The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-08-08
RELIGIOUS READING.
HOPING FOR A REvTYAL.

The very hope, when it is lively. is reTiv-
ing It stimulates to those eHertions which,
by the divine blessing, bring their own re-
ward. "He that plougheth should plough in
hope;" and then he that thresheth in hope
shall be partaker of his hope;" and they
shall "rejoice together" The christian who
ishubitually longing for q revival Of religion,
is, in fact, in high state Of revival himself:
and, so far. is actually possessed of what he
desires. Let him never give up the hope OF
seeing better days for Zion
When the sailors are heaving at the wind
lass, there is piece of wood, secured at one
end by hinge, which as fasl as the windless
round, drops at the other end into notches
made in the MINDLESS to receive it. This
piece of wood, which prevents the MINDLESS
from flying back again. and losing what has
been gained, is called the "heave-paul."
Now the hope we are speaking Of is just such
a heave-paul. and prevents any declensions
while the christian Is warping his bark
against the stream Of wordliness and
'heaves away" to work her up to
the heavenly pier. The apostle who was so
often inspired to animate this blessed hope,
may we'll give his name to the implement we
have mentioned.
Why should no. the Christian hope on?
However dark the present hour, he knows
that there must be a morning. though 1t may
more eagerly as the night seems deeper, and
gloomier, and more fraught WITH peril. He
charges himself to be faithful here; "My soul
wait thou upon God; for my eXpectatation is
from him."-The tide Of religion has long
been at low ebb in our land. We see only
wide and dismal marshes, and black. miry
flats, where once we saw the waters OF saliva
tion flowing in their fulness, smiling in Sc
renest beauty, till the real skies looked not
! "a h1o faI an
their bosom. But now the mighty flood has
receded, and all Is dreary and desolate to the
view.
NoXious damps come steaming up, taintlng
the air with bilgy odors and unwholesome
exhalations. And shall we suffer ourselves
to be benumbed with the freezing thought
that it must be ever thus? No; let US move
with the mere vigor to drive off the fatal
chill. Let us be sure that to the lowest tide
of depression and disastrous reverse, there
must be q turn. We may be weary with
waiting for it; but it must come. It will set
in once more till the waters of life return to
the forsaken channels, and roll their resist
less undulations along all the deserted shores.
II we see it not with mortal eyes, we shall
look down from the heights Of heaven, to be-
hold 1t, and rejoice with the angels in the
presence Of God.
When strong hope that a revival is near
becomes generalin church, it is usually one
of the fairest harbingers that "aday OF saava-
ton" is at hand. Hope Is peculiarly con-
tagious feeling. When ardently felt by one
OF the brethren, another soon grows warm by
the contact; and the vivifying fever spreads
from member to member, till the body glows
and tingles with vital heat, comes out of its
frigid and dormant state, rises in the strength
of the Lord, and takes vigorous hold OF his
glorious work.
How many revivals have thus commenced?
Why should they not commence again in
like manner? If anyone would feel this in
revivlfying hope, let him fulfil the conditions
of it. ESTABLISHMENT, prostration Of the soul,
panitential confessions, and seizing the prom
ises Ct the grace OF Christ in faith.--from
thence Is the life and warmth Of such hope as
''maketh not ashamed" and so far as this is
experienced, Just so far is religion already
revived, and the way prepared for its spread
ing on every side.-Boston Recorder.