Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-10-19


has hung 1t on the stag's horns; and a
proverb In the far East tells man who has
foolishly lost his fortune to go and find
where tho deer sheds her horns. My
brother, quit the antagonism OF your cir
cumstances, quit misanthropy, quit COM
plaint, quit pitching into your pursuers.
be AS wise as, next spring, will be all the
deer OF the Adirondacks. Shed your horns.
But very many of you who are wrOnged
OF the world-and IL in any assembly be-
tween here and Golden Gate, San Fran
:isco, 1t were asked that all those that had
been sometimes badly treated should raise
both their hands, and full response should
be made there would be twice as many
hands lifted as persons PRESENT. say
many OF you would declare: "We have al
ways done the best we could and tried to
be useful, and why we should become tho
victims OF malignment, or invalidism, or
mishap, Is inscrutable." Why, do you
know the finer a deer and the more elegant
its proportions, and the more beautiful its
bearing. the more anxious the hunters and
the ho1nds re TO capture it. Had 1.-THE roe
buck u ragged fur and broken hoofs and
an obliterated eye and a limping gait. the
hunters would have said: ''Pshawi don't
let us waste our ammunition on sick
deer And the hounds would have given
a few sniffs of the scent, and then darted
Off in another direction for better game.
But when they see a deer with antlers lift
and the sleek hide looks as il it had been
smoothed by invisible hands, and the fat
sides enclose the richest pasture that could
be nibbled from the banks of rills so clear
they seem to have dropped out of Heaven,
and the stamp OF its foot defles the jack
shooting lantern and the rifle, the horn
and the hound, that deer they will have IL
they must needs break their neck In the
rapids. SO ii there were no noble stuff In
your make up, If you were a bifurcated
nothing, II you were forlorn failure, you
would be allowed to go undisturoed; but
the fact that the whole pack is in full cry
after you is proof positive that you are
splendid game and worth capturing.
Yes, for some people in this world there
seems no let-up. They are pursued from
youth to manhood, and from manhood to
old age. Very distinguished are Lord stat
ford's hounds, the Earl of YarborouSh's
hounds, aud Queen Victoria pays eight
thousand five hundred dollars per year to
her Master of BuckhOunds. But all of them
put together do not equal in number or
speed or power to hunt down, the great
kennel of hounds of which Sin and Trouble
are owner and master.
But what is relief for all this pursuit of
trouble, and annoyance, and pain, and be-
reavement2 My text gives it to You in
word Of three letters, but each letter is a
chariot if you would triumph, or a throne
il you want to be crowned, or a lake II you
would slake your thirst-yes, "A chain OF
three lakes-GO-D, the One for whom
David lOnged, and the One whom David
found. You might as well meet a stag which.
after its sixth mile of running at the top
most speed through thicket and gorge, and
with the breath of the dogs on its heels has
come in full sight of Scroon Lake, and try to
cool its projecting and blistere tongue with
a drop of dew from blade OF glass, ,as to at
tempt to satisfy an immortal soul, when hy-
ing from trouble and sin, with anything less
deep, aud high, and broad, and immense,
and infinite, and eternal than God. His
comfort why 1t emboSoms all distress. His
arm, 1t wrenches off all bondage. His hand,
1t wipes away all tears. His Christly atone
ment, it makes US all right with the past,
and all right with the future: all right with
God, all right with man, and all right for
ever Lamartine tells US that King Nimrod
said to his three sons, Here are three
vases, and one Is of clay, another of amber,
and another Of gold. Choose now which
you will hnve." The eldest son, having
fist ctsoice, chose ths-s.ise of eald, on
which was written the word Empire" and
when opened il was found to contain human
blood. The second son, making the next
choice, chose the vase OF amber, inscribed
with the word "Glory," and when opened
1t contained the ashes of these who were
once called great. The third son took the
vase of clay, and, opening it, found it
empty but on the bottom OF 1t was in
scribed the name of God. King Nimrod
asked his courtiers which vase they thought
weighed the most. The avaricious men of
his court said the vase of gold. The poets
said the one of amber. But the wisest men
said the empty vase, because one letter of
the name of God outweighed universe.
For Him thirst; for His grace beg; on
His promise build my all. Without Him
I cannot be happy. Ihave tried the world,
and 1t does well enough as far 1t goes, but
1t is too uncertain a world, too evanescent
a world. am not prejudiced witness. L
have nothing against this world. l have
been one of the most fortunate, or to use a
more Christian word, one OF the most
blessed of men-blessed in my parents.
blessed in the place of my nativity, blessed
In my health, blessed I'm my field of work.
blessed In my natural tenn mperament, blessed
in my family, blessed in my opportunities,
blessed in a comfortable livelihood, blessed
In the hope that my soul will go to Heaven
through the pardoning mercy OF God, and
my body, unless 1t be lost at sea or Gre
mated in some confiagration, will lie down
in the gardens Of Greenwood among my
kindred and friends, some already gone
and others to come after me. Life to many
has been disappointment, but to me 1t
has been pleasant surprise, and yet de-
clare that II did not feel that God was
now my Friend and ever-present help,
should be wretched and terror-stricken.
But want more of Him. L have thought
over this text and preached this sermon to
of my body, mind and soul, L can cry out,
"As the hart panteth after the water
brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, %
God"
Oh, when some of you get there it will
be like what n hunter tells of when push
ing his canoe far up North in the winter
and amid the ice-floes, and hundred miles,
as he thought, from any other human be-
ings! He was startled one day rs he heard
astepping on the ice, and he cooked his
rifle ready to meet anything that came
near. He found a man, barefooted and in
sane from long exposure, approaching
him. Taking him into his canoe and
kindling fires to warm him, he restored
him and found out where he had lived, an /
took him to his home, and found all ihs
village in great excitement. A hundred
men were searching for the lost man. and
his family and friends rushed out to meet
him; and as had been agreed at his first
appearance bells were rung. aud guns
were fired, and banquets spread, and the
rescuer loaded with presents. Well, when
some OF You step out of this wilderness,
where you have been chilled and torn and
sometimes lost amid the icebergs, into the
warm greetings of all the villages OF the
glorified, and your friends rush out to give
you welcoming kiss, the news that there is
another soul forever saved Will call the
caterers of Heaven to spread the banquet
and the beli-men 10 lay hold OF the rope In
| the tower and while the chaiices click at
/ the feast, and the bells clang from the tur-
| rets it will be n scene so uplifting l pray
| God 1 may be there to take part in TIE
| celestial merriment. 'Un'ii the day
| break and the shadows fee away, b; thOd
like a roe or a young hart upon the noun
tains of Bether."
1t is only imperfe ectiOn that com
! plains of what is imperfect. The NOR
| perfect we are, the more gentle an1
quiet we become toward the defects q
| others.
None SO little enjoy themselves AM