The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-01-09
NO. 49,.


answer. 1 preach no fataism. A
swarthy engineer at one of the
depots at Dakota said: "When will
you get ON the locomotive and take
ride with us?" "Wel," I said,
snow, if that suits you" So I got
on one side of the locomotive, and .
Methodist minister, who was also in
vited, got on the other side, and be-
tween US were the engineer and the
stoker. The train started. The en-
gineer had his hand on the agitated
pulse of the great engine. The
stoker shoveled in the coal and shut
the door with loud clang. A vast
plain slipped under us, and the hills
swept by, and that great monster on
which we rode trembed and bounded
and snorted and ragged as it hurled
us on. l said to the Methodist min
lister on the other side of the loco
motive: "My brother, why should
ministers quarrel about the DEGREES
and free agency? You see that
track, that firm track, that iron
track; that is the decree. You see
this engineers arm; that is free
agency. How beautifully they work
together! They are going to take us
through. We could not do without
the track, and we could not do with
out the engineer"
So I rejoice day by day. Work for
all to do, and we may turn the crank
of the Christian machinery this way
or that, for we are free agents. But
there is the track laid so long ago
no one remembers it-laid by the
hand of the Almighty God in sockets
that no terrestrial or Satanic pres
sure can ever affect. And along the
track the car of the worlds redemp-
ton will roll and roll to the Grand
Central depot of the millennium.
have no anxiety about the track.
am only afraid that for our indo-
lence and unfaithfulness God will dis
charge us and get some other stoker
and some other engineer. The train
is going through with us or without
us. So, my brethren, watch all the
events that are going by. If things
seem to turn out right, give wings
to your joy. If things seem to turn
out wrong, throw out the anchor of
faith and hold fast.
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 foot
stool, makes the continents CULVER?
God! l must be at peace with Him.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ, this
God is mine and He is yours. l put the
earthquake that shook Palestine at
the crucifXion against all the down
rockings of the centuries. This God
on our side, we may challenge all the
centuries OF time and all the cycles OF
eternity.
Years ago I was at Fire Island,
L. l., and I went up in the cupola
from which they telegraph to
New York the approach of vessels
hours before they come into port.
There is an opening in the wall, and
the operator puts his telescope
through that opening and looks out
and sees vessels far out at sea. While
I was talking with him he went up
and looked out. He said: 1--WE are ex-
pecting the Arizona tonight" l
said: 'Is it possible you know all
those vessels? Do you know then as
YOU know mans face?" He said:
"Yes. ! never make a mistake. Be-
fore / see the hulls l often know them
by the masts. l know them ALL have
watched them so long" Oh, what a
grand thing it is to have ships tele-
graphed and heralded long before
they come to port, that friends may
come down to the wharf and welcome
their long-absent ones! So to-day we
take our stand in the watch-tower,
and through the glass of inspiration
we look off and see whole
fleet of ships coming in. That is
the ship of peace, with the 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, and all is
we'll with her. The, ship of heaven,
mightiest craft ever launched, mil
lions of passengers waiting for mil
lions more, prophets and apostles and
martyrs in the cabin, conquerors at
the foot of the mast, while from the
rigging hands are waving this way as
if 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 planks.
Block not up that gangway with en-
bracing long lost friends, for you will
have eternity of reunion. Stand back
and give way until other millions
come aboard her. Farewell to sin!