Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-03-21

warmer Christian salutation. All outside
Siberian winter We must haycit "A princes
hOth0usc. The only institution ON earth
today that proposes to make the world
warmer. Universities aud ohservaturies,
they all have their work They propose
to make the world light. but they do not
propose tn make the world warm Geology
informs Us, hut it is a. cold rs tho rock it
hammers. The telescope shows where the
other worlds are. but an astronomer Is
chilled while looking through il Chris
tianity tells Us uf strange combinations
and how inferior affinity may b. overcome
by superior affinity. but II cannot tell how
all things work together for good. World
ly philosophy has great spicndor. but IL
Is the splcndor OF moonlight on AN iceberg
The church OF tod proposes warmth and
hOpc-warmth for the expectations,
warmth for the SympnihicS oh. | am so
glad that these great altar fires have been
kindlcd. Come in ont nf tine cold Come
In and have your wounds salvcd. Come
and have yuur sins pardoncd Come In by
the great gospel fireplace.
The Worlds Fireplace.
Notwithstanding all tho modern inyen-
tions for heating tell you there is moth
ing 80 full Of gcniality and sociability rs
the old fashioned country fireplace. The
neighborS We're To come in for winter
evening of suciability. In the middle Of
the afternoon, in the best room in the
house, some one brought in great hack
log. with great strain. and put il down ON
the back uf the hearth. Then the lighter
wood was put ON, armful after armful.
Then shovel Of Goals was taken from an
other room and put under the dry pile,
and the kindling began, and the cracking,
and it rose until IL became "a roaring flame.
which filled all the room with gcniality
and was reelected from the family pictures
on the wall Then the neighborS came in
two by two. They sat down, their faces
10 the fire, which ever and anon was stir
rcd with tOngS and rcadjustcd on the and
irons, and there were such times OF rustic
rcpartce and story telling and mirth rs the
black stove and blind register never
dreamed Of. Meanwhile the table was be-
ing spread, and so fair was the cloth and
so clean was the cutlery they glistcn and
glisten in our mind today. And then tho
best luxury of orchard and farmyard was
roasted and prepared for the table To meet
the appetitcs sharpened by the cold ride
oh, my friends, the church of Jesus
Christ Is the worlds fireplace, and the
woods arc from the cciurS Of Lebanon,
and the fires are fires OF love. and with
the silver tongS of tho altar we stir the
flame and the light is reflected from all
the family pictures on the wall-picturcs
Of those who were here and are gone now.
Oh, come up close To the fireplace. Have
your worn faces TRANSPORTED in the light.
Put your cold feet. weary of the journey,
close up to tina blessed conllagration.
Chilled through with trouble and disap-
pointmeut, come close up until you can
get warm clear through. Exchange cx-
pcricnce, talk over the hnrvcsts gathered,
toll all the gospel news. Meanwhile tho
table is being spread On it bread Of life.
On 1t grapes OF Eshcol. On 1t new vino
from the Kingdom. On ii thousand lax
uries celestial. Hank, as a wounded hand
raps on the table and tender voice comes
through saying: Come for all things are
now ready. Eat. oh, friends Drink, yea,
drink abundantly. oh. beloved"
Ny friends, that is the way the cold
world Is going to be warmed mp by tho
great gospel fireplace. All nations will
come in and sit down AT that banquet
While | was musing the fire burned.
"Come in ont Of the cold, Come in out
of tho coldr'