The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-20

Inan necessary to get all this sassemblsge into
the lifeboat of the gospel and ashore, stand
ing both feet on the Rock Of Ages. by the
two strong oars Of faith and prayer first pull
for the wreck and then pull for the shore.
Opportunity!
Over the city went the cry,
Jesus OF Nazareth passeth by!
Let the world so. 1t has abused you
enough, and cheated you enough, and slam
dered you enough, and damaged you enough.
Even those from whom you expected better
things turned out your assailants, as when
Napoleon in his last will and testament left
5000 francs to the man who shot at yelling.
ton in the streets Of Paris. Oh, it Is moan
world! Take the glorious Lord for your
companionship. like what the good man
said to the one who had everything but re-
Hgion. The afauent man boasted Of what he
owned and or bis splendorS Of surroundings,
putting into insigniflcance, as he thought,
the Christians possessions. "Ah," said the
Christian. "Man, have something you have
not" "What Is thatp" said the worldling.
The answer was, "Peace!" And you may all
have it-peace with God, peace with the
past, peace with the future, peace that all
the assaults Of the world and all the bonn
bardments satanic cannot interfere with.
A Scotch shepherd was dying and had the
pastor called In. The dying shepherd said to
his wife, "Mary, please go into the next
room, for want to see the minister alone"
When the two were alone the dying shepherd
said, ~ have known the Bible all my life,
but am going, and am 'afeered to dee. '"
Then the pastor quoted the psalm: The
Lord Is my Shepherd. I shall not want"
"Yes, mon" said the shepherd, ~ was "a
am a-goin', and am afeered to dee Then
said the pastor. 'You know that the psalm
says, Though walk through the valley OF
the shadow Of death, I will fear no evil"
''Yes," said the dying shepherd, 81 knew
that before you were born, but 1t does not
help me-" Then said the pastor, Don't you
know that sometimes when you were driving
the sheep down through the valleys and
raYines there would be shadows oil about
you, while there was plenty OF sunshine on
the hills above2 You are in the shadows now,
but 1t Is sunshine higher up" Then said the
dying shepherd: "Ah!-that Is good. I
never saw it that way before. All is well.
Though I pass through the valley OF the
shadow of death, Thou art with me-
Shadows here, but sunshine above" So the
dying shepherd got peace. Living and dy-
ing, may we have the same peace!
Opportunity! Under the arch OF that splen-
did word let this multitude Of nay hearers
pass into the pardon and hope and triumph
Of the gospel Go by companies OF hundred
each. Go by regiments OF a thousand each,
the aged leaning on the staff, the middle
aged throwing of their burdens as they pass
and the young to have their present joys
augmented by more glorious satisfactions.
Forward into the kingdom! AS soon as you
pass the dividing line there will be shouting
all up and down the heavens The crowned
immortals will look down and cheer. Jesus
Of the many scars will rejoice at the result
Of His earthly sacrifices. Departed saints
will be gladdened that their prayers are
answered An order will be given for the
spreading of banquet ut which you
win be the honored guest. From the i'm
perial gardens the wreaths will be twist
ed for your brow, and from the hall OF
eternal music the harpers will bring their
harps and the trumpeters their trumpets, and
all up and down the amethystine stairways OF
the castles and In all the rooms Of the house
OF many mansions it will be talked over with
holy glee that this day, while one plain man
stood on the platform Of this vast building,
giving the gospel call, an asemblage made up
from all parts Of the earth and piled up IN
these galleries chose Christ as their portion
and started for heaven as their everlasting
home. Ring all the bells Of heaven at the
tidings! Strike all the cymbals at the joyl
Wave all the palm branches at the triumph!
Victory! Victory!