The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1898-03-18

IlAt-M toaA nNoh nhArA AiN AnoRto
or the Norway spruce, o. the cyl
press or the blossomlng fir; but
this spirit about which stephen
prayed, what direction will that
take: Whist guide will escort It?
What gate will open to receive IL:
What cloud will be cleft for its
pathway: After it has gone be-
yOnd the light OF our sun, will there
be torches lighted for IL the rest Of
the way: Will the soul have Ia
travel through long deserts before
it reaches the good land? II we
should lose our pathway will there
be a castle at whose gate We may
ask the way TO the city? Oh, this
mysterious spirit within US! 1t
ha. two wings. hut 1t i in cage
now. II il locked fast to keep 1t ;
but let the door OF this cage open
the least, ana that soul Is OF.
Eagles wings could not catch IL.
The iightnings are not swift enough
to take upwith it. When the soul
leaves the body it takes fifty worlds
at bound. And have no snx-
iety about it! Have YOU no anX-
iety about It?
Pass on now, and | will show
you one more picture, and that lie
stephen asleep. With a pathos and
simplicity peculiar to the Script
ures, the text says OF Stephen He
fell asleep" "Oh," you say, what
place was that to sleep! A hard
rock under him stones falling down
upon him, the blood streaming the
mob bowling. What a place 1t
was 10 slespw And yet my text
takes that symbol Of slumber to de-
scribe his departure, so sweet was
I ii. 80 contented was il, 80 peaceful
was it. stephen is dead? The dis
ciples came. They take him up.
They wash away the blood from his
wounds. They slraighten out the
bruised limbs. They brush back the
tangled hair from his brow, and
then they pass around to look up
on the calm cOuntenancs OF him
VINO had lived for the poor, and
who had died for the truth. Stephen
asleep!
/ Stephen asleepl | saw such an
one. He fought all his days against
poverty and against abuse. They
trAducsd his name. They ratified al
the door knob while he was dying,
with duns for debts he could moi
pay yet the peace OF God broOded
over his pillow, and while tie
world faded, heaven dawned, and
the deepening twilight Of earth'I
night was only the opening twi
light Of heavens morn. Not 4
sigh. Not tear. No. struggle
Hush ! Stephen asleep.
| have not the faculty to tell tn,
weather. can never tell by tn,
setting sun whether there will be
drouth or not. l cannot tell by th,
blowing Of they wind whether it viii
be fair weather or foul on the NOR
row. But l can prophesy, and will
prophecy what weather 1t will b,
when ysu, the Christian, come {,
: die. You may have it very rougl
now. 1t m2y be- this week one an
nOyance, the next another annoy
ance. II may be this year one be
reaveDSnJ, the next another be
reavement. Before this yeI- hAI
passed ..Ou may have 10 beg 10
bread or ask for = scutlle Of coal U
pair Of shoes; but at the last Jesui
will come IN and darkness will u
out. And though there may be n,
: hand to close your eyes, and M
, breast on which to rest your dyin,
hssd.and no candle TO llitthe night
The odUr- u GOd's banging gsrder
will rtgaiv your soul. and at you
bedside will halt the chsriots Of tn
; King No more rents to pay, NJ
more agony because -four hiss gon,
up, no more struggle with 9Th,
world, the FISH and the devil /; rbu
psace-iong, deep, everlasting
-leep. stephen asleep!