The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-03-27


Was 1t because 1t came from the place where
angels live, or because angels compounded
1t, or because angels did eat 1t, or because
It was good enough for angels2 On what
crystal platter was 1t carried to the door of
heaven and then thrown out2 how did it
taste? We are told there was in 1t something
like honey, but II the saccharine taste In it
had been too strong many would not have
liked 1t, and 80 1t may have had a commin-
CLING of favors, this delicacy Of the skies. 1t
must have been nutritious, for Nation lived
on 1t for forty years. 1t must have been
healthful. for it is so inspiringly applauded.
1t must have been abundant. because 1t dis
missed the necessity Of sutler for q great
army.
Each person had ration Of three quarts
day allowed to him. and 30 5000 pounds
were necessary every week. Those were the
times Of which my text speaks, when "man
did eat angels food" If the good Lord,
who has helped me 80 often, will help me
now, I will first tell you what is angels
food, and then how We may get some OF 1t
have for mastication and digestion and
assimilation the products Of the earth.
Corporeity, as we'll as mentality and
spirituality, characterizes us. The style OF
diet has much to do with our well being.
Light and frothy food taken exclusively re-
suits in weak muscle and Observation-Disclosures
The taking of too much animal food produces
sensuality. Vegetarians are cranks. Reason
able selection of the farinaceous and the
solid ordinarily produces physical stamina.
But we have all occasionally been in an
ecstatic state where we forgot the necessity
of earthly food. We were fed by joys. by
anticipations, by discoveries. by companion
ships that dwindled the dining hour into
tpo aoo nd do ha Y,la
table stupid and uninviting. There have
been cases where from seemingly invisible
sources the human body has been main
tanned, as in the remarkable case OF our in
valid and Christian neighbor, Mollie Fanch-
or, known throughout the medical and
Christian world for that she was seven
weeks without earthly food, fed and sus-
tanned on heavenly visions. Our beloved
DR.. lreneus Prime, editor and theologian,
recorded the wonders concerning this girl:
Professor West. the great scientist, marveled
over it, and Willard Parker of worldwide
fame in surgery threw up his hands In
amazement at 1t. There are times in all our
lives when the soul asserts itself and says to
the body: "Hush, stand back! Stand DOWN.
I am at banquet where no chalices CLEAN
and no yiands smoke and no culinary I'M
plements clatter. 7 an feeding on that
which no human hand has mixed and nc
earthly oven baked. I am eating "angels
food" If you have never been In such an
exalted state, commiserate your leaden
temperament and dismiss you from this
service as incompetent to understand. the
thrilling and glorious suggestivenes5 OF my
text when 1t says, "Man did eat angels
food"
Now, what do the supernaturals live onf
They experience none of the demands Of cor.
poriety and have no hindrance or environ
ment in the shape Of bone and muscle and
flesh, and hence that which may delectate
our palate or invigorate our poor, dying
frames would be Of no use to them. But
they have food of their own. My text says
80. There may be other courses OF food In
the heavenly menu that I am not aware
OF, but I know Of five or SIX styles OF
food always on celestial tables when cheru.
bin and seraphim and archangel gather fol
heavenly repast-the mystery Of redemption,
celestialized music, the heavenly picturesque
sublime colloquy, eternal enterprises, sanity
association, divine companionship, celebra-
tive jubilance. There Is one subject that ex,
cites the curiosity and inquisitiveness Of all
those angels. St. Peter says, (Which
thing the angels desire to look into"-thst
Is, why did Christ exchange palace for a
barn? Whys did he drop a scepter from
His right hand to take q spear
Into His left side2 Why quit the
anthem of the worshiping heavens to hear
the grooming OF a weary mothers voice? Was
straw better than garland2 "Could 1t not
have been done in some other way?" says
angel the first. "Was the human race worth
such sacrifce?" says angel the second.
Chow could heaven get along without Him
Through that assassination may sinful man
rise into our eternal companionship," says
angel the fourth.
And then they all bend toward each other
and talk about 1t and guess about 1t and try
10 fathom it and prophesy concerning 1t.
But the subject is too big, and they only nib
BILE at it. They only break of piece of it.
They only taste it. They just dip into 1t.
And then one angel cries, "Worthy Is the
Lamb that was slain" And another says,
"Unsearchable!" And another says,
'sPast finding out!" And another says,
"Allelur' And then they all fill their
cups of gold with the "new wine Of the
kingdom" Unlike the beakers Of earth,
health, the wine pressed from the grapes Of
che heavenly Eshcol. and they all drink to
the memory Of man8er and cross, shattered
sepulcher and Olivetic ascension. Oh, that
rapturous. inspiring. transporting theme OF
the worlds ransom! That makes angels
food. The taking of that food gives stronger
pulse to their gladness, adds several morn
fngs of radiance to their foreheads,
gives vaster circle to the sweep
Of their wings on mission intercon.
stellation. Some Of the crumbs OF
that angels food fall all around our wilder
ness camp to-day, and we feel like crying
with Paul: "Oh, the depth OF the riches, both
OF the wisdom and knowledge Of God!' or
,,ttb Cfophap. sET ord 1paua recaiva
my spiritr' or with many an enraptured soul:
''None but Christ! None but Christ" Pass
around this angels food. Carry It through
all these aisles. Climb with it through all
these galleries. Take it among all the novels
as well as among all the palaces of the great
town. Give all Nations taste OF this angels
food.
Now, in the emerald palace of heaven LEI
the cupbearers and servants of the King re-
move this course from the banquet and bring
on another course of angels food. which Is
celestial music. You and l have seen at
some concert or oratorio whole assemblage
to whom the music was feast. Never any
thing that they took In at the lips OF the
mouth was so delightful to their taste
as that which they took in at the lips OF
the ear. I have seen and you have seen
people actually intoxicated with sweet
sounds. Oratorios which are always too pro-
tracted for those of lis who have not had our
faculties cultivated in that direction were
never long enough for them. AS at II o'clock
at night the leader Of the orchestra gave the
three taps OF his baton to again start the
music they were as fresh and alert as when.
three hours before and at o'clock, the cur
tain first lifted. Music to them Is food
for body, food for mind and food
for soul. From what I read in my
Bible I think celestialized music will
make UP large part of angels food.
why do I say ''celestiaized music?" Be-
cause though music may have been born in
heaven it had not all its charms until 1t came
to earth and took Il baptism of tears. Since
then it has had pathos and a tenderness
A.. ;t oould pot othnrwisa haya DOSsnsSpj