The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-24

asked God to do a. He would regarding y
When YOU have crossed the ocean have
you not a. you studied the captains chart
seen the little xig-zag lines running north
and south. and have you not sometimes
wondered how it was that we could reach
home in that fashion. but when tho jour.
new il ended we find that every dot
marked the progress Of the homesard
tourney, and when we reach heaven and
enter the graft room Of the sky we shal!
find that every line led homeward and
things we could not understand pointed
heavenly.
"The years of man are the looms Of God,
Let down from the place Of the sun,
Whereon we are weaving hearts.
Till the MYSTIC web il done.
And when the task 10 ended,
And the web 10 turned and shown,
He shall hear the voice OF the Matter,
II shall say to him. We'll done.
God has way of making lives over.
First. by outer circumstances, like tho
potter's wheel. such as trials and dissp'
pointments.
Il is called the FIRE. and FIRE purges tho
dross: it is described a. water, and water
clesnses all displacements; it 10 said TO be
a hammer and the hammer in the hands OF
the artist fashioned the angel from the
block of marble. DR.. Arthur I. Pierson
tells of the potter who was seeking to make
porceisin for the kings palace, was greatly
discouraged in the work and in desperati~7
threw himself into the fire, and there was
something about the burning OF his own
body that gave an inestimable value to the
porcelain which is still in existence. and
that il the.value Of this book. God threw
Himself into it in the person OF His own
Son, and no man can read it without feel
ing His power.
There are some ives mentioned in the
Bible which have really been made over
again like the clay in the hands OF the pot
ter.
First Jacob. BY nature he was sup
planter and cheat; he stole his brothers
birthright and deceived his father, but by
the power OF God he became Israel, the
prince and all because he and God met at
Jabbok's Ford, and God touched him and
he lmped away from weakness to power:
France, but afterward they wanted him to
return. They wished him to take block
Of marble. which had been lying at the
gates of the city, and fashion it into some
masterpiece, and Michael Angelo came
back to the city, and out Of the piece OF
marble that had been lying for years in the
dirt of the city he made his David, which
is his masterpiece in many respects. God
by the touch Of affection sometimes and
the touch Of disappointment again has
made many o life over. May He mako
yours!
Second-Elijah. He was q man Of like
passions with ourselves and came from
rugged country. but God made his passions
and his appetites to be like horses to his
chariot by means OF which be was trans.
lated. and he will make the weakness OF
your life to be power il you will let Him.
Third-Paul. His was a bitter nature
and his spirit that of a prosecutor. He
hears of few Christians in Dan, and hur'
ries away that he may cast them into pri.
son. and from the man OF bitterness and
prejudice he Is changed into the little old
man a prisoner in Rome who cries out, Il
suadcd that He is able to keep that which
I have committed unto Him against that
day." and all because he had found Christ.
When the children OF Israel made their
way across the land they came to the
waters of Mara, which were very bitter.
They were all but dying Of thirst, but
Moses cast the wood Of certain tree into
the waters and they became sweet. Into
Paups life had been pressed the principles
of the cross; not His will. but Gods was
to be done, and he was made happy.
Fourth-Peter. He was a man OF weak.
ness, but transfgured into a man OF
strength. He was ignorant, but he writes
the Epistle that stands as his monument
ment. and all because he added Christ to
his life. So it is not question as to who
we are or what we have been, but whether
we are united to Him.
It is said that Ole Bull was making his
way at one time through one Of the great
Am crican forests. and he came upon hut
in which dweit hermit. He had left his
city home because disappointed in busi-
ness, and had been living alone for years,
his only companion being his old violin,
on which he could play n few homely
pieces Of music. Ole Bull stopped in tho
hut over night, and in The shade Of the fire.
light. to entertain his guest, the Old her
nit took down his violin and played tho
simple pieces with which he had whiled
away his long hours OF loneliness. When
he had finished playing the great musician s
reply was. "I hardly think it possible; il
took me years to learn, and yet" said he,
you might try" and so the great violin
ist took the instrument. drew his bow
across the strings and instantly the room
was filed with harmony. He played
"America" and Home, Sweet Home" "
until the old hermit sobbed like child,
and then putting the instrument back
again IN its place the old hermit was made
to understand that he was in the presence
Of the greatest violinist of the day. But
what difference of the violin when in the
hands Of the hermit and in the hands Of
the master The tones of one were any
thing but complete; the music of the mas
ter was perfect. and 90 it is not 30 much
question as to what our lives have been.
nor what we are ourselves. but altogether
the question is a. to whether we are con-
trolled absolutely by Christ. This 10 ths
surrendered life.
DrssdlnE the Future.
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