Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-07-13

feed himself, yet calm and peaceful az
thonoh he Law on one OF the green banks oil
heaven watching the oarsmen dip their pad
dies in the crystal river! Why, it seems to
me this moment as il Paul threw 10 us
pomo.ogist's catalogue OF the Iruls grow
ing 10 this great garlen OF ClrIst love Joy,
peace, patience, charity. brotherly KinFness,
gentleness, mercy-ylorious lrul', euousu ~
Oil all the baskets Of earth AMI heaven
have not told you OF tho better tree III
this gar,len an | OF the better fruit. 1t was
p,ante lust outside jerusalem good vale
AGO. When that tree was plante !, Il was 80
snlit and bruised an parked men sud notn-
ing would ever grow upon it, bu: no sooner
had that tree beea planted than II Dulnel
AMI blossomed an fruited, an l the soluierS
spears were only toe clubs that struck down
that fruit, and it fell into the llp OF the M
lions, and msn began to pick 1t up an cay
it, an1 they foGnd in it an antldote 10 an
thirst, to all poison, 10 all sin, 10 al ueWn
the smIllest cluster larger thln tue la.
mons one of Eshcol, which two men CARTEL
on staff between tho Il. Itthe ono apple
in e len kIIs the racs this ol3 cluster OF
mercy shall restore.
Again, the clurch, tu my text, 1s appro-
priately called gar len b3,luS9 1t IS thor-
on ,hly irrig tel. No gar len co1lt prosper
long without plenty Of water. nave ssen
garden in the midst o. desert, yet bloom
ing and luxuriant. All AROUND were dearth
and barrenness, but there were pipes, aque-
ducts reaching from this garden up TO the
mountains. and through those aque1uctsthe
water came streaming down AMI tossing up
into beautiful fountains until every root and
leaf and flower was saturated. That is like
the church. The church Is garden in the
milst OF great desert os sin and suffering.
1t is we'll irrigated, for tour eyes are unto
the hills, from whence comelh our help"
From the mountains OF Go IS strength there
flow down rivers OF gladnass. There is
river the stream whereof shall make
glad the city OF our God. Preaching the
gospel is one OF these aqueducts. The Bible
is another. Baptism an the Lord's supper
are aqueducts. Water 10 sake the thirst,
water 10 res. ore the faint, water 10 wash the
unclean, water tOgse high up in the light oi
the sun OF righteousness, showing US tho
rainbow around the throne. oh, was there
ever gar len 50 thorou yhly irrigated? You
know the beauty OF Versailles AMI Chats
worth depends very much upon the great
supply OF water. 1 came to tho latter place
(Chatsworth) one day when strangers are not
10 be admitted, but by an inducement. which
always seemed as applicable TO an English
man rs an American, got In, and then the
gardener went far up above the stairs OF
stone and turned on the water. | saw ii
cleaning on the dry pavement, coming
down from step TO STEP until it came so near
l could hear the musical rush, AMI all over
the high, broad stairs it came foaming, flash
ing. roaring down until sunlight and wave in
gleesome wrcstle tumbIei at my feet. So 1t
is with the church OF Col. Everything comes
from above-parlOn from above, Joy from
above, adoption from above, sanctihcltion
from above. Oh, that now Go l would turn
on the waters Of salvation, that they might
flow down through His heritage, AM that
this day w. might each find our places to be
"Elims,' with twaiva wells OF water and
threescOre and ten p2lm trees.
Hark hear the hitch at the ga rden gate,
and I look TO see vino is coming. 1 hear the
voice Of Christ, "I am come into My gar.
den.' IsaY "COme in, o Jesus; we have
been waiting for Thee. Walk all through
these paths. Look ut the flowers. Look at
the fruit. Pluck that which Thou wilt for
Thyself." Jesus comes into the garden and
up TO that old man and touches him and
says, almost home, father net many mora
aches for thee. I will never leave thee.
1 will never forslke thee. Take courage
a little longer, AMI l will steady thy
lettering steps. anil l will soothe thy
troubles AMI giva thee rest. Courage, old
man." Then Christ goes up another garden
patti, anu ne COMES 10 Il bOul III lIOuOlo anu
says ''Peace all is well. 1 have ssen thy
fears; I have heard thy prayer. The sun
shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon
by night. The Lord shall preserve thee
from all evil; He will preserve thy soul.
Courage, troubled spirit" Then l see
Jesus going up another garden path. and
l see great excitement among the leaves
AMI l hasten up that garden path &c
see what Jesus is doing there, and, 10
He is breaking off flowers, sharp and clean,
from the stem, and say, stop. Jesus, don't
kill those beautiful flowers" He turns
to me and says 81 have come into Ny gar
den to gather lilies, and mean to take these
up to n high terrace, and for the garden
around My palace. an | there 1 will plant
them, and in better soil, and in better air.
They shall put forth brighter leaves and
sweeter redolence and no frost shall touch
them forever" And l looked up into His
face and said, "Well. it il His gdrlen, and He
has a right 10 do what lie will with it. Tny
will be dona'-the hardest prayer q man
ever made.
I notice that the fne gardens sometimes
have high fences around them, AMI L cannot
get in. 1t is so with the kings girlen. The
only gimpses you ever get OF such garden
is when the king rides out ia his splendid
carriage. II is not go with this garden--the
and tell you all TO come in. No monopoly
in religion. Whosoever will, may. Choose
now between desert AMI u garden. Many
of you have tried the garden Of this worlds
delight. You have found it has been cha
grin. SO it was with Taco lors Hook. II,
made allthe worl laugh. H. makes u lau ,h
now when we rea bis poems, but he
could not make his own heart auyn. While
in the midst OF his festivities he confronte
lookingglass, and he saw himself an said
"There, that is true. look up just as an
done up in DO ". mini aud purS"." so 1t
was with Shemstone, OF whose garden told
at the beginning of my sermon. Ia sat
down amid those bowers an | said: 81 have
lost my road to happines' | am angry AMI
envous and frantic AMI despise everything
around me. just as it becomes NAL
man 10 do" Oh, We weary souls, cont
into Christ's garden to-day anc
pluck little hearseas, Christ is the only
rest and the only par lon for n perturbei
spirit DO you not think your chance has
almost come? You mon and women wnc
have been waiting year aftor year for some
good opportunity in which to accept Chrst,
but have poslp oned it 5, 10. 20, 81 years, do
YOU not feel as if now your hour Of deliver.
ance and pardon and salvation had come?
Or. man, what grudge hast thou against thy
poor soul that thou wilt not let it be s1yedT
/ feel as if salvation must come now 10 some
of Jour hearts.
Some years ago vessel struck on the
rocks. They hal only one lifebolt. In
that lifeboat the passengers AMI crew
were getting ashore. The vessel had
founderei and was sinking deeper and
deeper, and the ono boat could not take
the passengers very swiftly. A little girl
stood on the deck, Whiting for her ;urh
10 get into the boIt. Td5 bout ca ne an =;
went - came an went - bar h5r tur1
did not seem 10 ono Alter awliIs
she could wait no longer AMI 10 leap3i