The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-11-09

There is no doubt but that your obse-
uuiss will be decent and respectful, |
aud you will be able to pillow your
head under the maple, or the Norway !
spruce, or the cypress. or the blossoms
ing fir; bat this spirit about which |
Stephen PRAYED, what direction will |
that take? What guide will escort 1t!
What gate will open to receive it9
What cloud will be cleft for its patti |
way. After 1t has got beyond the light
of our sun, will there be torches light
ed for it the rest OF the way?
| do not care what you do with my
body when my soul is gone, or whether
you believe in cremation or fnhuma-
ton. ] shall sleep just as well In
wrapping of saclxcloth as in satin lined
| with eagles down. But my soluble
fore close this discourse l will ind
out where it will land. Thank God
for the intimation of my text. that
| when we die Jesus takes us. That an
swers all questions for me. What
though there were massive bars be-
tween here and the city OF light Jesus
could remove them. What though
there were great Saharas OF darkness,
Jesus could illume them. What though
I got weary on the way. Christ
could lift me on His omnipotenc shout
der. What though there were chasms
to cross, His hand could transport me.
Then let Stephens prayer be my dy-
ing litany: Lord. Jesus, receive my
Esprit" 1t may be in that hour we
will be too feeble to say long prayer.
, It NAV be in that hour we will not be
, able to say the Lords Prayer" Tor 1t
has seven petitions. Perhaps we may
be too feeble even to say the infant
PRAYER our mothers taught us, which
John Quincy Adams, seventy years Oh
| of age, said every night when he put
r his head upon his pillow;
IL Row lay mo down to sleep
pray the Lord my soul to keep
We may be too feeble to employ
either of the these familiar forms; but
, this PRAYER Of Stephen is so short, is
I SO concise, is so earnest, is SO compre-
e hensiye, we surely win be able to say
t that: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. :
e Oh, If that prayer is answered, how
: sweet it will be to diel This world Is
4 clever enough to us. Perhaps 1T has
e treated us great deal better than we
$ deserved to be treated; but ii on the
e diving pillow their shall break the
e light of that better world. we shall
u have no more regret than about icav'
e ing a small. dark, damp house for one
: large, beautiful, and capacious. That
Il diving minister in Philadelphia, some
O Years ago, beautifully depicted II
It when, in the last moment. he threw
If ND his hands and cried out: II move
a. into the light"
Is Pass on, now, and will show yor
II one more picture, and that is Stepher
" asleep. With pathos OF simplicit,
peculiar to the Scriptures, the text say
is of Stephen: "He fell asleep" "Oh,
o you say, what place that was
T. sleepr A hard rock under him, stone
II falling down upon him, the bloc
re streaming, the mob bowling. What
he place it was to sleep!" And yet m
III text takes that symbol OF slumber I
IN describe his departure, sosweet was L
re SO contented was it, SO peaceful was i
ne Stephen had lived very laborious life
Id His chief work had been to care Il
n the poor. How many loaves OF brea
t, he had distributed. how many bar
en- feet he had sandaled, how many col
of sickness and distress he had blesse
at with ministries of kindness and love,
ng do not know; yet from the way 4
ID lived, and the way he preached, an
ms the way he died, know he was j
or borious Christian. But that is a
he over now. He has pressed the cup
nd the last fainting lip lie has take
nd the last insult from his enem1e
he The last stone to whose crushir
eir weight he is susceptible has bee
int hurled Stephen is dead. The disc
lie pies come! They take him upl The
lot wash away the blood from the wound
GU They straighten out the bruised limb
an They brush back the tangled hair fro
his the brow, and then they pass aroul
ew to look upon the calm countenance
alb him who had lived for the poor al
is died for the truth. Stephen asleep!
,od saw such an one. He fought {
nd his days against poverty and again
SO abuse. They traduced his name. TIL
DOL ratified at the door-knob while he W
ill dying with duns for debts he could u
on pay; yet the peace of God brooded ov
of his pillow, and while the world fade
led Heaven dawned, and the deepeni
ed, twilight of earth's night was only t
ney opening twilight Of Heavens MOI
pom Not sigh. Not tear. Not strugg
e IS Hushl stephen asleep
of have not the faculty as many ha
the to tell the weather. l can never t
pot by the setting sun whether there W
the be drought or not. can not tell
up the blowing of the wind whether
hen will be fair weather or foul on
morrow. But can prophesy. ant
ugh will prophesy what weather it Will
God when you, the Christian, come to q
'ay. You may have it very rough now.
we NAV be this week one annoyance,
this next another annoyance. 1t may
has this year one bereavement the n
II another bereavement But at the
the Christ will come in and darkness
and go out And though there may be
'uld hand close to your eyes, aud no bre
not on which to rest your dying he
it. and no candle to lift the night.
lkes doors of Gods hanging garden will
no gale your SOUL and at your beds
iety will halt the chariot OF the king.
more rents to pay, no more agony
his cause flour has gone up, no more str