The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-16
gPLENDORS OF HEAVEN
CELESTIAL VISIONS CONTESTED
WITH OlMNESs OF EYESlGHT.

The Problems Of Life and the Mysteries OF
Provldsnoe-An IatsrsstiDG Discourse by
DR.. Taluaxo en- the Above spbj:c:$.
This discourse OF DR.. Talmsge IS one
ofnighty contrasts and tne aIElnSsS o.
earthly e7esight, as compared With the
viyidness of celestial eyeSl91t Is lliUs-
trsted. The text is l Gorlntl!&2s Nh,
y For now we see through s glass
dsrklv. but then face 10 face.
The Bible is the most foEceful and
pungent of books. While it has the
sweetness Of 3 mothers hush fer hU-
maa trouble, il has all the Ee22neSs
of s. scini:er and the crushirg povec
OF lightning bolt. It poc!rays with
more than q painters power, at one
stroke pictUripg g heavenly throne
and judgment conhsgTation. Ghe
strisgs Of this grest harp are h3gered
by al the splendors o. the future, Gow
sounding with the crackle OF corsCn2-
inc worlds, now thrilling with the JOY
OF the everlasting emancipated ltteils
how one forbidden tree in the garden
blasted the earth with sickness anc
death, and how smother tree, though
leafless and bare, yet planted on Cal
vary, shall yield fruit whlca Sh$I
more than antidote the poison or Inc
other. It tells how the red, ripe clus-
ters Of Gods wrath were brought TO
81, wine press, and Jesus troo them
tut, and how, st last all the golden
chalices OF heaven shall glow With the
wine of that awful vintage. Il daz-
zles the eye with an Ez5kiels vision
of wheel and wing and fire and wh1r!-
wind, and stoops down so low thst It
can put its lips to the ear OF s. dying
child and say, "Coms up higher. -
And yet Paul, in my text, takes the
responsibility OF saying tbatit is only
an indistinct mirror and that its mis-
sion shall be suspended. I think there
may be one Bible in heaven fastened
to the throne. Just IS now, IN mu-
scum, we have a lamp exhumed from
Herculaneum or Nineveh, and We
look at with great interest and say,
Glow poor lightit must have given
compared with our modern lamps
SO think that this Bible, which was
lamp TO our feet in this world, may
lie near the throne Of God, exciting
our interest to all eternity by the coz
trast between its comparatively feeble
light and the Illumination Of heaven.
The Bible, now, is the scaHoldlrg to
the rising temple, but when the build
ing is done, there viii be no use for
the scafolding.
The idea I Shall develop today is,
that in tnis world our knowledge IS
comparatively dim and unsatisfactory
but nevertheless is Introductory to
grsnder and more complete vision.
This is eminently true IN regard TO
our view of God. We hear so much
about God that we conclude that we
understand him. He is represented
IS having the tenderness of father,
the 6rmness of a judge, the majesty
of king and the love of a mother.
We hear about him, talk about him.
write about him. We lisp his name
in infancy, and it trembles on the
tongue of the dying octogenarian.
We think that we know very much
about him, Take the attribute Of
mercy. Do we underetand it2 The
Bible blossoms all over with that word
mercy. It speaks again and sgsin
of the tender noercies of God; OF the
sure mercies; Of the great nercies; OF
the mercy that endureth forever; OF
the multitude Of his oercies. And yet
] know that the views we have OF this
great Being are most indefinite, one
sided and incomplete. When ct death,
the gates shall fly open and We shall
look directly upon him, how new and
surprising. We see upon canvas
picture OF the morning. We study the
cloud in the sky, the dew upon the
grass and the husbsn6man on the way
to the field. Beautiful picture Of the
morning. But we rise at daybreak
and go up on hill to see for our
selves that which was represented to
Us. While We look the mountains are
trans6gured. The FURNISHED gates OF
heaven swing open and shut, TO let
past hest of fiery splendors. The
clouds are all abloom, and hang pan
dent from arbors of alabaster and am
ethyst, The waters make pathway OF
inlaid pearl for the light to walk upon,
snd there is morning on the sea. The
crags uncover their SCARED visags,
and there is morning among the
mountains. Now you go home ano
how tame your picture Of the morning
seems in contrast. Greater than that
shall be the contrast betTeen this
Scriptural view OF God and that
which We shall have when standing
face to face. This is picture of the
morning that will be the morning it.
self.
Again, my text is true Of the Sav
iour's excellency. By image and sweet
rhythm Of expression and startling
antithesis, Christ IS set forth-his love,
his compassion, his work, his life, his
death, his resurrection. We are chsl-
lenged to measure it, to compute it,
to weigh it. In the hour of our broken
euthrallment we mount up into high
experience Of his love, and shout un-
ii the courtenance glows, and the
blood bounds, and the whole nature
Is exR1arated, Il have found him."
And yet it is through glass. darkly.
We see not half of that compassionate
face. We feel not half the warmth Of
hat loving heart. We wait for death
to let us rush into his outspread arms.
Then We shall be face to face. Net
shadow then, but substance. Not hope
then, but the fulfilling OF all prefg-
urement. That will be q magnificent
unfolding. The rushing cut in view
OF all hidden excellency, the coming
again Of long absent Jesus, to meet
US, not in rags and in penuGy ard
desth, but amidst light and pomp
and outbursting Joy such as none but
q glorifed intelligence could exoeri
ence. Oh, to gaze full upon the brow
that was lacersted, upon the side that
was pierced, upon the feet that were
llI - IL