Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-29

their Law-giver and Governor and King
He was disobedient: he took the law in
his own hands: he hid himself from the
| face of God and the light of His counte-
nance: his eyes were darkened: his sensi-
bilties benumbed, and his soul shut in
from the free and perfect communion
with Him for whose companionshlp he
was made. The flesh sinned against the
spirit and was condemned to death.
Doubtless, at first. the flesh was made
to perform its offices for the spirit as
beautifully as the blossom does for the
fruit, the graces and loneliness of the
body fitting covering for the soul on
its way 10 eternity. Separation from the
Father brought sin into the world and
all our woes. The crime of Prometheus
that brought "Macies ct nova Febrium-
cohors'-leanness and the new cohort Of
dlseases-was not the prayer THY king
dom come: Thy will be done on earth
as 1t is In Heaven"-but taking Of
Light with an unholy hand. Unblest
learning is the knowledge that puffeth
up. Ambition in any direction ever
proves disastrous. The suggestion of the
devil to our mother Eve was the old
offence by which the Angels fell
Gut or the care and protection of the
rather man is poor, blind baby lost
in the woods-wretched and miserable
and poor and blind and naked. And his
efforts 10 make himself over are pitlable
at best-vanity and veXation of spirit
In his disloyalty he is, at his best
estate, altogether vanity: like the grass
withereth ere it be grown, wherewith the
mower flleth not his hand, nor he that
gathereth sheaves his bosom. He is. IN
most Of his conditions, a caricature and
a tragic burlesque. Read the annals Of
the Roman empire-the best period of the
unfedeemed world: Read the annals OF
the World, the Flesh, and the Devil from
the begnning-ever before US.
The thoroughbred wording is a SEN
sualist, skeptic. misanthrope. Cleans
OF the light of manhood and truth, that
break IN upon his SOUL first delight and
inspire him and then craze him. Ideals
and standards make him desperate. He
pronounces all the world a terrible
fraud and cruel farce-man made for
virtue and high things but without them:
Most lives are a kind OF desperation.
Who cares TO take things as they are?
II there be no resurrection from the
deafness of a worldly life, no place for
manhood, then are they 10 whom high
thoughts have been revealed Of all men
most miserable. We had better be beasts
that know nothing and perish-than
know of excellent things and be forever
deprived of them-our life corroding
envy.
The superficial, false. vain, and idle
world of sense is not all of life. Merely
sense it is only of the earth earthly, and
not only knows and cares nothing of the
light Of Heaven and Eternity, but re-
sents and mocks the suggestion OF them
Earth and Heaven are degraded by their
low pursuits: by their common use of
their senses: their Heaven is iron: their
earth brass. And their madness laughs
at nature and truth.
But there are other human beings in
this world than those that live in and
upon its glare and shows and sensuali-
ties. Their city is low and in a low place.
In their low estate and poverty they en-
JOY Heaven. To their pure and single |
hearts the Great God reveals Himself: |
they see Him. By their meekness and |
patience they inherit the earth, and live |
peaceful and happy lives. And for their |
gentleness, single heartedness, honesty, |
and Kindness. they are known as the |
children Of God. OF this city the Lord, |
God Almighty and the Lamb are the I
Light. And though this city has it's place |
N the world, the common superficial |
world dareS TO mock and insult it, and |
gainly tries to ignore its existence: but |
t cannot: though they gnash with their
eeth at 1t.
This lowly, unpretending, but beautiful |
,ity, is sometimes talked of as a watered |
garden, watered with the dew of the
morning and the gentle rains from
Heaven. And in 1t are all manner OF
pleasant herbs and lovely flowers and
ruit- bearing trees: nothing rank or
poisonous. 1t is after the spirit and kind
# Paradise. 1t is well kept as it is we'll
1t is normally natural, fresh
IS from the hand of God. And what
lave the citizens of this lowly city, the
hildren that enjoy this delightful gar
len, 10 do with the hard. dry things that
lopelessly show themselves on the bar
en- heaths of this world? They have
10 taste, no heart, no stomach for the
pples of Sodom or the grapes Of Gomor-
ow. They do not care to make
read out Of stones under Satan's auspi-
es. They would rather be door-keeper
n the house Of the Lord than dwell in
he tents of the ungodly. They want no
eeds nor slips Of vain glory, no roots of
bitterness. They plant and sow only TO
he spirit looking to a reaping things
f everlasting life and value-of which
he commonplace world can have no APP
recitation or conception.