The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-09-14

church. The church is a garden in the
midst of & great desert of sin and suf-
fering. but it is we'll irrigated, for for
eyes are INTO the hills from whence
cometh our help" From the mountains
of Gods strength there low down rivers
of gladness. There is a river the
stream whereof shall make glad the
city OF our God" Preaching the gospel
is one of the ~aqueducts. The Bible is
another Baptism and the Lords Sup
per are aqUeducts. Water 20 slake the
thirst, water TO was the unclean, wa
ter tossed high up in the light of the
Sun of Righteousness showing US the
rainbow around the throne. Oh, was
there ever a garden so thoroughly If
rigated? You nov that the beauty
OF Versailles and Chatsworth depends
very much upon he great supply Of
water. / came to the latter place.
~Chatsworth, one day when strangers
are not to be admitted. but an induce
ment which always seemed as potent
with an Englishman as an American
/ got in. and then the gardener went
far up above the stairs OF Ston- and
turned on the water. / saw il sieam-
ing on the dry pavement, coming down
from step TO step until il came so near
/ could hear the musical rush, and all
over the high. broad stairs ii came,
foaming. flashing, roaring down until
sunlight and wave in gleeSome wrestle
tumbled at my feet. So il is with the
Church of God. Every thing comes
from above-pardon from above, joy
from above, adoption from above, sane
tificatin from above.
Would th&t DpH- Col v-1U.. urn or
the waters II salvation I .cl ,ley
might flow down h-ough his heritage
and that this day we might each find
our places to be Films with II wells
Of water and threescore and ten palm
trees.
Hark! l hear the latch of the gar
den gate, and 1 look to see who is
coming. / hear the voice of Christ.
Il am coming in, o Jesus! We have
been waiting for thee. Walk all
through the paths. Look at the flow
ers; look at the fruit; pluck that which
thou wilt for myself" Jesus comes
into the garden and up to that old man
and touches him n says: Almost
home, father; not many more aches
for thee. 1 will never cav thee. Take
courage a little longer, and / will
steady thy tottering steps. and l will
soothe thy troubles and give thee rest.
Courage, old nan Then Christ goes
up another garden path, and he comes
to a soul in trouble and says: Peace!
All is we'll. 1 have seen thy tears. 1
have heard thy prayer. The SUI shall
not smite thee by day nor the moon
by night. The Lord Shall preserve
thee from all evil. He will preserve
thy soul. Courage, o troubled Spirit"
Then l see Jesus going up another
garden path, and 1 see great excite
ment among the leaves, and / hasten
UP to that garden path to see VIA
Jesus is doing there, and, 10! he is
Lreaking off flowers, sharp and clean,
from the stem, and 1 say: stop, Je-
suS Do not kill those beautiful flow
ers." He turns to me INT says, 81
have come into my garden to gather
lilies, and 1 mean to TAX these up to
a higher terrace for the garden around
my palace, and there 1 will plant them,
and in better soil and in better air
they shall put forth brighter leaves
and sweeter r~edolence, n no frost
shall touch them forever" And I
looked up into his face and said:
We'll, it is thy garden, and thou hast
a right to do what thou wilt with it.
Thy will be done!'-the hardest pray
er a man eve mad
CHRIST TAKES THE BEST FLOW
ERS.
1t has seemed as if Jesus Christ took
the best. From many of you house
holds the best one is gone. You know
that she was too good for this world.
She was the gentlest in her ways, the
deepest in her affection, and when at
last the sickness came. o had no faith
in medicines. You knew that the o
of parting had come, n when,
through the rich grace Of the Lord Je-
sus Christ, you surrendered that treas
ure you said: Lord Jesus, a k it. 1t
is the best We have. Take it. Thou art
worthy" The others in the household
may have been of grosSer mold. She
was Of the finest.
The heaven Of your little ones will
not be fairly begun until you get there.
All the kindnesses shown them by inn
mortalS viii not make, them forget you.
There they are, the radiant thrones
hat Eel out from your homes. I
throw a kiss to the sweet darlings.
They are all we'll now in the palace.
The crippled child has a sound foot
now. A little lame child says: Ma,
will 1 be lame in h~eaven?" No, my
darling, you won't be lame in heaven"
A little sick child says: "Ma, will 1 be
sick in heaven" mo, my dear, you
Won't be sick in heaven A little blind
child says: MA, will I be blind in
heaven" They are all well there.
I notice hat the fine gardens some
times have high fences around them,
and I cannot get in. It is sc with a
kings garden. The only glimpse you
ever get of UGH a garden is when the
king rides out in his splendid carriage,
1t is not so with this garden, this
Kings garden. I throw wide open the
gate and tell o all to come in. Nc