Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-02-23

ticed balcony 10 oriel. and from or;el to
arch. and from arch TO roof, and then
descends on ladder Of all colors. and by
stairs Of perfect lines % tropical gar
dens Of pomegranate and pineapple.
Seven stories Of respiendent architeo-
turs! But the royal castle provided for
you, il you will only take it on tho pre-
seribei terms, is grander than all that,
and, though an abandoned castle while
Christ was here. achieving your redemp.
tion, is again occupied by the chief
among ten thousand and some Of
your own kindred who have gone up
and waiting for you are leaning from
the balcony. The windows Of that castle
loo. &C CT tho Kings gardens where
immortals walk linked II eternal friend
ship. and the banqueting hall Of that
castle has princes aud princesses at the
table, and the wine is tho new wine OF
the kingdom, and the supper is the
marriage supper OF the Lamb, and there
are fountains into which no tear ever
fell, and there ~ music that trembles
with no grief. and the light that falls
there il the kiss Of those reunited after
long separation. More nerve will we
have there than now, OF We would swoon
away under the raptures Stronger Wis
ion will wa have there than now, or orr
eyesight would he blinded by the bril-
lance. Stronger ear will we have there
than now. or under the roll Of that min.
strelsy. and the clapping OF that accla.
nation. and the boom of that halleluiah
wa would no deafened.
The Coronation.
Glorious gospel, You thought religion
was a straitjacket: that il put you ON
the limits; that thereafter you must so
cowed down. No. no, no! tits 10 he cas-
tellated. By tho cleansing power of the
shed blood 81 iolgotha set your faces
toward the shining pinnacles. oh. it
does not matter much what becomes Of
us here-for Mt the longest our stay is
short--if We can only land there. You
see there are so many do want TO meet
there Joshua. my favorite prophet. and
John among tho evangelists. and Paul
among the apostles. and wyclif among
the martyrs, and Bourdaloue among the
preachers, and Dante among the poets,
and Havelock among the heroes, and
our loved unes whom we have so much
missed since they left US, 50 many dar-
lings Of the heart, their absence some
times almost unbearable. and, mention
ed in this sentence last Of all because
wsut the thought climacteric, our bless
ed Lord, without whom we could never
reach the old castle at all He took our
place He purchased our ransom. He
wept our woes. He suffered our stripes.
He died our death. lie assured our resur-
recticn. Blessed be his glorious name
foreverl Surging to his ear be all the
anthems! Facing him be all the thronesl
Oh. 1 want 10 see il, and will see it
the day Of his coron alton. On throne
already. Methinks the day will come
when in some great hall of eternity all
the nations Of earth whom he has con-
quered by bis grace will assemble again
to crown him. Wide and high and i'm
mense and upholstered as with the sun
rises and sunsets OF 1000 years. great
audience room Of heaven. Like the
leaves Of an Adirondack forest the ran
somed multitudes, and Christ standing
on hign place surrounded by worship
ers and subjects They shall come out
Of the farthest past led ON by the proph-
cts; they shall come ont of the early
gospel days led on by the apostles; they
shall come ont Of the centuries still
ahead Of us led on By champions of the
truth. heroes and heroines yet to be
born
And then from that vastest audience
ever assembled in all the universe there
will go up the shout: Grown him!
Crown him! Crown him. and the Fa-
Their who long ago promised this his
only begotten Son, Twill give thee the
lieathen for thine inheritance and the
uttermost parts Of the earth for thy pos-
session." shall set the crown upon the
forehead yet Scared with crucifixion
bramble. and all the hosts Of heaven,
down on the levels and mp in the gal
leries. will drop on their knees. crying:
Hail. King of earth! King of heaven!
King Of saints! King Of serapbsl Thy
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and
TO thy dominions there shall be no end!
Amen and amen! Amen and amenr'