Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-02-14

understood and mIsrepresented. or will he
misunderstood or misrepTesented Then
how can nv text be true Nv Cxplana-
ton is thus: The man without any divine
grace IN his heart finds in these troubles
irritation and unhcliet and meiancholia
and despair. \ Christian man finds in
them submission ard enlarged views and
divine support and remuneration. Be
reaTement to the wording brings hard
thoughts of God and resistance 50 vio-
lent 1t dares not fully express itself
Bereavement brings to the Christian the
thought OF heavenly reunion and a more
complete laying hold OF God. and more
tender appreciation OF the divine presence.
and deeper gratitude that were per
mItted to have the departed one long.
and a more lively sympathy for the sor-
rows OF others and another evidence of
Gods love. for whom the Lord loveth
He chaSteneth'
Do not think. in order to have il well
with you, according TO my text, that
therefore you must have more than some
body else, or even as much as somebody
else. The Lord treats us all better than
we treat Him. and if we would study our
blessings much as study our disas-
tiers we would be more reasonable and
thankful
have been familiar with this wonder
full element OF nature from childhood hav-
ing been born on the banks OF the beauti-
bled in the brook near my fathers house.
But | never realized until last summer
what water could do in play, or in strange
caprice. or Identification. or when climb
ing the ladder of the light. or when skill
ful workmen took hold Of it to toss it or
whlrl 1t. or shape it into crowns, or hoist
1t into columns. or spring It into arches.
or hit 1t INTO stars, or turn 1t INTO Cres-
cents, or build II into temples. You for
get YOU ever saw the less glorious waters
at Chatsworth, England, or Versailles.
France, as you stand in the balcony o. the
palace overlooking the Finland gulf. be-
wildered and transported as YOU look AZ
the one display called the Golden Stairway
Fountain. The water rolls down over
twenty-tOur steps one foot high and TWEEN
ty feet long. All OF these twenty four
steps are covered with sheets of FURNISHED
of gold! What n glee of liquids! Rolling.
dashing. foaming, enrapturing splendors'
Chorus OF floods! Poetry of waters. D0x-
olOgy of torrents. But that which most
impressed me there and elsewhere - the
abundance OF water, the fact that there
are so many waters that the continents
can afford to throw them away into the
sea, Hudsons and Ohos. Oregons and
AmazCps, Rhines and Danuhcs and Vol
gas, and so abundant that the earth can
afford TO have its oceans evapOrate into
the heavens, Mediterraneans and Atantics
and Pacitics. How rich the earth is with
waters! Best beverage OF all the nations,
for after the richest banquet with the
richest beverages every one wants at least
a sip of it-water, cool water, God de-
scended water!
With still more abundance is the air dis
trlbuted. An earth full of 1t; sky full Of
ii. Swiftest and strongest eagle cannot fly
so high as not to have it in the nostril or
under tho wing. And wha5 affluence of
sunlight! No one but the infinite God
could dispense SO much of it. The golden
candlestick set on the blue mantel of the
heavens! SO great that the Almighty Is
compared to it, the psalmist crying out,
The Lord God is a SUM-" 1t is high
time that we recognize in our liturgles and
in our formulas of prayer the three most
abundant blessings of the universe which
come to all.
Some scientists are now discussing the
opening of communication between our
earth and the planet Mars. Experiments
are being made, but they viii not succeed.
We cannot build a fire large enough to at
tract the attention of that world, or lift
lens powerful enough to see any response
interstelar. We do not positively know
that that world is occupied by living
beings, or that, if it is occupied, Commu-
nication with them would be desirable.
1t might not be 50 good a world as this,
and thus communication with 1t would be
debaSIng.
But rejoice to know that heaven is in
touch with other worlds for their improve
ment, and a depot for glorious arrivals.
1t is a thoroughfare between this world
and that world, and i coming and going
perpetual.
Going out of this world is as natural
as coming into it, but the one IS with pang,
and the other IS with rapture, II We are
fitted for the uplifting process. 1t shall
be well with YOU Now, Go not get SO
oh 10 hat
or that influenza or that threatened pneu-
monia. The worst thing that fata! dis
case can do is to usher you into corona
ton and enforcement. 1t shall be well
with you. Take as good care OF your
health as you can, have the best doctors
keep in this world as long 80 you are per-
mittCd TO stay, and then when the heaV-
enly call comes be glad to GO.
| do not care much about what your
last words" are going to be. People put
too much emphasis on last words" |
would rather know what your words are
now, in days Of health and with mental
faculties in full play-your words OF kind
ness, your words OF sympathy, your words
If helpfulness, your words OF prayer.
SO live that II YOU say not a word dur
ng the last day of your life there VIII be
10 doubt here about the place OF your dcs.
-inatiOn. You will go right into sanity,
prophetic, cvangclistic, apostolic, cherubjc,
5eraphic, archangelic, dciGc presence. 1t
shall be well with you.
Mother, You will 90 right up into the
possession of the babe that the scarlet fe-
yer or Group took out OF your arms,
sorrow that still stings you. and you often
say she would now be 50 many years old
f she had lived.
You will 20 into q. presence Of the old
,olks, for l hope YOU are OF Christian an
,e5try, and you viii find that they have
10 dimness Of sight or hating gait that re-
luires a stat, for they have taken a draft
,,,,, Ia FCr,r.,,p ~ youth that