The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1895-11-07

Jesus? They said you must give up your
religion" She said: II can't give up my
religion" And 50 they took her down to
the beach OF the sea. and they drove In q
stake at low water mark. and they fastened
her to it, expecting that Us the tide came up
her faith would fail. The tide began to rise.
| and came up higher and higher, and TO the
! glrdle, and TO the lip. and 10 the last mo-
| ment, lust as the wave was washing her
SOIL into glory, she shouted the praises OF
Jesus.
Oh. no. YOU cannot separate soul from
Christ! 1t is an everlasting marriage. Bat
| lie and storms and darkness cannot dc 1t. LIS
It too much exultation for man. who Is but
dust aud ashes like myself, to cry. out TINS
moment, 81 am persuaded that neither neight
nor depth nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor any
other creature, shall separate me from the
love OF God, which Ia in Christ Jesus, my
Iiords" Glory be to God that when Christ
and the soul are married they ara bound by
chain-a golden chain-if might say So
chain With One link, and that one link the
goldeh ring OF Gods everlasting love.
go step farther, and tell you that when
Christ receives a soul into His love. He puts
on him the ring OF festivity. You know that
it has been the custom in all ages to bestow
rings on very happy occasions There is
nothing more appropriate for birthday gilt
than rin2s You delight to besto# suea 2
gilt Upon your children at such time. 1t
means Joy, hi!arity, festivity. Well, when
this old man of the text wanted to tell how
glad he was that his boy had got back, he
expressed it in this way. Actually, before
he ordered sandals to be put on his bare
feet; before he ordered the fatted calf to be
killed to appease the boys hunger, he com
manded, put ring on his hand"
Oh. it is d merry time when Christ and the
soul are unitedl Joy of forgivness What
II splendid thing it is to feel that all is right
between my God and myself. What glori-
Gus thing it il to have God just take up all
the sins OF my life and put them in one bun
die, and then fling them into the depths OF
the sea, never to rise again, never to be
talked Of again. Pollution all gone. Dark
ness all ilumined. God reconciled. The
pfodigal home. "Put ring on his hand"
Every day find happy Christian people.
/ flnd some of them with no second coat,
some of them in huts and tenement houses,
not one earthly comfort afforded them, and
yet they are as happy as happy can be. They
| sing Crock of Ages as no other people in
the world sing il. They never wore any
| jewelry in their life but one gold ring. and
that was the ring of Gods undying affec-
ton. Oh, how happy religion makes us!
Did It make you gloomy and sad? Did you
| 90 with your head east down? l do not
think you got religion. my brother. That is
not the effect Of religion. True religion is u
| Joy "Het ways are ways OF pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace"
| Why, religion lightens all our burdens.
1t srnooths all our way. 1t interprets all
our sorrows 1t changes the jar Of earthly
discord for the peal of festal bells. In front
of the flaming furnace of trial it sets the
forge on which scepters are hammered out.
| Would you not like this hour to come up
| from the swine feeding and try this religion?
All the joys Of heaven would come out aud
meet you, and God would cry from the
throne, Put ring on his hand"
You are not happy. Isee it. There is no
peace. and sometimes you laugh when you
| feel great deal more like crying. The
world is cheat. 1t first wears you down
with its follies, then it kicks you out into
darkness 1t comes back from the massacre
! of million souls to attempt the destruction
of your soul to-day. No peace out of God,
but here is the fountain that can slake the
thirst. Here Is the harbor where you can
| drop safe anchorage.
| Would you not like, I ask you-not per-
functorily, but as one brother might talk to
arother--would you not like to have pill
low Of rest to put your head on? And would
| you not like, when you retire at night, to
feel that all is well, whether you wake up to-
morrow morning at o'clock or sleep the
Weep that knows no waking? Would you
q 70 nbon f,,1, lot,