Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-08-20

not afford to make a mistake for my
SOUL. and you cannot afford TO make
a mistake for your soul.
Beyond Estimation.
Now, let US look at the other proper
ty-the soul. We cannot make bar
gain without seeing the comparative
value. The soul! How shall l estimate
the value Of it? Well, by it's exquisite
organization. 1t is the most wonderful
piece Of mechanism ever put together.
Machinery is of value in proportion as
it is mighty and silent at the same
time. You look at the engine and the
machinery IL the Philadelphia mint,
and as you see it performing it's Won
derful work you will be surprised to
find how silently it goes. Machinery
that roars and tears soon destroys it
self, but silent machinery is often most
effective. Now, so it is with the soul
of man, with all it's tremendous facul-
ties; it moves in silence. Judgment,
without any racket, lifting it's scales;
memory, without any noise, bringing
down all its treasures; conscience, tax
ing it's judgment seat without any eX-
element; the understanding and the
will, all doing their work. Velocity,
majesty, might, but silence = silence.
You listen at the door of your heart.
You can hear no sound. The soul is all
quiet 1t is so delicate an instrument
that no human hand can touch it. You
break a bone, and with splinters and
bandages the surgeon sets it; the eye
becomes infiamed, and the apOtheca-
rvs wash cools it, but a soul off the
track, unbalanced-no human power
can readjust it. With one sweep of its
wing it circles the universe and over
vaults the throne of God. Why, in the
hour of death the soul is so mighty it
throws aside the body as though it
we're q toy. 1t drives back medical
skill as impOtent. 1t breaks through
the circle of loved ones who stand
around the dying couch. With one
leap it springs beyond star and moon
and sun and chasms Of immensely. 1t
is superior to all material things! No
fire can consume it; no foods can
drown it; no rocks can crush it; no
walls can impede it; no time can eX-
haust it. It wants no bridge on which
to cross a chasm; it wants no plummet
with which to sound a depth. a soul
so mighty, so swift, SO silent, must be
q priceless soul.
I calculate the value of the soul also
by it's capacity for happiness. How
much JOY it can get in this world out of
friendships out Of books, out Of clouds,
out of the sea, out of flowers, out of ten
thousand things, and yet all the joy it
has here does not test its capacity.
You are in q concert before the curtain
hoists and you hear the instruments
preparing-the sharp snap of the bro
ken string, the scraping Of the bow
across the VOL ''There is no music in
that you say. 1t is only getting ready
for the music. And all the enjoyment
of the soul in this world, the enjoyment
we think is real enjoyment is only pre-
Darative; it is only anticipative; it is
only the first stages of the thing; it is
only the entrance, the beginning of
that which shall be the orchestral har-
monies and splendOrs of the redeemed.
Or the Hills of Heaven.
You cannot test the full power Of the
soul for happiness in this world. How
much power the soul has here to find
enjoyment in friendships; but, oh, the
grander friedships for the soul in the
skies! How sweet the flowers here,
but how much SWeeter they will be
there. l do not think that when fiOW
ers die on earth, they die forever. In
the sunny valleys of heaven shall not
the marigold creep? On the hills Of
heaven will not the amaranth bloom?
On the amethystine walls of heaven
will not the jasmine climb? MY be-
loved is come down into his garden to
gather lilies No flowers in heaven?
Where, then, do they get their gar
lands for the broWs of the righteous?
Christ is glorious to our souls now,
but how much grander our apprecia-
ton after awhile! 4 conQuerOr comes
back after the battle. He has been
fighting for us. He comes upon the
platform. He has one arm in sling,
and the other arm holds q crutch. AS
he mounts the platform, oh, the en-
thusiasm of the audience! They say,
"1hat man fought for US and imperiled
his life for u.s. and how wild the huz-
"a that follows huzza! When the Lord
Jesus Christ shall at last stand out be-
fore the multitudes Of the redeemed of
heaven and we meet him face to face
and feel that he was wounded in the
head and wounded in the hands and
wounded in the feet and wounded in
the side for us, methinks we will be
We will sit some time |
gazing in silence until some leader
amid the white robed choir shall lift |
the baton Of light and give the signal
that it is time to wake the song of ju-
bilee, and all heaven then will break !
forth into "Hosanna! hosanna! Worthy |
is the Lamb that was slain.''
1 calculate further the value of the |
soul by the price that has been paid for
it. In st. Petersburg there is a dia- |