The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-12-31

Se bastian Ernrd was much OF his t1mc
bent over this chorded and vibrating
triangle and was not satisfied until he
had given II a compass OF six octaves,
from + TO L with all the semitones. or
that when King Saul was demented the
son of Jesse came before him and, put
ting his fingers among the charmed
strings OF The harp. played the devil out
OF the crazed monarch. or that in
Heaven there shall be harpers harping
with their harps. So you will not blame
me for opening the dark saying on the
gospel harp:
Your hGrps. ye trembling saints,
Down from the willows take;
Loud the praise of love Divine
Bid every string awake.
Interrogation third Why did the
good God lei sin or trouble come into
the world when He might .have kept
them out? My reply is: He had good
reason He had reasons tha, He has
never given us, He had reasons which
He could no more make us understand
in our finite state than the father start
ing out on some great and laboraie en-
terprise. could make the two-year-old
child in its armchair comprehend H.
One was to demonstrate what grandeur
of character may be achieved on earth
by conquering evil Had there been no
evil TO conquer and no trouble TO con-
sole then this universe would never
have known an Abraham. or Moses.
or a Joshua or an Ezekiel. or a Paul.
or a Christ. or Washington. or John.
Milton. or John Howard, and LOCO, 900
victories which have been gained by the
consecrated spirits of all ages would
never have been gained Had there
been no battle there would have been
no victory Nine-tenths of the anthems
OF Heaven would never have been sung.
Heaven could never have been a thou
sandth part of the Heaven that it Is.
will not say that am glad that sin
and sorrow did enter. but do say that
am glad that after God has given all
His reasons TO an assembled universe
He will be more honored than II sin and
sorrow had never entered. and that the
unfallen celestials will be outdone and
will put down their trumpets to listen.
and it will be in Heaven, when those
who have conquered sin and sorrow
shall enter. as II would be in small
singing school on earth If Thalberg and
Gottschalk and Wagner and Beethoven
and Rheinberger and Schuman should
all at once enter The immortals that
have been chanting 10000 years before
the throne will say as they close their
librettos: "Oh. If we could only sing
like that!" But God will say to those
who have never fallen. and consequent-
ly have not been redeemed: "You must
be silent now. You have not the quail
ficaton for this anthem" So they sit
with closed lips and folded hands. and
sinners saved by grace take up the har-
mony. for the Bible says: mo man
could learn that song but the hundred
and forty and four thousand which
were redeemed from the earth"
But now come nearer home and put
a dark saying on the Gospel harp. a
style Of question tina; is asked mil
lion times every year Interrogation
the fourth Why do have it so hard
while others have II so easy? Or. Why
do have so much difficulty in getting
a livelihood. while others go around
with a full portmonnaie? Or. Why
must wear these plain clothes. while
others have to push hard to get their
wardrobes closed. so crowded are they
with brilliant attire? Or. Why should
have to work so hard, while Others
have 365 holidays every year? They are
all practically one question. answer
them by saying II is because the Lord
has His favorites. and He puts extra dis
cipline upon you and extra trial be
cause He has for you extra glory. extra
enthronement and extra felicities
That is no guess of mine, but DIVINE
SAYS so: whom the Lord loveth q,
chasteneth." "WeIl." says some one
81 would rather have little less IL
Heaven and little more here. Discount
my Heavenly robe ten per cent and le
me now put it on fur-lined overcoat
put me in less gorgeous room Of thu
house of many mansions and let mi
have house here in better neighbor
Lood." No. no; God is not going to rol
Heaven. which is to be your residence
for nine hundred quadrillion OF years
10 fix up your earthly abode. which 70,
VIII occupy at most for less than cen
fury. and where you may perhaps sta,
only ten years longer, or only one year
or perhaps month more. Now. yo'
had better cheerfully lie. God have Hi
way. for, you see, He has been taking
care of folks for near 5000 years ans
knows how to do II and can see what j
best for you better than you can your
self Don't think you are too insignia
cant to be divinely cared for. II wa.
said that Diana. the goddess. could no
be present to keep her temple at Ephe
sus from burning because she was at
tending upon the birth Of him who wa
to be Alexander the Great. But tel
you that your God and my God is q
great in small things as well as larg
things. that He could attend the cradi
of babe and at the same time the burn
ing of q world.
And God will make 1t all right witt
you, and there is one song that you will
sing every hour your first ten years Il
Heaven, and the refrain of that som
will be: 81 am so glad God did not lie
me have it my own way!" Your cas-
WILDE all fixed up in Heaven. and Their