The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1898-10-14

If you might, would you now
Retrace your way?
Wander through stormy wilds,
Faint and aStray?
Nights gloomy watches fled,
Morning all beaming red,
Hopes smile around US shed,
HeaVenWard, away.
Yes, for some people in this world
there seems no let-up. They are pur-
sued from youth to manhood, and
from manhood into old age. Very dis
tinguished are Lord Stafford's hounds,
the earl of Yarbopough's hounds, and
the duke of Rutland's hounds, and
Queen Victoria pays $500 per year &c
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 aud
master.
But what is relief of all this pur-
suit of trouble, and annoyance, and
pain, and bereavement? My text
gives it to you in a word of three let
tiers, but each letter is chariot if
you would triumph, or a throne if
you want to be crowned, or a lake if
you would Stake your thirst-yes,
chain of three lakes G-O-D, the one
for whom David longed, and the one
whom David found. You might as
well meet a stag which, after it's sixth
mile of running at the topmost 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 bis
tered tongue with a drop of dew from
a blade of grass, as to attempt 10
satisfy an immortal soul, when flying
from trouble and sin, with anything
less deep, and high, and broad, and
immense, and infinite, and eternal
than God. His comfort, why it en-
bosoms all distress. His arm, it
wrenches off all bondage. His hand,
it wipes away all tears. His Christly
atonement, it makes us all right with
the past, and all right with the FIJI
ture; all right with God, all right with
man, and all right forever. 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 have" The eldest son, having
first choice, chose the vase of gold, on
which was written the word empire"
and when opened it was found to con-
tain human blood. The second son,
making the next choice, chose the
vase of amber, inscribed with the
word glory" and when opened It
contained the ashes of those who were
once called great. The third son took
the vase of clay, and, opening it found
it empty, but on the bottom of it was
inscribed 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 let
ter of the name of God outweighed u
universe.
For Him 1 thirst; for His grace l
beg; on His promise I build my all.
Without Him l can not be happy. /
have tried the world, and it does well
enough as far as it goes, but it is too
uncertain a world, too evanescent a
NOlld" am uOJ ii JIeJuOllceU VIII
ness. l have nothing against this
world. / have been one of the most
fortunate, or, to use more Christian
word, one of the most blessed of men
blessed in my parents, blessed in
the place of my nativity, blessed in
Ipy field of work, blessed in my nat
ural temperament, blessed in my fam
lily, 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 it
be lost at sea or cremated- in some con-
hagration, 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 a disappointment, but to me it |
has been a pleasant surprise, and yet |
| declare that if [ did not feel that |
God was now my friend and ever-pres- |
ant help, should be watched and ter |
But I want more of Him. |
have thought over this text and |
preached this sermon to myself until |
with all the aroused energies of my |
body, mind and soul, I can cry out: |
AS the hart panteth after the water |
brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, |
D, Cod
why Archie Got Mad.
"Then nothing that can say, Archi-