The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-12-12
Peter the Great, his private letters and

Peter the Great, his private letters and
documents Of value beyond all none
tary consideration. And here are the
events that seem very insignificant and
unimportant, but they incase treasures
OF Divine Providence and eternities OF
meaning which after awhile God will
demonstrate begore the ages as being
of stupendous value.
When Titans play quoits, they pitch
mountains, but who owns these gigan-
tic natural forces we are constantly
reading about? Whose hand is on the
throttle valve of the volcanoes? Whose
foot. suddenly planted on the footstool,
makes the continents CULVER? God!
must be at peace With him. Through
the Lord Jesus Christ, this God is mine
and he is yours. put the earthquake
that shook Palestine at the crucifxion
against all the down BOOKINGS of the
centuries. This God on one side, we
may challenge all the centuries of time
and all the cycles of eternity.
Those of you who are in midlife may
well thank God that you have seen so
many wondrous things, but there are
people alive today who may lvo to see
the shimmering veil between the ma
terial and the spiritual world uplifted.
Magnetism, a word with which we
cover UP our ignorance, will yet be an
explored realm. Electricity, the fiery
courser of the Sky, that Benjamin
Franklin lassoed and Morse and Bell
and Edison have brought under COM
plete control. has greater wonders to
reveal. Whether here or departed this
life, we will see these things. 1t does
not make much difference where VIC
stand, but the higher the standpoint,
the larger the prospect. We will see
them from heaven if we do not see
them from earth.
Years ago was at Fire Island, Long
Island, and l went up in the cupola
from which they telegraph to New
York the approach of vessels hours be-
Sore they come into port. There is an
opening in the wall, and the operator
puts his telescope through that open
ing and looks out and sees vessels far
out at sea. While was talking with
him he went up and looked out. He
said. I'VE are expecting the Arizona
tonight said, rs it possible you
know all those vessels? Do you know
them as you know mans face?" He
said, Eyes. l never make mistake.
Before I see the bulls l often know
them by the masts. know them all
have watched them so long" Oh,
what a grand thing it is to have ships
telegraphed and heralded long before
they come to port, that friends may
come down to the wharf and welcome
their long absent ones! So today we 4
take our stand in the watch-tower, andS
through the glass of inspiration we
look off and see a whole fleet of ships
coming in. That is the ship of peace,
with one star of Bethlehem floating
above the top gallants. That is the
ship of the church, mark of salt water
high upon the smokestack, showing she
has had rough weather, but the captain !
of Salvation commands her, ana his
well with her. The ship OF h.
mfghtiest craft ever launched, mil ~
of passengers waiting for mill
more, prophets and apostles and
tyrs in the cabin, conquerors at w
foot Of the mast, while from the ri
ging hands are waving this way as Ne
they knew us, and we wave back again.
for they are ours. They went out from
our own households. Ours! Hail, hail!
Put off the black and put on the white
Stop tolling the funeral bell and ring
the wedding anthem. Shut up the
hearse and take the chariot.
Now the ship comes around the great
headland. Soon she will strike the
wharf, and we will go aboard her.
Tears for ships going out. Laughter for
ships coming in. Now she touches
the wharf. Throw out the plank Z
Block not up that gangway with en-
bracing long lost friends, for you viii
have eternity of reunion. Stand back
and give way until other millions come
aboard her. Farewell to sin! Fare
well to struggle! Farewell to sicknessl
Farewell to death! Blessed are all
they who enter in through the gates
into the city,