The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-22

LOEQ! 0lOry ue " 0ou enot "ooh SuAIos
and the soul are married they are bound by
a chain--a golden chsin-n might say 80
a chain with one link, and that one link the
golden ring of Gods everlasting love.
I go step farther, and tell you that when
Christ receives soul into His love. He puts
on him the ring of festivlty. You know that
it has been the custom in all ages to bestow
rings on very happy occasions. There Is
nothing more appropriate for birthday gift
than ring. You delight to bestow such
gift upon your children st such time. It
means Joy, hiIarlty, festivity. Well: when
this old man Of the text wanted to tel! how
expressed it in this way. Actually, before
he ordered sandals to be put on his bare
feet; before be ordered the fatted calf to be
killed to appease the boys hunger, he COM
manded, "Put ring on his hand,
oh, It is a merry time when Christ and the
soul are united!' Joy Of forgivness! What
a splendid thing 1t Is to feel that oil Is right
between nv God and myself What glori-
GUS thing It is to have God just take up all
the sins Of my life and put them in one bun.
die, and then fling them into the depths OF
the sea, never to rise again, neve: to be
talked OF again. Pollution all gone. DARK
ness all illumined. God reconciled. The
prodigal home. "Put ring ON his hand"
Livery udy i uuu hoPPy SaAAotAon PSSPAS'
I find some of them with no second coat,
some of them in huts and. tenement houses,
NOT one earthly comfort afforded them. and
yet theyare as happy as happy can be. They
sing Crock of Ages" as no other people IN
the, world sing II. They never wore any
iewelry in their life but one gold ring. and
that was the ring Of Gods undy1ng affec-
ton. Oh, how happy religion makes usl
Did 1t make you gloomy and sad? Did you
20 with your head cast DOWN. I 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.
It smooths all our way. It interprets all
our sorrows. 1t changes the jar OF earthly
discord for the peal Of festal bells. In front
of the flaming furnace of trial 1t 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 religion2
All the Joys Of heaven would come out and
meet you, and God would cry from the
throne, "Put ring on his hand" +.
You are not happy. Isee 1t. There Is no
peace, and sometimes you laugh when you
feel great deal more like crying. The
world Is q cheat. 1t first wears you down
with its follies, then it.kicks you out into
darkness. It comes back from the massacre
of a million souls to attempt the destruction
but here Is the fountain that can slake the
thirst. Here Is the harbor where you Gun
drop safe anchorage. ,gt
Would you not like, ask you-not per-
but as one brother might talk to
you not like to have pill
low Of rest to put your head on? And would
you not like, when you retire ut night, to
feel that oil Is we'll, whether you wake up to-
morrow morning at 6 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
heaven2 Accept of the Lord Jesus to-day
and all is we'll. II on your way home some
peril should cross the street and dash your
life out, It would not hurt you. You, would
rise up Immediately. You would stand in
tho 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
frghten you. II you knew you were going
you could give calm farewell to your beau
tiiul home on earth and know that you are
going right into the companionship Of those
who have already got beyond the toiling and
the weeping. T.. 4
You feel On Saturday night different from
the way you feel any other night Of the
week. You come home from the bank, or
the store, or the Office, and you say, "Well,
now my weeks work is done, and tomorrow
is Sunday" 1t Is pleasant thought.
There are refreshment and reconstruction In
the very idea. oh, how pleasant it will be
II, when we get through the day Of our life,
We can realize, "Well, now the work is ali
nd fo- Ia QnnHnu--Qn
lasting Sunday" .:...
Oh, when, thou city Of my God.
Shall thy courts ascend.
Where congregations ne'er break up
And Sabbaths have no end?
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.
the better lan1, and when you SEQ them, tell
them that we are soon coming. Only few
more sermons to preach and hear. Only
few more heartaches. Only few more tolls.
Only few more tears. And then-what an
spectacle will cpen 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 Join the chorus sweet,
Worshiping at the Saviour's feet.
And so approach you now with general
Invitation, not picking out here and there
man. or here and there a. woman, or here
and there child, but giving you an un-
limited invitation, saying, "Come, for all
Things are now ready" we invite you to
the warm heart of Christ and the inolosure
OF the Christian church. know O great
many think that the church does not amount
to much-that 1t is obsolete; that 1t did its
work and is gone now, so far as oil usefulness
Is concerned. tits the happiest place have
ever been In except my own home.
I know there are some people who say
they are Christians who seem to get along
lure solitary piety. They 90 not want. any
ordinances. do not belong to that class. I
cannot get along without them. There are
30 many things In this world that take my at
tention from God and Christ and heaven that
I want all the helps Of oil the symbols and
Of all the Christian associations. and want
around about me so id 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,
childike faith apply for admission into the
visible church. and you will be received. No
questions asked about your past history or
present surroundings. Only one test-do
yon love Jesus? ..r
Baptism does not amount to anything, say
a great many people. but the Lord Jesus de-
olared, "Re that believeth and Is baptized
shall be saved" putting baptism and faith
side by side. And an apostle declares, "Re-
pent and he baptized every one Of YOU" I
do not stickle for any particular mode Of
baptism. but Put great emphasis on the
fact that you ought to be baptized, yet no
more emphasis than the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Great Head Of the church. puts upon 1t.
Some OF you have been thinking on
this subject year ;9f:er year. You have