Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-01-11
A Ring of Adoption.

l remark, in the first place. that when
Christ receives soul into his love he puts
upon him the ring of adoption. While in
my church in Philadelphia there came the
representative OF the Howard mission of
New York. fie brought with him eight
or ten children of the street that he had
picked up. and he was trying tn find for
them Christian homes. and rs the little
ones stood on the pulpit and sang our
hearts melted within us. At the close of
the services great hearted wealthy man
came mp and said. I'm take this little
bright eyed girl. and I'll adopt her rs one
OF my own children" And he took her by
the hand. lifted her into his carriage and
went away.
The next day, while we were in tho
church gathering up garments for the poor
Of New York. this little child came back
with a bundle under her arm, and she
said: There's my old dress. Perhaps
some of the poor children would like to
have IT," while she herself was In bright
and beautiful array and those who more
Immediately examined her said she had
ring ON her hand. 1t was ring of adop-
ton.
There are great many persons who
pride themselves on their ancestry, and
they glory over the royal blood that pours
through their arteries. In their line there
was "a lord, or duke. or prime minister,
or king. But when the Lord, our
Father, puts upon Us the ring of his adop-
tion we become the children of the Ruler
of all nations. Behold what manner of
love the Father hath bestowed upon us
that we should be called the sons of God"
II matters not how poor our garments
may be in this world, or how scant our
bread, or how mean the hut we live in, II
we have that ring of Christ's adoption
upon our hand, we are assured of eternal
defenscs.
Adopted, Why, then, we brothers
and sisters to all the good 81 earth and
heayenl We have the family name, tho
family dress, the family keys, the family
wardrobe. The Father looks after us,
robes us defends Us, blcsscs us. We have
royal blood In our veins, and there are
crowns in our line. II we are his children,
then princes and princesses 1t is only
question of time when we get our coronct
Adopted Then we have the family Sc
crcts. Tho secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him." Adopted! Then
we have the family inheritance, and in
the day when our Father shall divide tho
of the mansions and palaces and temples.
Henceforth let us boast no more of an
earthly ancestry. The insignia OF eternal
glory Is our coat of arms. This ring of
adoption puts upon us al honor and all
privilege. Now we can take the words of
Charles Wesley, that prince Of hymnmak-
ers, and sing:
Come. let Us Join our friends above
Who have obtained the prize.
And ON the eagle wings 81 love
To JOY celestial rise.
Let all the saints terrestrial sing
With those to glory gone,
For all the servants Of our King
In heaven and earth are one.
have been told that when any OF the
members Of any of the great secret socie-
ties Of this country are in distant city
and are In any kind Of trouble and are set
upon by enemies they have only To give
certain signal, and the members of that
organization will flock around for defense.
And when any man belongs 10 this great
Christian brotherhood II he gets in trou-
BILE, in trial. IN persecution, In temptation,
he has only TO show this ring of Christ's
adoption, and all the armed cohorts of