The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-01


hurled out Of earth, taking ten more days
to strike perdition:
From the high heaven brazen anvil cast,
Nine days and nights In rapid whirls would
last;
And reach the earth the tenth; whence
strongly hurled,
The same the passageto tn Internal world.
Ithank God that we have found out that
our world Is not half way between heaven
and hell, but is In a sIsterhood oflIght, and
that this sisterhood joins all tho other sis.
terhoods OF worlds, moving round scme
great homestead, which Is no doubt heaven,
where God Is, and our departed Christian
friends are, and we ourselves through par
doning mercy expect to become permanent
residents. o, what God We have, and He
is our Father.
Furthermore, get now from all this an
answer to the question which every intelli-
gent man and woman since the earth has
stood has asked and received no answer.
Why did God let sin and sorrow come into
the world when He could have prevented
them from comlngf I wish reverently to
say think I have found the reason.
TO keep the universe loyal to q Holy
God, it was important in some world
somewhere to demonstrate the gigan-
tic disasters that would come upon any
world that allowed sin to enter.
Which world should 1t be2 Well, the
numbers would suffer. 30 our world was
selected. The stage was plenty large
enough for the enactment Of the tragedy.
Enter on the stage Sin, followed by Mur-
der Pain, Theft, Fraud. Impurity, False
hood, Massacre, War and all the abomina-
tions and horrors and sgonies Of centuries.
Although we know comparatively little
about the other worlds, lest we become
completely dissatisfied with our own, no
doubt the other worlds have heard and are
now hearing all about this world In the
awful experiment OF sin which the human
race has been making.
It Is no longer to me mystery why so
small world as ours was chosen for the
tragedy. A chemist can demonstrate all
the laws of earth and heaven In a small
laboratory, ten feet by five, and our world
was not too small to demonstrate to the
universe the awful chemistry OF unright-
eousness, its explosive and rivlng and con-
suming power. On the tower OF Pharos,
Egypt, metallic mirror was raised which
reflected all that occurred both on land
sea for distance ofthree hundred miles,
and 80 Egypt was informed OF the coming
Of her enemies long before their arrival.
By what process know not, but In some
way this ship of a struggling earth, think,
Is mirrored to distan Mt worlds. Surely this
one disastrous xIeriment OF world un-
loosing itself from God will be enough for
all worlds and all eternities.
But notice that as other worlds rolled In
to the first book Of the Bible, the Book OF
Genesis, the7 also appear In the lost book
OF the Bible, the Book OF Revelation. They
will take part in the scenes of that occa-
sion which shall be the earth's winding up,
and tremendous occasion for you and me
personally. My father was one night on
the turnpike road between Trenton and
Bound Brook, N. J. He was coming through
the night from the legislative halls, where
he was serving his State, to his home, where
there was sickness. often heard him tell
about 1t. It Was the night OF the 18th and
the morning Of the 18th Of November, 1888.
Suddenly the whole heavens became
scene never to be forgotten. From the
constellation Leo meteors began to shoot
In all directions. For the two hours be-
tween 4 and in the morning, 1t was estl-
mated that thousand meteors minute
flashed and expired. It grew lighter than
MONDAY. Arrows OF fire. Balls OF fire.
Trails OF fire. Showers Of fire. Some Of
the appearances were larger than the full
moon. All around the heavens explosion
followed explosion. Sounds as we'll as
sights. The air filled with uproar. All the
luminaries of the sky seemed to have re-
celved marching orders. The heavens
ribbed md interlaced and garlanded with
meteoric display. From horizon to horl-
zon everything In combustion and confia-
grafton.
Many brain that night gave way. 1t
was an awful strain on strongest nerves.
Millions Of people fell on their knees in
prayer. Was the world ending, or was
there some great event for which all heaven
was illuminated2 For eight momentous
hours the phenomenon lasted. East, west,
north, south, 1t looked as though the
heavens were In maniac disorder. Astrono-
mers watching that night said that those
meteors started from 2200 miles above the
earth's surface and moved with ten times
the speed Of cannon ball. The owner OF
a plantation In South Carolina says OF that
night scene. was suddenly awakened by
the most distressing cries that ever fell on
my ears. Shrleks OF horror and cries OF
mercy could hear from most Of the slaves
on three plantations, amounting IN all to
about six or eight hundred. While earn
estly listening for the cause heard faint
voice near the door calling my name. l
arose, and taking my sword, stood at the
door. At this moment heard the same
voice still beseeching me to rise, and say
ing: "Oh, my Godl the world Is on flre!"
then opened the door, and 1t Is difficult
to say which excited me most, the awful
ness OF the scene or the distressed cries Of
the Africans. Upwards OF 100 lay prostrate
on the ground; some speechless and some
uttering the bitterest cries, but most with
their hands raised, imploring God to save
awful, for never did rain fall much thicker
than the meteors fell toward the earth.
The spectacle ceased not until the rising
sun of the November morning ecltpsed 1t,
and the whole American nation sat down
exhausted with the agitations OF night to
be emorable until the earth itself shall be-
come O falling star. The Bible closes with
such scene of falling lights, not only
tldgety meteors, but grave old stars. st.
John saw 1t in prospect, and wrote: 1.-The
stars Of heaven fell unto the earth, even as
\ AZ tree casteth her untimely figs when
ahe Is shaken Of mighty wind" What
time that will be when worlds drop. Rain
of planets. Gravltation letting loose her
grip ON worlds. Consultations flying
apart. Galaxies dissolved. The great
orchard OF the universe swept by the last
hurricane letting down the stars like
rlpened fruit. Our old earth will go with
the rest, and let 1t 60, for 1t will have e1-
listed long enough to complete Its tremend-
worlds left to make heaven OF, II any
more heaven needs to be built. That day
finding US in Christ, our nature regene-
rated, and our sins pardoned, and our hope
trium phant, we will feel no more alarm
than when In September, passing through
an orchard, you hear the apples thump to
the ground, or through conservatory and
you hear an untimely fig drop to the floor.
You will only 20 upstairs into another
story, a better lighted story, a better fur
nished story, a better ventilated story, q
better pictured story, and into a story
where already many Of your kindred are
waiting for you, and where profits and
apostles and martyrs will pay you celestial
visitation, and where, with rapture be-