The Leon reporter., 1901-08-29
Recognition of Blessings.

pufuenS Oh THIS life, but they still hold
the rope.
Recognition of blessings.
o men and women, you brag some
times how you have fought your way
in the world, but think there have
been helpful influences that you have
never fully acknowledged Has there
not been some influence in your early
or present home that the world cannot
see? Does there not reach you from
among the New England hills or from
the western prairie or from southern
plantation or from English or Scottish
or Irish home cord of influence that
has kept you right when you would
have gone astray and which, after you
had made crooked track, recalled
you? The rope may be as long as 80
years or 500 miles long or 5000 miles
long, but hands that went out of NOR
tai sight long ago still hold the rope.
You want very swift horse, and YOU
need to rowel him with sharpest SPURS
and to let the reins lie loose upon the
neck and to give a shout to the racer
if you are going to ride out of reach
of your mothers prayers. Why, a ship
Crcssine the Atlantic in six davs can't
sail away from that. A sailor finds
them on the lookout as he takes his
place and finds them on the mast as
he climbs the ratlines to disentangle
rope in the tempest and finds them
swinging on the hammock when he
turns in. Why not be frank and ac-
knowledge it? The most of us would
long ago have been dashed to pieces
had not gracious and loving hands
steadily and lovingly and nightly held
the rope.
But there must come time when
we shall ind out who these Damas
Genes were who lowered Paul in the
basket and greet them and all those
VINO have rendered to God and the
world unrecognized and unrecorded
services. That is going to be one of
the glad excitements of heaven, the
hunting up and picking out of those
who did great good on earth and got
no credit for it. Here the church has
been going on 10 centuries, and yet the
world has not recognized the services
of the people in that Damascus bal
cony. Charles G. Finney said to dy-
ing Christian, Give my love to St.
Paul when you meet him" When you
and meet him, as we will, shall ask
him to Introduce me to those who got
him out Of the Damascene peril.
We go into long sermons to prove
that we will be able to recognize peo-
pie ir heaven, when there is one rea-
son we fail to present, and that is bet
ter than all-God will introduce us. We
shall have them all pointed out You
would not be guilty of the impoliteness
of having friends in your parlor not
introduced, and celestial politeness
will demand that we be made acquaint-
ed with all the heavenly household
What rehearsal of old times and recital
of stirring "reminiscences. If others
fail to give introduction, God will take
us through. and before our first "a
hours in heaven-if it were calculated
by earthly timepieces-have passed we
snail meet and talk with more heav
emily celebrities than in our entire
mortal state we met with earthly
celebrities. Many who made great
noise of usefulness will sit on the last
seat by the front door of the heavenly
temple, while right up within arms
reach of the heavenly throne will be
many who, though they could not
reach themselves or do great exploits
TOR God, nevertheless held the rope.
Patient, Uncomplaining Service.
Come, let us go right up and accost
those on the circle of heavenly thrones.
Surely they must have killed in battle
million men. Surely they must have
been buried with all the cathedrals
sounding a dirge and all the towers of
all the cities tolling the national grief.
T Who art thou. mighty one of heavehy
II lived by choice the unmarried
daughter in a humble ho.ne that 1
might take care Of my parents in their
ii