The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-09-27

ont where ~ Will lana lhank Uou
for the intimation of my text, that
when we die Jesus takes us. That ans
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 |
/ got weary on the way. Christ
could lift me on His omnipotent 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
spirit" 1t may be in that hour we
will be too feeble to say long prayer.
1t may be in that hour we will not be
able to say the Lords Prayer" for 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 OF
of age, said every night when ne put
his head upon his pillow:
Now lay me down to sleep.
| pray the Lord my soul to keep
We NAV he too feeble to employ
| either of the these familiar forms; but
this prayer of Stephen Is so short, Is
| SO concise, is so earnest, is SO compre-
hensive, we surely will be able to say
that: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit"
Oh. if that prayer is answered, how
| sweet it will be to die! This world is
clever enough to us. Perhaps 1T has
treated us a great deal better than we
deserved to be treated; but If on the
diving pillow their shall break the
light of that better world. we shall
have no more regret than about leav-
ing a small. dark, damp house for one
large. beautiful, and capacious That
diving minister in Philadelphia, some
wears ago, beautifully depicted it
when, in the last moment, he threw
mn his hands and cried out: II move
into the light"
Pass on, now, and will show you
one more picture, and that is Stephen
asleep. With pathos OF simplicity
peculiar to the Scriptures, the text say 5
of Stephen: "He fell asleep" "Oh."
YOU say, 'what a place that was to
sleepv' A hard rock under him, stones
falling down upon him, the blood
streaming, the mob bowling. What a
place it was to sleep!" And yet my
text takes that symbol OF slumber to
describe his departure, so sweet was it,
SO contented was it, so peaceful was it.
Stephen had lived very laborlous llfe'
His chief work had been to care Tor
the poor. How many loavcs OF bread
he had distributed, how many bare
feet he had sandaled, how many cots
!, of sickness and distress he had blessed
with ministries of kindness and love,
! do not know; yet from the way he
: lived, and the way he preached, and
the wav he died, l know he was a la
, borious Christian. But that is al
over now. He has pressed the cup te
the last fainting lip. He has taker
the last insult from his enemies
The last stone to whose crushing
weight he is susceptible has beer
= hurled. Stephen is dead. The disci
pies comet They take him up! They
!, wash away the blood from the wounds
= They straighten out the bruised limbs
. They brush back the tangled hair from
!. the brow, and then they pass arount
= to look upon the calm countenance
!. him who had lived for the poor an(
!, died for the truth. Stephen asleep!
saw such an one. He fought al
his DAYS against poverty and agains
s abuse. They traduced his name. The.
a ratified at the door-knob while he wa
> diving with duns for debts he could no
il paw; vet the peace of God brooded owe
e his pillow, and while the world fadeo
. Heaven dawned, and the deepening
h twilight of earth's night was only tn
= opening twilight of Heavens morn
e Not sigh. Not tear. Not struggle
.e Hush! Stephen asleep.
a have not the faculty as many hav
l. To tell the weather. l can never te
!, nv the setting sun whether there wi
N be drought or not. can not tel
the blowing of the wind whether
is will he fair weather or foul on Tn
Is morrow. But l can prophesy, and
,r will prophesy what weather it will I
is when YOU, the Christian, come to Oil
t. You NAV have it very rough now.
lie NAV be this week one annoyance u
r, next another annoyance. 1t may
is this wear one bereavement the ne'
D. another bereavement But at the la
/ Christ will come in and darkness WI
ne 60 ont. And though there may be
to hand close to your eyes, and no brea
V. ON which to rest your dying hea
it and no candle to lift the night, Il
I'd odors of Gods hanging garden Will r
= gale your soul, and at your oeds1'
ID will halt the chariot OF the king. \
ne more rents to pay, no more agony 0
e- cause -four has gone up. no more strn
I'd ole with 1.-THE world, the flesh and Il
he devil" but peace-long, deep everlas