The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-03-05

Of China redeemed; and John Scudder,
Of India saved: and David Brainerd,
of the aborigines eyangelized: and
Mrs. Adoniram Judson, whose prayers
for Burma took heaven by violence.
All these Christians are looking into
the arena. Our struggle is nothing
to theirs. Do we in ChriSt'S cause
suffer from the cold? They walked
Greenland's Icy mountains. Do we
suffer from the heat? They swelter-
ed in tropics. Do we get fatigued?
They tainted, with none to care for
them but cannibals. Are we persecut-
ed? They were mathematical. And
as they look from their gallery and
see US falter in the presence OF the
lions I seem to hear Isaac Watts ad-
dressing US in bis old hymn, only a
little changed:
Must you be carried to the skies
On flowery beds Of ease
While others fought to win the prize
Or sailed through bloody seas?
Toylady shouts in mis- oldhymn:
Your harps, ye trembling saints.
Down from the willows take:
Loud to the praise Of love divine
Bid every string awake.
While Charles Wesley, the Method
ist, breaks forth in words little va
ried:
A charge to keep you have.
A God to glorify,
A never dying soul to save
And fit it for the sky.
I look again, and I see the gallery Of
our departed. Many Of those in the
other galleries we have heard Of, but
those we knew, Oh, how familiar their
faces! They sat at our tables and we
walked to the house Of God in COM
pany. Have they forgotten US? Those
fathers and mothers started US on the
road of life. Are they careless as to
what becomes Of US? And those chill
dren-do they look with stolid indif-
ference as to whether we win or lose
this battle Of life? They remember
the day they left US. They remember
the agony Of the last farewell.
Through years in heaven, they know
our faces. They remember our sor-
rows. They speak our names. They
watch this fight for heaven. Nay, l
see them rise up and lean over and
wave before US their recognition and
encouragement. That gallery is not
full. They are keeping places for US.
After We have slain the lion they eI-
pect the King to call US, saying,
Come up higher Between the hot
struggles in the arena ] wipe the
sweat from my brow and stand on
tiptoe, reaching up my right hand to
clasp theirs in rapturous handshaking,
while their voices come ringing down
from the gallery, crying, BE thou
faithful unto death, and you shall
have a crOWnw
But here I pause, overwhelmed with
the majesty and the JOY Of the scene!
Gallery of the King! Gallery of an
gels, Gallery Of prophets and apostles!
Gallery Of martyrs Gallery of saints!
Gallery of friends and kindred! 0
majestic circles Of light and love.
Tkrongs, throngs, throngs. How
shall we stand the gaze Of the uni
verse: Myriads Of eyes beaming on
US! Myriads Of hearts beating in
sympathy for us. How shall we ever
dare to sin again? How shall we ever
become discouraged again? How shall
we ever feel lonely again? With God
for US and angels for US and prophets
and apostles for us and the great souls
of the ages for us and our glorified
kindred for us-shall we give W the
fight and die? No, Son of God, who
didst die to save us! No, ye angels,
whose wings are spread forth to shell
ter US, No, ye prophets and apostles,
whose warnings startle US. No, ye
loved ones, whose arms are outStretch-
ed to receive US. No we will never
surrender.
Sure T must fight II I would reign,
Be faithful to my Lord,
Aud bear the cross, endure the pain,
Supported by the word.
They saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer though they die;
They see the triumph from afar
And seize it with their eyes.
WheIf that illustrious day shall rise
And all thine armies shine
In robe Of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be thine.
My hearers, shall we die in the arena
or rise to join our friends in the gal
lery? Through Christ we may come
off more than conQuerors. A soldier
dying in the hospital rose up in bed
the last moment and cried. Here,
here" His attendants put him back
on his pillow and asked him why he
shouted Here" "Oh, l heard the
roll call of heaven, and I was only an
swering to my name" I wonder
whether after this battle Of this life
is over our names will be called in the
muster roll Of the pardoned and glori6
o5 ard ,pitb tho inv or hoo vor hroa l.