Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-05-01

every one OF tneul. ne plduttu lutLu III
his garden. When Christ gave sight TO
Bartimeus. he laid the cornerstone to
every blind asylum that has ever been
built When Christ sOothed the demOni-
ac Of Galilee he laid the cornerstone Of
every lunatic asylum that has ever been
established. When Christ said to the
sick man, Take up thy bed and walk,
he laid the cornerstone Of every hospital
the world has ever seen When Christ
said, II was in prison and ye visited
me, " he laid the cornerstone Of every
prison reform association that has ever
been organized. The church Of Christ is
a glorious garden, and it is full Of fruit.
know there is some poor fruit in 1t.
know there are some weeds that ought
10 be thrown over the fence. l know
there are some crab apple trees that
ought 70 be cut down. | know there are
some wild grapes that ought 70 be up
rooted, but are you going to destroy the
whole garden because Of little gnarled
fruit? You will find worm eaton leaves
in Fontainebleau and insects that sting IN
the fairy groves Of the Champs Elysees.
You do not tear down and destroy the
whole garden because there are a few
specimens Of gnarled fruit. l admit
there are men and women in the church
who ought not to be there, but let Us be
lust as frank and admit the fact that
there are hundreds and thousands and
tens Of thousands Of glorious Christian
men and women-holy, blessed, useful,
,onsecrated and triumphant. There Is
no grander, nobler collection in all the
earth than the collection Of Christians.
There are Christian men in this house
whose religion is not a matter Of psalm
singing and church going. Tomorrow
morning that religion will keep them
Just as consistent and consecrated IN
their worldly occupation as 1t ever kept
them at the communion table. There are
women here today Of higher type Of
character than Mary Of Bethany. They
not only sit at the feet Of Christ but
they 60 out into the kitchen TO help
Marina in her work that she may sit
there too. There is a woman who has
drunkard husband who has exhibited
more faith and patience and courage
than Ridley in the fire. He was con-
sumed in 20 minutes. Hers has been
20 years martyrdom. Yonder Is man
who has been 15 years on his back, un-
able to feed himself, yet calm and
peaceful as though he lay on one OF the
green banks Of heaven. watching the
oarsmen dip their paddle in the crystal
river! Why, it seems TO me this moment
as if st. Paul threw to Us p0mologst
catalogue Of the fruits growing in this
great garden Of Christ-loye, joy peace
patience. charity, brotherly kindness,
gentleness, mercy, glorious fruit enough
to fill all the baskets Of earth and heaY-
en-.
Well Irrigated.
Again. the church in my text IS ap-
propriately called a garden because 1t IS
thoroughly irrigated. No garden could
prosper long without plenty Of water.
have seen garden in the midst Of
desert, yet blooming and luxurlant AL
around US were dearth and barrenness,
but there were pipes, aqueducts, reach
ing from this garden up to the noun
tains. and through these aqueducts the
water came streaming down and tossing
M into beautiful fountains, until eNtry
root and leaf and flower was saturated.
That is like the church. The church Is
4 Garden in the midst Of a great desert
Of sin and suffering, but 1t is well irrl-
gated. for "our eyes are unto the hills
from whence cometh our help. From
the mountains Of Gods strength there
flow down rivers Of gladness. There
is a river the stream whereof shall make
glad the city Of our God" Preaching
the gospel is one Of the aqueducts. The
Bible is another Baptism and the Lord
simmer are aqueducts. Water 70 slake
the thirst. water TO wash the rnclean,
water tossed high up in the light of the
Sun of Righteousness, showing Us the
rainbow around the throne. On, was
there ever a garden so thoroughly lrrl-
gatedl You know that the beauty OF
Versailles and Chatsworth depends very
much upon the great supply OF water
came to the latter place, Chatswortn'
one dav when strangers are not 10 be au-
mitted. but by an inducemcnt Which
ALWAYS seemed as potent with an Eng
lishman as an American | got III, and
then the gardener went far up above the
stairs Of stone and turned on the water
r 7 saw it cleaning on the dry pavement
r coming down from step to step until u
, came so near | could hear the musical
, rush and all over the high, broad stars
, itcame foaming, flashing, roaring down.
2 until sunlight and wave IN gleesome
{ wrestle tumbled at my feet so It Is
: with the church Of God. Everything
| comes from above-pardon from above
. ioy from above, adoption from ABOVE
sanctifcation from above.
t Harkl hear the latch Of the garden
a gate. and look to see who is coming 1
near the voice Of Christ, Il am come
into nv garden" | say: Come IN, q
Jesusl We have been waiting for thee
/ Walk all through the paths. Look at
! the flowers. look at the fruit; pluck that
Il which thou wilt for thyself. " Jesus
Il comes into the garden and up to tha'
o old man and touches him, and says
/ almost home, father; not many more
5 aches for thee. will never leave thee,
4 Take courage a little longer, and VIII III
t steady thy tottering steps, and Wall
n soothe thy troubles and give thee rest
Il Courage. old man" Then Christ goes
It up another garden path, and ne comes
d 10 a soul in trouble and says: Peace
II All is well. l have seen thy tears.
|. have heard thy prayer. The sun shai
d not smite thee by day nor the moon by
n night The Lord shall preserve the
d from all evil. He will preserve thy soul
q Courage, o troubled spiritV
Piucking the Flowers.
Then l see Jesus going up anothe
garden path, and see great excitemen
among the leaves, and hasten mp ina
E. garden path to see what Jesus Is DOM
a there, and lol he is breaking of flower
,e sharp and clean from the stem, and
l,,,ft bill those looC