Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-05-23

sometimes cast down. They were far
from being perfect So suppose that
when we have gone some things in us
that are now only tolerable may be al.
most resplendent. But rs 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 perished, 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
10 go over the same difficult way.
While these captives were 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 a 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
lltlNt W IuSSitI 11OM lllCll OlU
ached! How sometimes they had tus-
sic for breadl In our childhood we Won
dered why there were so many wrin-
kles 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 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 -four
barrel when there were so many hungry
ones to feed, the sickness almost unto
death, where the next dose of morphine
decided between ghastly bereavement
and an unbrolen home circle? Oh, yesl
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 spectacles. 1t
was trouble that made the cane a 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 out, 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, unbidden tear,
Stealing down the furrowed cheek,
Told in eloquence 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 Eot
surprised if we have to travel the Same
pathway.
remark again, if we want to win
the society of our friends in heaven, we
VIII not only have to travel 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
invulnerable shields, and thick breast.
plates so much as they wanted them on
the day when they came down upon the
Amalekites. If they had lost that bat
tie, they never would 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 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 Gettysburg,
there is a Waterloo. War with the
world, war with the flesh, war with the
devil. We have either to conquer our
or our troubles will conquer
us. David will either slay tho Amale-
kites, or the Amalekites will slay David.
And yet is not the fort to be taken
worth all the pain, all the peril, all the
besiegement?
Lookl Who are they ON the bright
hills of heaven wonder? 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
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 20 cough, nevermore TO
limp, nevermore 10 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
that upon this battle depends whether
you will ever join their society. Up
Strike harderl Charge more bravelyl