The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-12-02

religion. but j remember Ieading ci Dr
Goodwin. the celebrated Puritan who
30 hts last moment said: rs this dy-
ing? Why, my bow abides 20 strength.
Inm sWanOwed upin Cody @Herways
are WAYS Of -pleasantness and az her
paths are peace" Oh, YOU who have
been trying to satisfy yourselves with
the "south land Of this world do YOU
not feel that YOU would this morn-
ing like TO have access to the neither
springs of spiritual COMFORT Woald
you not like TO have Jesus Christ bend
over your cradle and bless your table
and heal your wounds and strew flowers
Of consolation all mp and down the
graves Of your dead?
IT'S religion that can give
Sweetest pleasures while we live,
TITS religion can supply
Sweetest comfort when we die.
But have something better TO tell
you, suggested by this text, It seems
that old Father Caleb on the wedding
day Of his daughte rwauted to make her
just as happy as possible. Though 9th
mel was taking her away and his henrt
was almost broken because she was
going. yet he gives her a south land =
not only that. but the neither springs;
not only that, but the upper springs.
O God, my Father, ! thank Thee taut
Thou hast given me a south land" 10
this world and the neither springs of
spiritual comfort in this world; but,
more than all, I thank Thee for the
upper springs in Heavenl
It is very fortunate that we cannot
see Heaven until we get into it. o
Christian man, if you could see what
a place it is we would never get you
back again to the office, or store, OF.
shop. and the duties you ought to per-
form would 60 neglected! l am glad
! shall not see that world until enter
it. Suppose we were allowed 10 60 on
an excursion into that good land with
the idea Of returning. When we got
there and heard the song and looked at
their raptured faces and mingled IT,
the supernal society, we would cry out:
Let us stayl We are coming here any
how. Why take the trouble Of going
back again to that old world? We are
here now Let us stayi" And It would
take angelic violence to put us out or
that world Il once we got there, but as
people who cannot afford to pay for an
entertainment sometimes come around
il and look through the door AGAR, or
through the openings in the fence, so
we come an. look through the creyiees
into that good land which God has prc-
vided for us. We can just catch q
glimpse Of it, We come near enough to.
hear the rumbling of the eternal or.
chestra, though not near enough to
know who blows the cornet or who fin
gers the harp. My soul spreads out
both wings and claps them in triumph
at the thought Of those upper springs.
One of them breaks from beneath the
throne. Another breaks forth from be-
meath the altar of the temple. Another
at the door Of "the house OF many man
Upper springs of gladness! Up
per springs Of light Upper springs Of
lovel It is no fancy Of mine. 'Ths
which is in the midst Of the
shall lead them to living foun-
of water"
0 Saviour Divine. roll in upon our
souls one of those anticipated r]apturesl
around the roots of the parchcd
tongue one drop Of that liquid lifsl
Toss before our vision those fountains
Of God, rainbowed with eternal victory!
Hear It'll They are never sick there;
not so much as a headache or twiagc
rheumatic or thrust neuralgia. The in
habitant never says; ~ am sick" They
are never tired there, Flight to farthest
world is only the play of a holiday,
They never sin there. It is as easy for
them to be holy as it is for us to sin.
They never die there. You might 90
through all the outskirts Of the great
city and find not one place where the
ground was broken for a grave. The
ayesight of the redeemed is never
blurred with tears. There is health in
every cheek, There is spring in every
foot, There is majesty on every brow.
There is Joy in every heart. There is
hosanna on every lip. How they must
pity us as they look over and look
down and see us and say Poor things
away down in that world!' And when
some Christian is hurled into a fatal
accident they cry "Goodl Tie is com
.ngl" And when we stand around Inc
couch of some loved one whose strength
Is going away and we shake our heads
'~orebodingly they cry: "rm glad he
Is worse. He has been down there long
enough. There, he Is dead! Come
lomel Come homel' Oh. Il we could 7
1uly get orr ideas about that future
world untwisted, our thought Of trans.
fer from here 70 there would be US
pleasant to us as it was TO q little child
wne dviuu She enfds Hpon,