The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-01-12

!'hents. anu snaken by volcanoes that
tossed mountains and passed through
the catastlophes of thousands of years
before Paradise became possible, and
the groves could shake out their green
banners. and the first garden pour it's
carnage OF color between the Gihon and
the Hiddekel Trouble good thing
for the rccks, good thing for nations,
us well rs good thing for individuals
SO when you push against me with a
sharp Interrogation point: Why do the
good suffer? | open the dark saying on
a harp and, though l can neither play
an organ or cornet or hautboy or bugle
or clan met. l have taken some lessons
in the Gospel harp, and if you would
like to hear me will play you these:
"All things work together for good to
those who love God" Now no chasten-
ing for the present seemeth to be Joy
Gus, but grievous, nevertheless after
ward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are ex-
ercised thereby" weeping may en-
dure for a night. but JOY cometh in the
morning." What a sweet thing is a
harp, and wonder not that in Wales,
the country of my ancestors, the harp
has become the national instrument,
and that they have festivals where great
prizes arc offered in the competition be-
tween harp and harp, or that weird
Sebastian Erard was much of his time
bent over this chorded and vibrating
triangle and was not satisfied until he
had given it compass of six octayes,
from + to with all the semitones, or
that when King Saul was demented th.,
son of Jesse came before him and, put
ting his fingers among the charmed
strings Of the harp, played the devil out
Of the crazed monarch. or that in
Heaven there shall be harpers harping
with their harps. So you will not blame
me for opening the dark saying on the
Gospel harp:
Your harps. ye trembling saints.
Down from the willows take:
Loud the praise of love Divine
Bid every string awake!
Interrogation third: Why did the
good God let sin or trouble come into
the world when He might have kept
them out? My reply is: He had good
reason. He had reasons tlat He has
never given US. He had reasons which
He could no more make US understand
in our finite state than the father, starr
ing out on some great and elaborate en-
terprise, could make the two-year-old
child in its armchair comprehend it.
One as to demonstrate what grandeur
of character may be achieved on earth
by conquering evil. Had there been no
evil to conquer and no trouble to con-
sole, then this universe would never
have known an Abraham, or a Moses,
or Joshua, or an Ezekiel or a Paul,
or Christ, or Washington. or John
Milton, or a John Howard, and COO. 900
victories which have been gained by the
consecrated spirits of all ages would
never have been gained Had there
been no battle there would have been
no victory. Nine-tenths Of the anthems
of Heaven would never have been sung.
Heaven could never have been a thou
sandth part of the Heaven that it is.
| will not say that am glad that sin
and sorrow did enter, but do say that
I am glad that after God has given all
His reasons to an assembled universe
He will be more honored than if ST n and
sorrow had never entered, and that the
unfallen celestials will be outdone and
will put down their trumpets to listen.
and it will be in Heaven. when those
who have conquered sin and sorrow
shall enter. as it would be in a small
singing school on earth if Tha berg and
Gottschalk and Wagner and Beethoven
and Rheinberger and Schuman should
all at once enter The immortals that
have been chanting 10000 years before
the throne will say, as they close their
librettos: ooh, if we could only sing
like that!" But God will say to those
who have never fallen. and consequent
" have not been redeemed: "You must
be silent now. You have not the quail
fication for this anthem" So thev sit
with closed lips and folded hands. and
sinners saved by grace take up the har-
mony, for the Biblt says: 'No man
could learn that song but the hundred
and forty and fou. thousand which
we're redeemed from the earth"
But now I come nearer home and nut
dark saying on the Gospel harp, a
style of question tha: is asked a mil
ion times every year Interrogation
he fourth: Why do have it so hard
While others have it SO easy: Or, Why
10 l have so much difficulty in getting
livelihood. while others 20 around
With full portmonnaie; Or, Why
must l wear these plain clothes, while |
others have to push hard to get their |
closed, so crowded are they
With brilliant attire? Or. Why should
have to work so hard. while others
lave 365 holidays every year? They are
II practically one question. answer
hem by saying it is because the Lord
las His favorites. and He puts extra dis
ipline upon you and extra trial. be-
'ause He has for you extra glory, extra
nthronement and extra felicities.
That is no guess of mine. but a Divine
ays so: Whom the Lord loveth He
hasteneth." WELL" says some one: