The Monitor-register., 1897-09-24

number of Jul prayers, or the beauty of
our prayers, Or the place of our prayers,
but it is the faith in them that tells.
Believing prayer scars higher than the
lark ever sang, plunges deeper than div
ing bell W. sank, darts quicker than
lightning ever flashed. Though we have
used only the back of this weapon in
stead of the edge, what marvels have
been wrought! If saved, we are all the
captives of some earnest prayer. Would
God that, in desire for the rescue of
souls, we might in prayer lay hold of
the of the Lord Omnipotentl
We may turn many to Righteousness
by Christian admonition. Do not wait
until you can make a formal speech.
Address the one next to you. You will
not go home alone today. Between this
and your place Of stopping you may de-
eide the eternal destiny of an immortal
spirit. Just one sentence may do the
work, just one question, just n look.
The formal talk that begins with a sigh
and ends with a canting shuttle is not
what is wanted, but the heart throb OF
a man in dead earnest. There is not q
soul on earth that you may not bring to
God if you rightly go at it. They said
Gibraltar could not be taken. 1t is a
rock 1, 900 feet high and 3 miles long,
but the English and Dutch did take it.
Artillery and sappers and miners and
fleets pouring out volleys Of death and
thousands of men reckless of danger can
do anything. The stoutest heart of sin,
though it be rock and surrounded by an
ocean of transgression, under Christian
bombardment may hoist the flag of re-
demption.
But is all this admonition and prayer
and Christian work for nothing? My
text promises to all the faithful eternal
luster. "They that turn many to right
eousness shall shines q the stars forever.
As stars the redeemed have a borrowed
light. What makes Mars and Venus
and Jupiter so luminous? When the sun
throws down his torch in the heavens,
the stars pick up the scattered brands
and hold them in procession as the
queen of the night advances. So all
Christian workers, standing around the
throne, will shine in the light borrowed
from the Sun of Righteousness-Jesus
sus in their triumph.
To Shine on Forever.
Christ left heaven once for a tour of
redemption on earth, yet the glorified
ones knew he would come back again
But let him abdicate his throne and go
away to stay forever, the music would
stop, the congregation would disperse,
the temples of God be darkened, the
rivers of life stagnate, and ever chariot
would become a hearse, and every bell
would toll, and there would not be
room on the hillsides to bury the dead
of the great metropolis, for there would
be pestilence in heaven. But Jesus lives,
and so all the redeemed live with him.
He shall recognize them as his comrades
in earthly toll and remember what they
did for the honor of his name and for
the spread of his kingdom. All their
prayers and tears and work will rise be-
fore him as he looks into their faces,
and he will divide his kingdom with
them-his peace, their peace; his holt
ness, their holiness; his joy, their joy.
The glory of the central throne reflected
from the surrounding thrones, the last
spot of sin struck from the Christian
orb, and the entire nature a-tremble
and a-lash with light, they shall shine
as the stars forever and ever.
Again, Christian workers shall be
like the stars in the fact that they have
q 1Inhf To1nnA1lO,,% &c @-.l N4l.o- @o1r
up at the night and see each world
show its distinct glory. 1t is not like
the c~onfagration, i'll which you cannot
tell where II flame stops and another
begins. Neptune, Herschel and Mercury
are as distinct as if each one of them
were the only star. So our individual
ism will not be lost in heaven. A great
multitude-yet each one as observable,
as distinctly recognized, as greatly cele-
brated, as if in all the space, from gate
to gate and from hill to hill, he were
the only inhabitant-no mixing up, no
mob, no indiscriminate rush, each
Christian worker standing out illustri-
Gus, all the story of earthly achieve
ment adherlng to each one, his self de-
AA1dAo anu paths dIlu SERVICES dnQ VIC
tories published.
Before men went out to the last war
the orators told them that they would
all be remembered by their country and
their names be commemorated in poetry
and in song, But go to the graveyard in
Richmond, and you will find there
5000 graves, yer each Of which is the
inscription, Unknown" The world
does not remember its heroes, but there
Will be no u~nrecognized Christian
worker in heaven. Each one known by
all-grandly known, known by accla-
nation, all the past story of work for
God cleaning in cheek and brow and
foot and palm. They shall shine with
distinct light as the stars forever and
ever.
Family Circles of Stars.
Again, Christian workers shall shine
like the stars in clusters. In looking nm
you find the worlds in family circles.
Brothers and sisters, they take hold of
each others hands and dance in groups
Orion in a group. The Pleiades in a
group. The solar system is only a COM
pany of children, with bright faces,
gathered around one great fireplace.
The worlds do not struggle off. They
go in %squadrons and fleets, sailing
through immensely. So Christian work
ers in heaven will dwell in neighbor-
hoods and clusters.
l am sure that some people | will
like in heaven a great deal better than
nfhnrC Vnn1or Sr n N--k11k. d
stately Christians. They lived on earth
by rigid rule. They never laughed
They walked every hour, anxious lest
they should lose their dignity. But they
loved God, and yonder they shine in
brilliant constellation. Yet | shall not
long to get into that particular group
Yonder is a constellation of small heart
ed Christians-asteroids in the eternal
astronomy. While some souls go up
from Christian battle and blaze like
Mars these asteroids dart a feeble ray
like Vesta. Yonder is a constellation of
martyrs, of apostles, of %patriarchs. Our
souls as they go up to heaven will seek
out the most congenial society.
Yonder is a constellation almost
merry with the play of light. On earth
they were full of sympathies and songs
and tears and raptures and congratula-
lions. When they prayed, their words
took fire; when they sang, the tune
could not hold them; when they wept
over a worlds woes, they sobbed as if
heartbroken; when they worked for
Christ, they famed with enthusiasm.
Yonder they are-circle of light, con-
stellation of joy, galaxy of fire. Oh,
that you and l, by that grace which can
transform the worst into the best, might