presence aud live with Him world
without end.
And If, entering the gate OF that heavenly
city, We snould be 80 overwhelmed with our
unwortkinesS on the one side, and the super
nal splendor on the other side, we get lit
tie bewildered and should for few moments
be, lost on the streets OF gold and among the
Furnished temples and the sapphire thrones,
there would be plenty to show us the way
sndtake US out OF our joyful bewllderment,
and perhaps the woman Of Main would say,
"Come, let me take you to the Christ who
raised my only boy to Hfe." And Martha
would say, "Come, let me take you to tbs
Christ who brought up my brother Lazarus
from the tomb" And ons OF the disciples
would say, "Come, and let me take you
to the Cnris. who saved our sinking ship
In the hurrlcane on Gennesaret." And
Paul would say, "Cone. and let me
lead you to the Christ for whom 1 died
on the road to Ostla-" And whole groups OF
martyrs would say, "Come, let as show you
the Christ for whom we ratified the chain and
wadsd the floods and dared the fires" And
our own glorlaed kindred would flock around
us. saving, 1--WE have been waiting good
while for you, but before Wa talk over old
times, and We tell you OF what We have en-
loved since We have been here, ani you tell
us of what you have suffer, d since We parted.
come, come and let US show you the greatest
sight In all the place, the most Respondent
throne, and upon 1t the mightiest conqueror,
the exaltation OF heaven, the theme OF the
immortals, the altogether great, the altoReth-
or good, the altogether fair, the altogether
lovely"
Well, the delightful morn will come
When my dear L ,rd vii bring me home,
And snan see BIS face.
Then. with my Saviour. Brother, Friend,
A b,est etsrn ty I'll speL1,
TriumDhant in His