The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-06-06

men also found II nard way. Ipey nau tu
travel It. Our friends have gone into glory,
and 1t Is through much trioulation 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 a tussle for bread. In our child
hood we wondered why there were so many
wrinkles on their faces. We did not know
that what were called "crow's feet on their
faces were the marks OF the black raven OF
trouble. Did you ever hear the old people,
seated by the evening stand, talk over their
dents, the burials, the disappointments, the
empty -four 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 AMI
an unbroken home circle? Oh, yes! 1t was
trouble that whitened their hair. 1t was
trouble that shook the cup In their hands. It
was trouble that washed the luster from
their eyes with the rain OF tears until they
needed spectacles. It was trouble that made
the cane q necessity 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 out, not seeing
the falling shower at all (you we'll knew she
was looking into the distant past), until the
apron came up to her eyes because the mem
ory was TOO nucn Ior ner~
OFT the bIs uubldden tear.
Stealing down the furrowet cheek,
Toll In eloquence sincere
Tales Of woe they could not speak.
But this scene OF weeping oer
Past this scene OF toll and paia
They shall feel distress no more,
Never, never weep again.
"Who are those under the altar?" the
question was asked, and the response came,
"These are they which came out OF great
tribulation aud have washed their robes ana
made them white In the blood OF the Lamb
Our friends went by a path OF tears into
glory. Be not surprised If we have to travel
the same pathway.
Iremark again, If We want to win the 80
ciety OF our friends In heaven, we will NOT
only have to travel path OF faith and path
OF tribulation, but We will also have to posi-
lively battle for their companionship. David
and his men never wanted sharp swords, and
inyulnerable Shields. and thick breastplates
30 much as they wanted them on the day
when they came down upon the Amelikitss:
have got their families back. suppose that
one glance at their loved ones In captivity
hurled them into the battle with tenfold
courage and energy. They said. "We must
win it. Everything depends upon It. Let
each one take q man on point OF spear or
sword. We must win it." And 7 have to
tell you that between Us and coming into the
companionship Of our loved ones who are
departed there Is an Austerlltz, there ts
Gettysburg, there is Waterloo. War with
the world, war with the flesh, war with the
devil. We have either to conquer our trou-
bles, or our troubles will conquer US. David
will either slay the Amalekites, orthe Amale-
kites will slay David. And Tot Is not the
fort to be taken worth all the pain, all the
peril. all the besiegemens?
Look Who are they on the bright hills
OF heaven yonder? There they are, those
who sat at your own table, the chair now
vacant. There they are, those whom you
rocked in infancy In the cradle or hushed TO
sleep In 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, nevermore to limp, nevermore to be
old, nevermore to weep. They are watching
from those heights to see If through Christ
you can take thai fort, and whether you will
rush in upon tnsr1-victors. They know
that upon this battle depends whether you
will ever join their society. Up! Strike
harder! Charge I,ore bravely! Remember
that every inch you gain puts you so much
farther on toward that heavenly reunion.
If this morning while speak you could
hear the cannonade of foreign enemy
which was to despon your city, and If they
Really should succeed In carrying your
families away from you, how long would We
take before We resolved to go after themi
armory or old and rusty In the garret, would
| be brought out, and We would urge on, and
coming In front of the foe we would look at
| them and then look at our families, and the
cry would be. "Victory or death ~ and when
the ammunition was gone we would take the
captors on the point Of the bayonet or under
the breech Of the gun.
If you would make such struggle toi
| the getting back OF your earthly friends, will
you not make as much struggle for the gain.
ing of the eternal companionship OF your
heavenly friends? Oh, yes, we must JOIN
them! We must git in their holy society.
We must sing with them the song. we
must celebrate with them the triumph. Let
it never be told on earth or in heaven that
David and his men pushed out with bravei
hearts for the getting back OF their eartnly
friends for few wears on earth than we 10
get our departed!
You say chat all this implies that our de.
| parted Christian friends are alive. Why. had
you any idea they were dead? They have
( only moved. If you should go on the I'd OF
May to house where one of your friends
lived and find him gone. you would not
think that he was dead. You would inquire
| next door where he had moved TO. Our de-
! parted Christian friends have only taken an.
| other house. The secret Is that they are
| richer than they once were and can afford
| better residence. They once drank out OF
earthenware. They now drink from the
Kings chalice. "Joseph is yet alive" and
Jacob will go up and seq him. Living. are
they? Why, ii man can live in this damp,
dark dungeon of earthly captivity, can he