The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1897-04-09

to rebuild Jerusalem before, In the midnight
OF conviction, they have seen the ghastliness
OF the ruin. They have such poor founda-
don for their religion that the first northeast
! storm OF temptation blows them down. 7
have no faith In a mans conversion II he Is
not converted In the old fashioned way
John Bunyans way, John Wesley's way,
Sohn Calvin's way, Paurs way, Chnst's way.
A man comes to me to talk about religion.
Tho first question I ask him is, "Do you
feel yourself to be a sinner7' II he says,
"Weli, Ives" the hesitaney makes me feel
horse by midnight through the ruins-in by
the gete OF his affections, out by the gate Of
his will-and before he has got through with
that midnight ride he will drop tho reins on
the horses neck and will take his right hand
and smtte on his heart and say, "God, be
meroiful to me, sinner" and before he
has stabbed his horse he will take his feet
out OF the stirrups, and he will slide down
on the ground, and he will kneel crying,
Thy loving kindness, according unto tho
multitude OF Thy tender mercies! Blot out
my transgresslons, for acknowledge my
transgressions, and my sins are ever before
Thee"
busy and triumphant sadness. II there was
any man In the world who had q right to
NOPE and give up everything as lost, 1t was
Nehemiah. You say, "He was a cupbearer
place" So It was. The hall OF that palace
was 200 feet square, and the roof lowered
over thirty-six marble pillars, each pillar
sixty feet high, and the intense blue OF the
sky and the deep green Of tho forest foliage,
and the white OF the driven snow, all hung
trembling in the upholstery. But, my
friends, you know very we'll that fine archf-
lecture will not put down homesickness.
Yet Nehemiah did not give up. Then,
When When ySSa,,.ss you saw s.aai him going among
dismantled towers and by the torn
up grave Of his father, you would suppose
that he would have been disheartened and
that he would have dismounted from his
is me! My fathers grave is torn up The
temple is dishonored. The walls are broken
down. I have no money with which to re-
build. wish had never been born. wish
l were dead" Not so says Nehemiah.
Although he had grief 80 intense that 1t
excited the commentary Of his king, yet that
penniless, expatriated Nehemiah rouses him
SELF up to rebuild the city. He gets his per-
mission OF absence He gets his passports.
Ho hastens away to Jerusalem. BY night
on horseback he rides through tho ruins
He overcomes the most ferocious opposition.
He arouses the piety and patriotism OF tho
people, and in less than two months
namely, hfty-two days-Jorusalem was re-
built. That's what call busy and triumph
ant sadness.
At o'clock every Sabbath afternoon. for
years, In beautiful parlor In Philadelphia
parlor pictured and statuetted-there were
from ten to twenty destitute children OF tho
street. Those destitute children received
religious instruction, concluding with cakes
and sandwiches. How do / know that that
was going on for sixteen years? know it
In this way: That was the first homo In Phil
adelphia where was called to comtorta
great sorrow. They had n splendid boy, and
he had been drowned at Long Branch. The
father and mother almost idolized tho boy.
and the sob and shrek OF that father ana
mother as they hung over the coffin resound
use OF praying. Cor when knelt down to
pray the outcry in the room drowned out all
the prayer. But the Lord comforted
that sorrow. They did not forget their
trouble. II you should go any afternoon in
with the word "Walter" inscribed upon it
and wreath OF fresh flowers around tho
Dama think n NOT III h5ul N
twenty years, winter or summer, when there
was not u wreath OF fresh flowers around
Walters name. But tho Christian mother
who sent those flowers thcrc having no child
left, Sabbath afternoons mcthered ton or
twenty OF the lost ones Of tho street That
is beautiful. That is what call busy ard
triumphant sadness. Hero is man who
has lost his property. He does not go to
hard drinking. He does not destroy his own
life. He comes and says: Harness me for
work. My moneys gone. / havo
no treasures on earth. l want treasures IL
heaven. l have a voice and heart to serve
God" You say that that man has failed.
Ho has not failed-he has triumphed!
Oh, wish I could persuade all tho people
who have any kind Of trouble never to give
up l wish they would look at tho midnight
rider OF the text and that tho four hoofs of
that beast on which Nehemiah rode might
cut to pieces all their discouragements and
and trials. Give up! Who is GO
Ing to give up when on the bosom of God he
C IN have all his troubles hushed2 Give up!
Never think OF giving up. Are you borne
holding her dead mothers hand In the dark
ness OF q tenement house, and some one COM
ing In the little girl looked up while holding
her dead mothers hand, and said. "Oh, 1
poor folks" My dear. God will he your
light, God will be your shelter, God will be
your home. Are you borne down with
the bereavements OF life2 Is the
house lonely now that the child Is
Old sexton said when the minister asked him
why he put 80 much care on the little graves
In the cemetery-so much more care than on
the larger graves-and the old sexton said,
'Sir, you know that of such Is the kingdom
OF heaven and I think the Saviour is
pleased when he sees so much white clover
growing around these little graves" But
when the minister pressed the old sexton
for moro satisfactory answer the old sex
ton said, ''Sir, about these larger graves. I
don't know who are tho Lords saints and
who are not. but you know. sir. 1t Ia clean
different with the BARNS" Oh, II you have
had that keen. tender, indescrlbable sorrow
that comes from the loss OF a child. do not
give up. The old sexton was right II Is
all well with the BARNS. Or, II you have
sinned, II you have sinnsd grievously-
sinned until you have been cast out by tho
church. snned until you have been cast out
by society-do not give up. Perhap. there
may be In this house one that could truth
fully utter the lamentation ofanothcr:
Once I was pure as the snow, but fell
Fell like q snowflake. from heaven to hcil--
Fell to be trampled IA filth in til" street.
Fell to be scorcd at, spit on anh beat,
Praying, cursing, Wishing to die,
Selling my soul to whoever would buy.