Connecticut western news., 1901-10-10

standing In the midst of the amphi- theater waiting for the lions to come out of their cave and destroy him, and the people In the galleries jeering and shouting, "The lionsp' replied, Let them come onw and then, stooping down toward the cave where the wild beasts were roaring to get out, again cried, Let them come onv An, yes. 1t Is persecution to put you In glorious company, and, while there are many things that you will have to postpone to the future world for explanation, I tell you that 1t Is the whole tendency of your religion to unravel and explain and interpret and illumine and irradi- ate. Job was right. It Is glorious transparency. "The crystal cannot equal it,"
 I remark again that religion surpass- es the crystal in its beauty. The lump of crystal Is put under the magnifying glass of the crystallographer, and he sees in 1t indescribable exquisiteness- snowdrift and splinters of hoarfrost and corals and wreaths and stars and crowns and cancellations of conspicu ous beauty. The fact Is that crystal Is so beautiful that can think of but one thing in all the universe that Is as beau tiful, and that Is the religion of the Bi- ble. No wonder this Bible represents that religion as the daybreak, as the apple blossoms, as the glitter of a kings banquet It is the joy of the whole earth.
 People talk too much about their cross and not enough about their crown. Do you know that the Bible mentions a cross but twentyseven times, while it mentions crown eighty times? Ask that old man what he thinks of religion. He has been a close observer. He has been cultivat- ing an aesthetic taste. He has seen the sunrises of half a century. He has been an early riser. He has been an admirer of cameos and corals and all kinds of beautiful things. Ask him what he thinks of religion, and he will tell you: Tt is the most beautiful thilsg I ever saw. The crystal cannot equal it."
 Beauty of Gods Love.
 Beautiful in its symmetry. When 1t presents Gods character, 1t does not present him as having love like great protuberance on one side of his nature, but makes that love in harmony with his justice-a love that will accept all those who come to him and a justice that will by no means clear the guilty. Beautiful religion in the sentiment 1t implants! Beautiful religion In the hope 1t kindles! Beautiful religion in the fact that it proposes to garland and enthrone and emparadise an immortal spirit! Solomon says it is lily. Paul says 1t Is a crown. The Apocalypse says 1t Is fountain kissed of the sun. Ezekiel says it is foliaged cedar. Christ says 1t is bridegroom come to fetch home a bride. While Job in the text takes up whole vase of pre- cious stones-the topaz and the sap phire and the chrysoprasus-he takes out of this beautiful vase just one crystal and holds it up until it gleams in the warm light of the eastern sky, and he exclaims, "The crystal cannot equal itv'
 Ou, IL IS uOL Il SldIt IellSlOu, IL iS not stupid religion, 1t Is not a tooth less bag, as some seem to have repre- scented 1t; 1t is not Meg Merrilies with shriveled arm come to scare the world. It Is the fairest daughter of God, heir ess of all his wealth, her cheeks the morning sky, her voice the music of the south wind, her step the dance of J,o rI,n Spirit and the Bride say come, and whosoever will let him come. Do you agree with Solomon and say 1t Is lily ? Then pluck 1t and wear 1t over your heart. Do you agree with Paul and say 1t Is crown? Then let this hour be your coronation. Do you agree with the Apocalypse and say it Is spring ing fountain? Then come and slake the thirst of your soul. Do you be- lieve with Ezekiel and say 1t Is foli- aged cedar? Then come under its shadow. Do you believe with Christ and say 1t Is a bridegroom come to fetch home bride? Then strike hands with your Lord and King while pro nounce you everlastingly one. Or If you llluh Witu JUL ludt IL IS JeWti, then put it on your hand like a ring, on your neck like bead, on your forehead like star, while, looking into the mir TOT of Gods word, you acknowledge "The crystal cannot equal it."
 Superior to Crystal.
 Again, religion Is superior to the crys- tai In It's transformations. The dia- mond Is only capitalization. Carbo- nate of lime rises till 1t becomes cal cite or aragonite. Red oxide of copper crystallizes into cubes and octahedrons Those crystals which adorn our per sons and our homes and our museums have only been resurrected from rorms that were far from lustrous. Scientists for ages have been examining these wonderful transformations. But I tel you In the gospel of the Son of God there Is more wonderful transfoBma tion. Over souls by reason of sin black as coal and hard as iron God, by his comforting grace, stoops and says '"They shall be mine in the day when make up my jewels" .-.
 What" cay you, will God wear jewelry?" If he wanted 1t, he could make the stars of heaven his belt and have the evening cloud for the sandals of his feet. But he does not want that adornment He will not have that jew elry. When God wants jewelry, hs comes down and digs 1t out of tht depths and darkness of sin. Thes. souls are all crystallizations of mercy He puts them on, and he wears then In the presence of the whole universe He wears them on the hand that wal nailed, over the heart that was pierced on the temples that were stung. "They shall be mine," saith the Lord, "in tn, day when I make up my jewels.
 Wonderful transformation! Where siI abounded grace shall much nor, abound. The carbon becomes the soil taire. "The crystal cannot equal It."
 Now, have no liking for those peo pie who are always enlarging in Chris tian meetings about their early dissipa ton. Do not go Into the particulars
 T.