The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-03-14
= trembling lips speak

her trembling lips speak OF
the land of reunion where she expects
to meet her loved ones already trans
lated; and after telling the Lord in
very simple language how much she
loves Him, and trusts Him, and hopes
to see Him soon, hear her pronounce
the quiet '.Amen," and she rises up-a
little more difficult effort than kneel-
ing down. And then she puts her
head on the pillow for the night, and
the angels of safety and peace stand
sentinel about that couch in the farm
house; and her face ever and anon
shows signs of dreams about the
Heaven she read of before retiring. In
the morning the days work has begun
downstairs, and seated at the table the
remark is made: Mother must have
oversight herself" And the grand
children also notice that grandmother
is absent from her usual place at the
table. One of the grandchildren goes
to the foot of the stairs and cries:
"Grandmother!'' But there is no an
swer. Fearing something is the mat
ter, they go up to see, and all seems
right. The spectacles and Bible on
the stand, and the covers on the bed
are smooth. and the face is calm,
her white hair on the white pillow
case like snow on snow already fallen.
But her soul has gone up to look upon
the things that the night before she
had been reading of in the Scriptures.
What transporting look on her dear
old wrinkled face! She has seen the
'King in his beauty" She has been
welcomed by the Lamb who was
slain" And her two Oldest sons,
having hurried upstairs, look and
whisper, Henry to George, THAT is
religion!" and George to Henry, Eyes,
that is religion!"
Why, my hearers, from all parts Of
the earth, do you not ge this bright
and beautiful, and radiant, and bliss
full, and triumphant thing for your
selves, go home telling all your neigh
bors on the Pacific, or in Nova Scotia,
or in Louisiana, or Maine, or Brazil,
or England, or Italy, or any part
of the round world that they may
have it now. Mind you. do not start
from the pessimistic standpoint that
| David did, when he got mad and said
| in haste: "All men are liars!" or from
the creed of others that every man is
as bad as he can be. I rather think
| from your looks that you are
doing about as well as you can in the
circumstances in which you are placed,
but I want to invite you up into the
heights of safety, and satisfaction, and
holiness, as much higher than those
which the world affords, as Everest,
the highest mountain in all the earth,
is higher than your front doorstep.
| Here he comes now. Who is it?
might be alarmed and afraid if l had
not seen him before and heard his
voice. thought he would come before
l got through with this sermon.
Stand back and make way for Him.
He comes with scars all around His
forehead; scars in the center of both
hands stretched out to greet you;
scars on the instep Of both the feet
| with which He advances; scars on the
breast under which throbs the great
heart of sympathy which feels for
you. l announce Him. | introduce
Him to you. Jesus, of Bethlehem, and
Olivet and Golgotha. Why comest thou
hither this winter day, thou of the
springtime and summery heavens? He
answers: To give all this audience
pardon for guilt; coincidence for
grief; whole regiments of help for
day of battle, and eternal life for the
dead! What response shall l give him?
In your behalf and in my own behalf
1 hail Him with the descriptions: 'sUn-
to Him who hath loved us, and washed
us from our sins in His own blood,
and hath made us kings and priests
unto God and His father; to Him be
glory and dominion forever and ever.
| Amen"