The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-10

Jesus? They said: "You must give up your
religion" She said: Il can't give up nv
religion And 80 they took her down to
the beach OF the sea. and they drove in a
stake at low water mark, and they fastened
ner to II, expecting that as the tide came up
her faith would fail. The tide began to rise.
ano came up higher ant higher, and to the
girdle. and to the lip. and in the last mo-
ment. just as the wave was washing her
soul INTO glory, she shouted the praises of
Jesus.
oh. no, you cannot separate soul from
Christ: 1t is an everlasting. marriage. Bat
! tie and storms and darkness cannot do It. Is
II TOO much exultatfon for a man, who is but
dust aud ashes like myself, to cry out this
moment, II am persuaded that neither height
nor depth nor principalities nor powers, nor
Things present, nor things to come, nor any
otner creature, shall separate me from the
love OF God, which is in Christ Jesus. my
LordP" Glory be to God that when Christ
and the soul are married they are bound by
ehain--a golden chain-if might say So
cnain With one link. and that one link the
o,den ring OF Gods everlasting love.
1 go step farther, and tell you that when
Christ receives u soul into His love, He puts
on him the sing OF festivity. You know that
II mas been the custom in all ages to bestow
rings on very happy. occasions. There is
nothing more appropriate for a birthday gift
than ring You delight to bestow such A
gift upon your children at such a time. 1t
means JOY, hilarity, festivity. Well when
this old man of the text wanted to tel! how
glad he was that his boy had got back, he
expressed 1t in this way. Actually, before
he ordered sandals to be put on his bare
feet; before he ordered the fatted calf to be
killed to nppease the boys hunger, he COM
manded, "Put ring on his hand"
Oh, it is n merry time when Christ and the
soul are united! Joy OF forgivness! What
a splendid thing II is to feel that all is right
between my God and myself What a ylori-
Gus thing IT is TO have God just take up all
The sins of my life and put them in one bun
die, and then fling them into the depths OF
the sea, never to rise again, never to be
talked of again. Pollution all gone Dark
ness all iIluminei. God reconciled. The
prodigal home. "Put 4 ring on his hand -
Every day find happy Christian people.
lind some of them with no second coat,
some OF them in huts and tenement houses,
not one earthly comfort afforded them. and
yet they are as happyas happy can be. They
sing Rock OF Ages" as no other people in
tho world sing il. They never wore any
jewelry in their life but one gold ring and
that was the ring OF Gods undying afrec-
tion. On, how happy religion makes US!
Did 1t make you gloomy and sad? Did You
go with your head cast down? do not
think you got religion, my brother. That is
not the effect of religion. True religion is q
Joy; Her ways are ways OF pleasantness,
and all her paths are peace"
Why, religion lightens all our burdens.
1t smooths all our way. 1t interprets all
our sorrows. 1t changes the Jar of earthly
discord for the peal of festal bells In front
OF the haminS furnace of trial it sets the
forge on which scepterS are hammered out
Would you not like this hour to come up
from the swine feeding and try this religion?
All the joys OF heaven would come out and
meet you. and God would cry from tho
throne, PUT ring on his hand
You are moi happy. Isee it. There is no
m Cni In h,r-1,
feel great deal more like crying. The
world is II cheat. 1t first wears YOU down
with its folies, then it kicks you out into
darkness. 1t comes back from the massacre
o. million souls to attempt the destruction
OF your soul to-day. No peace out of God,
but here is the fountain that can slake the
thirst. Here is the harbor where you can
drop safe anchorage
Would you not like, I ask you-not per-
iunctorily, but as one brother might tn TX to
aEother-wouid you not like to have n pill
low OF rest TO put your head on? And would
you not like, when you retire ut night, to
ioei that all is well. whether YOU wake up to-
morrow morning ar 6 O'Clock or sleep the
sleep that knows no waking? Would you
not like to exchange this awful uncertainty
about the future for glorious assurance OF
heaven? Accept of the Lord Jesus to-day
and all is well. If ON your way home SONS,
peril should cross the street and dash YOUR
life out, it would not hurt you. You would
ftSc up lIl!UculGtelN. SOu WONlu stand in
the celestial streets. You would be amid the
great throng thar forever worship and are
forever happy. II this night some sudden
disease should como upon you, it would not
frighten you. If you knew you were going
you could give n calm farewell to your beau
tiful homo on earth and know tina. You are
going right into the comprehensive of those
who nave already got beyond the toiling and
the weeping.
You feel on Saturday night different from
the way you feel any other night OF the
week. You come home from the bank. or
tire store, or the Office. and you say. .Well,
now my week work Is DONE and tomorrow
is Sunday" 1t is IL pleasant Thought.
There are refreshment and reconstruction in
the very idea. Oh, now pleasant il will be
i, when we get through the day OF our life
and we go and lie down i'm our bed OF dust
we can realize, "Well. npT toe work is ali
done. and tomorrow is SunGay-an ever.
lasting Sunday"
Oh. when, thou city OF my God,
Shall thy courts ascend
To-