Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-09-25

VI years III Duliuluk, Dub dlbcI II 10 COI-
structed il may do all its work in 20
minutes Christianity has been planting
its batteries for 10 centuries and may
60 on in the work through other centu-
ries, but when those batteries are thor
oughly planted those fortresses are fully
built They may all do their work in "a
| hours. The world sometimes derides the
church for slowness Of movement. Il
science any quicker? Did it not take
science 5,652 years 10 find out so simple
q thing as the circulation Of the human
bloodl With the earth and the sky full
Of electricity, science took $500 years
before it even guessed that there was
any practical use that might be made Of
this subtle and mighty element. When
good men take possession Of all these
scientific forces and all these agencies
Of invention. do not know that the re-
demption of the world will be more
than the work Of half day. Do we not
read the queen 3 speech at the prorogu-
ing Of parliament the day before in
Londong II that be so, is it anything
marvellous to believe that in "a hours
divine communication can reach the
whole earthl Suppose Christ should de-
scend on the nations-many expect that
Christ will come among the nations
personally. Suppose that tomorrow
morning the Son Of God from hover
ing cloud should descend upon these
cities. Would not that fact be known all
the world over in "a hours! Suppose he
should present his gospel in a few
words, saying: 81 am the Son Of God.
came to pardon all your sins and to
heal all your sorrow. To prove that | am
q supernatural being, have just de-
scended from the clouds. Do you believe
me, and do you believe me now!" Why,
ali the telegraph stations of the earth
would be crowded as none Of them were
ever crowded Just after shipwreck.
tell you all these things TO show you
it Is not among the impossibilities or
even the improbabilities that Christ
will conquer the whole earth, and do it
instanter, when the time comes There
are foretokenings in the air. Something
great is going to happen. l do not think
that Jupiter is going to run US down, or
that the axle Of the world is going TO
break, but / mean something great for
the worlds blessing and not for the
worlds damage is going to happen.
think the world has had it hard enough.
Enough the famines and plaques.
Enough the Asiatic choleras. Enough
the wars Enough the shipwrecks.
Enough the conhagrations. l think our
world could stand right well process
sion of properties and triumphs. Bet
ter be on the lookout. Better have your
observatories open toward the heavens
and the lenses Of your most powerful
telescopes well polished. Better have all
your Leyden jars ready for some new
pulsation Of might influence. Better
have new fonts Of type in your printing
Offices TO set up some astounding good
news Better have some new banner
that has never been carried ready for
sudden professions Better have the
bells in your church towers well hung
and rope within reach, that you may
ring out the marriage Of the Kings
Son. Cleanse all your courthouses, for
the Judge of all the earth may appear
Let all your legislative halls be gilded
for the Great Lawgiver may be about to
come. Drive off the thrones Of despotism
all the occupants, for the King Of heav-
en- and earth may be about to reign. The
darkness Of the night is blooming and
whitening into the lilies Of morning
cloud and the lilies reddening into the
roses Of stronger day-ft garlands.
whether white or red, for him on whose
head are many CROWNS "The day is at
hand.
From Desert TO Garden.
One more ray Of the dawn see in
facts chronological and mathematical.
Come now, do not let us DO another
stroke Of work until we have settled one
matter. What is going to be the final
issue Of this great contest between sin
and righteousnessi Which is going to
prove himself the stronger, God or
Diabolus? Is this world going TO be all
garden or all desertl Now, let US have
that matter settled. five believe Isaiah
and Ezekiel and Hosea and Micah and
Malachi and John and Peter and Paul
and the Lord himself, we believe that it
is going TO be all garden. But let US
have it settled. Let us know whether
we are working on toward a success or
toward a dead failure. IL there is q
child in your house sick and you are
sure he is going to get well, you SYM
pathize with present pains. but all the
foreboding is gone. II you are in cy-
clone Of the Florida coast and the cap
tain assures you the vessel is stanch,
and the winds are changing for a better
quarter, and he is sure he will bring
you safe into the harbor. you patiently
submit 70 present distress with the
thought of safe arrival. Now | want TO
know whether we are coming on toward
disrnay, darkness and defeat or on to-
ward light and blessedness. You aud
believe the latter, and IL so every year
we spend ID one year subtracted from
the worlds woe, and every event that
passes, whether bright or dark, brings
us one event nearer happy consum-
nation, and by all that is inexorable in
chronology and mathematics l commend
you to good cheer and courage. II there
is anything in arithmetic, if you sub
tract two from FIVE and leave three, then
BY every rolling sun we are coming on
toward q magnificent terminus Then
every winter passed is one severity less
for our poor world. Then every summer
gone by brings us nearer unfading
arborescence. Put your algebra down ON
the top of your Bible and rejoice.
II il is nearer morning at So'clock
than IL is at ., IL il is nearer morning
at 4 o'clock than il is at 3, then we are
pearer the dawn Of the worlds deliver
ance. Gods clock seems to go very
slowly, but the pendulum swings. and
the hands move. and II will yet strike
noon. The sun and the moon stood still
once. They will never stand still again
until they stop forever IL you believe
arithmetic as we'll as your Bible, you
must believe we are nearer the dawn
'The day Is at hand"
Physical and Spiritual.
Thara is n class Of nhenomena which