The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-05-01


as consistent and consecrated in their
worldly occupation as it ever kept them
at the communion table. There are
women here to-day of higher type of
character than Mary of Bethany.
They not only sit at the feet OF
Christ, but they go out into the kitchen
to help Martha in her work that she
may sit there, too There is a woman
who has a drunkard husband, who
has exhibited more faith and patience
and courage than Ridley in the fire.
He was consumed in 20 minutes Hers
has been a 20 years martyrdom. Ton-
der is a man who has been Is years on
his back, unable to feed himself, yet
calm and peaceful as though he lay on
one of the green banks of Heaven,
watching the oarsman dip their paddle
in the crystal riverl Why, it seems to
me this moment as if St Paul threw
to us pomologist's catalogue, OF the
fruit growing in this great garden of
Christ-love, joy, peace, patience,
charity, brotherly kindness, gentle
ness, mercy; glorious fruit, enough to
fill all the baskets of earth and Heaven.
Again, the church in my te xt is ap-
propriately called a garden, because it
is thoroughly irrigated. No garden
could prosper long without plenty of
water. / have seen a garden in the
midst of desert, yet blooming and
luxuriant All around US was dearth
and barrenness, but there were pipes,
aqueducts, reaching from this garden
up to the mountains, and through
those aqueducts the water came
streaming down and tossing up into
beautiful fountains, until every root
and leaf and flower was saturated.
That is like the church.
The church is garden in the midst
of great desert of sin and suffering;
but it is well irrigated; for ''our eyes
are unto the hills from whence cometh
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
God" Preaching the gospel is one of
the acqueducts. The Bible is another.
Baptism and the Lords supper are
acqueducts. Water to Stake the thirst,
water to wash the unclean, water
tossed high up in the light of the Sun
of Righteousness, showing us the rain
bow around the throne. Oh, was there
ever a garden so thoroughly irrigated!
You know that the beauty OF
Versailles and Chatsworth depends
very much upon the great supply
of water ] came to the latter place,
Chatsworth, one day when strangers
are not to be admitted; but by an in
ducement which always seemed as
potent with an Englishman as an
American, got in, and then the gar
dener went far up above the stairs OF
stone and turned on the water. l saw
it cleaning on the dry pavement, COM
ing down from step to step until it came
so near l could hear the musical rush,
I and all over the high, broad stairs it
came foaming, flashing, roaring down,
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,
, Joy from above, adoption from above,
sanctifcation from above.
, Hank! l hear the latch of the garden
gate, and look to see who is coming.
, hear the voice of Christ: II am come
lnLO my RdTuCn. say OOhC AAig "
Jesus! we have been waiting for Thee;
walk all through the paths. Look at
, the flowers; look at the fruit; pluck
that which Thou wilt for Thyself"
Jesus comes into the garden and up to
that old man, and touches him and
saws, almost home, father; not many
more aches for thee; take courage
little longer and l will steady thy tot
tering steps, and 1 will soothe thy
troubles and give thee rest.
Courage, old man." Then Christ
goes up another garden path, and
He comes to a soul in trouble and says:
'Peacel all is well. have seen thy
tears. have heard thy prayer. The
sun shall not smite thee by day nor
the moon by night The Lord shall
preserve thee from all evil; he will pre-
serve thy soul Courage, o troubled
spiritT' Then 1 see Jesus going up an
other garden path, and see great ex-
citement among the leaves, and I
hasten up that garden path to see
what Jesus is doing there, and 10! He
is breaking off flowers, sharp and
clean from the stem, and l say:
''Stop, Jesus, don't kill those beautiful
flowers" He turns to me and says: II
have come into My garden to gather
lilies, and mean to take these up to a
higher terrace, for the garden around
My palace, and there 1 shall plant
them; and in better soil and in better
air they shall put forth brighter leaves
and sweeter redolence, and no frost
shall touch them forever" And
looked up into His face and said:
'Well, it is His garden, and He has
right to do what he will with it. Thy
will be done!" the hardest prayer ever
man made.
1t has seemed as if Jesus Christ took
the best; from many of your house
holds the best one is gone. You know
that she was too good for this world;
she was the gentlest in her ways, the
deepest in her affections; and when at
last the sickness came, you had no
faith in medicines You knew that