Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-01-15
soul into glory, sne shouted tine praises or


dust and ashes like myself, to cry out this
moment. 81 am persuaded that neither height
nor depth nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present, nor things to come, nor any
love Of God, which Is in Christ Jesus. my
Lord?" Glory be to God that when Christ
and the soul are married they are bound by
a chain-a golden chain-if might say So
q chain with one link, and that one link the
golden ring of Gods everlasting love.
go a step farther and tell you that when
Christ receives a soul into His love. He puts
on him the ring OF festivity. You know that
1t has been the custom in all ages to bestow
rings on very happy occasions. There is
nothing more appropriate for a birthday gift
than a ring. You delight to bestow such ,
gift upon your children at such a time. 1t
means joy, hiiarity, festivity. We'll, when
this old man of the text wanted to tell how
glad he was that his boy had got back, he
expressed it in this way. Actually, before
feet; before he ordered the fatted calf TO be
killed to appease the boys hunger. he com
uanded. "Put a ring ON his hand"
oh. it is a merry time when Christ and the
soul are united! Joy of forgivnessl What
splendid thing it is TO feel that all is right
between my God and myself. What giori-
Gus thing it is TO have God just take up ali
the sins of my life and put them in one bum
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 illumined. God reconciled. The
prodigal home. Put ring on his hand"
Every day I find happy Christian people.
l find 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 happy as happy can be. They
sing Crock of Ages" as no other people in
the world sing it. They never wore any
iewelry in their life but one gold ring and
that was the ring of Gods undying affec-
tion. oh, 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
II smoothS al our way. 1t interpret5 all
our sorrows. 1t changes the jar OF earthly
discord for the peal of festal bells. In front
OF the flaming 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 the
hrone. "Put ring on his hand"
You are not happy. Isee ii. There is no
peace, and sometimes you laugh when you
feel a great deal more like crying. The
world Is a cheat. 1t first wears YOU down
with its follies, then it kicks you out into
darkness. 1t comes back from the massacre
Of 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 cap
!rop safe anchorage.
| Would you not like, 1 ask you--not per
iunctorily, but as one brother might ia TX to
arother-would you not like to have a pill
low Of rest to put your head on? And would
you not like, when you retire at night, to
feel that all is well, whether you wake up to-
morrow morning at 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
heavenf Accept Of the Lord Jesus to-day
and all is well. II on your way home some
peril should cross the street and dash your
life out, 1t would not hurt you. You would
rise up immediately. You would stand in
the celestial streets. You would be amid the
great throng that forever worship and are
forever happy. II this night some sudden
disease should come upon you. it would not
frighten you. II you knew you We're going
YOU could give calm farewell to your beau
tiful home on earth and know that you are
going right into the companionship of those
VINO have already got beyond the toiling and
he weeping.
You feel on Saturday night different from
he way you feel any other night of the
week. You come home from the bank. or
the store or the office, and you say, "Weli,
now my week WOTk Is done, ana Tomorrow
Is Sunday. 1t is a pleasant thought.
There are refreshnent and reconstruction in
the very idea. Oh, how pleasant it will be
If, when we get through the day of our life,
and we go and lie down In our bed of dust
we can realize, 'Well, now the work is ali
done. and tomorrow IL Sunday-al ever
lasting Sunday"
| Oh. when, thou city of my God,
| Shall thy courts ascend,
Where congregations ne'er break ap
| And Sahbaths have no endp
| There are people in this house to-day who
are very near the eternal world. II you are
Christians, bid you be OF good cheer Bear
with you our congratulations to the bright
| city. Aged men, who will soon be gone,
take with you our love for our kindred In
the better lani, and when you see them. tell
| them that We are soon coming Only few
| more sermons to preach and hear. Only q
| few more heartaches. Only a few more tolls.
| Only a few more tears. And then-what an
enhancing spectacle will open before US!
Beautiful heaven, where all is light;
| Beautiful angels, clothed In white;
Beautiful strains that never tire.
Beautiful harps through all the choir:
There shall l join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping at the Saviour feet.
I know there are some peo lie who say
they are Christians who seem 10 get along
without any help from others, ana who cul-
! ure solitary piety. They Go not want any
| ordinances. 1 do not belong to that class. I
/ .annot get along without them. There are
30 many things in this world that teke my at
:ention from God and Christ and heaven that
[ want all the helps of all the symbols and
! OF all the Christian associations. and want
around about me so i'd phalanx of men
| who love God and keep His commandments.
Are there any here who would like TO enter
into that association? Then by simple,
childlike faith apply for admission into the
visible church. and you will be received. No
questions asked about your past history OF
present surroundings Only one test-do
you love Jesus?
Baptism does not amount to ANYTHING, say
, great many people, but the Lord Jesus de-
! ,lared, HE that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved" putting baptism and faith
side by side. And an apostle declares, Re
pent and be baptized every one of you"
do not sickle for any particular mode o
baptism. but l Put great emphasis on the
fact that you ought TO be baptized, yet nc
more emphasis than the Lord Jesus Christ
he Great Head Of the church. puts upon it
! Some of you have been thinking OIL
his subject year after year. You have
found out that this world Is poor por
ton. You want to be Christians. You
have come almost into the kingdom o.
God, but there you stop, forgetful Of the
fact that TO be almost saved is not to be
saved at all. Oh, my brother, after having
come so near 10 the door of mercy. if yot
turn back you will never come at all. Afte
all you have heard OF the goodness of God
f you turn away and die, il will not be be
.ause you did not have good offer
May God Almighty this hour move upo,
your soul and bring You back from the husk
of the wilderness to the Fdthers house. ans
set you AT the banquet, AMI Il ..r a ring OI
your hand"