Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-08-31

hAS eONaf ''NS SNA~NS~Ns
as the subject of his sermon for to-day,
through the press, the words, Ever
lasting Life the text being from
Micah Q: X; arise We and depart
for this is not your rest"
This was the drum. beat OF prophet
who wanted to arouse his people from
their oppressed and sinful condition;
but it may just a S properly be uttered
now as then. Bells, by long exposure
and much ringing, lose their clearness
of tone; but this rousing bell Of the
gospel strikes in as clear tone as
when it first rang on the air.
AS far as l can see, your great want
and mine is rest. From the time we
enter life a great many veXations and
annoyances take after us. We may
have our holidays and our seasons of
recreation and quiet, but whore is the
man come to mid-life who has found en-
| tire rest? The fact is that God did not
make this world to rest in a ship might
as well go down OFF Cape Hatteras
to find smooth wa Ger as Il man in this
world to find quiet. From the way
that God has strewn the thorns, and
hung the clouds and sharpened the
tusks; from the colds that distress us,
and the heats that smite us, and the
pleurisies that stab us, and the fevers
that consume us ] know that he did
not make this world as place to loiter
in. God does everything success
fully; and this world would be very
different world if it were intended for
us to lounge in 1t does right well
for few hours Indeed, it is magni-
ficent! Nothing but finite wisdom
and goodness could have mixed this
beverage of water, or hung up these
brackets of stars, or trained these
voices of rill, and bird, and ocean-so
that God has but to lift his hand, and
the whole world breaks forth into
The splendors of a kings highway,
over which we are to march on to
eternal conquests.
You and l have seen men who tried
to rest here. They builded themselves
great stores They gathered around
them the patronage of merchant
princes The voice OF their bid shook
the money markets They had stock
in the most successful railroads, and
in safety deposits" great rolls of
government securities They had
emblazoned carriages, high-me tiled
steeds, footmen, plate that COMPOUNDED
lords and senators who sat at their
table, tapestry on which fioated the
richest designs of foreign looms
splendor of canvas on the wall, ex-
quisiteness of music rising among
pedestals Of bronze, and dropping
soft as light, on snow of sculpture
Here let them rest Put back the
EN- broidered curtain, and shake up
the pillow of down Turn out
the lights! 1t is IL o'clock
at night Let slumber drop upon
the eyelids, and the air float through
the half-opened lattice drowsy with
midsummer perfume. Stand back, all
care anxiety, and troubled But no!
they will not stand back. They rat.
tie the lattice. They look under the
canopy. With rough touch they
startle his pulses. They cry out at IL
o clock at night Awake. man! How
can YOU sleep when things are so un-
certain? What about those stocks?
Harl to the tap of that fire bell; it is
your district! How if you should die
soon? Awake, man! Think of it.
Who will get your property when you
are gone? What will they do with it?
Wake up! Riches sometimes take
wings How if you should get poor?
Wake up" Rising on one elbow, the
II - . L.
darkness of the room, and wipes the
dampness from his forehead, and
says, ALAS! For all this scene oi
wealth and magnificence-no rest"
I,passed down street of a city
with merchant He knew all the
finest houses on the street. He said
There is something the matter in al
these houses. In that one it is con.
jugal infelicity. In that one, II dis
father. In that an idiot child. In
that, the prospect of bankruptcy.
This worlds wealth can give no per.
manent satisfaction. This is not your
rest
You and have seen men try Il
another direction. A man says, If
could only rise to such and such 1
, place of renown; if ! could gain tina
office; if could only get the stant
! and have my sentiments met with one
good round of hand-clapping applause
if / could only write book that would
live, or make a speech that would
thrill. or do an action that would re
: soundv' The tide turns in his favor
} His name is on ten thousand lips
He is bowed to and sought after, anC
J advanced. Men drink his health a
, great dinners. At his fiery words tn,
, multitudes huzza! From galleries o
beauty they throw garlands, From
house tops as he passes in long pro
, cession, they shake out the nationa
J standards. Here let him rest 1T i
} II o'clock at night On pillow stuffed
with a nations praise let him Ii,
down. Hush! all disturbant voices
In his dream let there be hoistcd
throne, and across it march a corona
ton. Hushl Hushl wake upl" says
rough voice. Political sentiment i