The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-07-03

the waters. a:,,i ne IN, hath nSDorey.
come We, buy and ea,: yea, come. buy w!he
and milk without monsy and without pl1ce.
Wherefore a. ye spend your money ior
that which is not bread: and Your ianor
for that which satisfieth not: Hearken dill
icentIy unto me. and eat We that which Is
good, and let your soul delight itself IN
fatness.'
These wells had naaes. 1t is little sim
gular as we study the story OF Abraham
End Isaac to find the names gwen to the
wells, and likewise singular that IN these
names we find revelation OF our own eX'
perience in the journey OF life. -. -,
First, the first well was named Strife:
We have I'll had drink at this well. we
have had it in our business as We have
been striving for success; we have met 1t
IN our homes as we have aimed to conduct
them as homes should ever be conducted
We might as we'll understand that as we
dig wells in this word we must expect op-
position. We cannot be let alone, and THIS
strife will come from one OF three sources,
perhaps from all three.
First.-The world. Jesus said to His
disciples. Marvel not if the world hate
YOU" We must expect to hear from the
devil. 1t is rather o!d-fashioned IN these
days to say that He has personality, but
have had so many dealings with him
myself, and have, seen his work
so perfectly in the lives of 9th.
ers that l know he is a person, but
in many respects the greatest strife must
come from the flesh, and / find hint Of
this in the story Of Isaac. What envy
was to Cain, and wine to Noah, and lewd-
ness to Ham and wealth to Lot. the desire
for venison was to Isaac, for when he was
diving and his thoughts should have been
centered upon Jehovah he longs for venl-
son that he may satisfy himself, and the
story of his getting that venison and its
being traded for birthright is one OF the
sad bits of history of the Old Testament,
but let it be known that whenever man
pampers himself and lives for himself he
is on the way to distress quite as great.
Second. Hatred" This is strange
name for Abraham's well, but so he cal lied
it. Some of US have been there, and alas,
have tasted of the bitter waters. 1t is a
sad thing to have hatred in your heart.
1T hinders prayer; becloudss heaven, takes
the angel out of your face; chokes the song
in YOUR throat; gives your hands the wrong
twist in writing letters. puts between the
lines which almost breaks the heart OF the
reader" He who hates cannot sing. he
cannot pray, he cannot offer sacrifice.
Matthew 5: %, Therefore, if thou bring
thy gift to the altar, and there remember
est that thy brother hath aught against
thee Do this and the song will return
and God will accept the sacrifice. The bit
ter waters of Morah were made sweet by
the casting in of the wood of certain
tree. l tell you Of tree on which Christ
died; get the peace of this Christ into your
experience, live for others. suffer, for 9th
ers, die for others if need be, and the bit
terness of your life will be instantly
changed.
Third room" This, too, is strange
name for an Old Testament well. but with
the opening of this well the strife ceased,
for instantly Isaac had found the place
where God was willing he should stay.
There is a place for every one to stand in
this world. God so intended it. We have
crowded men out of their positions in
these days. 1t is true that with the Tor.
nation and progress OF great trusts there
is little opportunity for some of u:, but
this is not in accordance with the plan OF
God. Somewhere there is a well waiting
to be discovered, and God expects you to
drink ard to be satisfied. 1t may be that
that we'll is in foreign land, perhaps 1t
is in the slums OF our own city, possibly
il may be in your own home, and who
knows but that it is in this church, only
find Gods plan for your life and help to
fill it in and you will be full of JOY:
Fourth.-"Covenant" This Is the name
which was given to the fourth well. We
must pass through discipline. 1t is not
necessary that we should complain about 1t
for this is life When Paul wrote his letter
to the Galatians he said, "Whatsoever a
man soweth that shall he also reap" and
this Scripture is frequently quoted as if
it were for the unregenerate man, and
while it may be applied to him it is for the
Christian. We reap what we SOW and
sow what we reap, in the light of this the
wonder is we have had so little discipline.
Reckon up the prayers you ought to
have offered and never spoke; the deeds
you ought to have done and peyer accom-.
plished; reckon up all neglects, all Of
fences against God and man; all weakness
of character and the wonder is that. we
have not been cut off altogether" But |
summon you to the we'll of the covenant
and bid you open it up. What if We have
discipline and trial when we stand by. Him
who declares, II will be with thee" and
also explains to US, "That our light atrilc-
tions are but for moment" and that as
they tarry, "they work for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory" |
bring you good cheer this morning, "If
God be for US, who can be against u.s."
. H.
But you will notice that Isaac digged
again the wells of water which emphasizes
my subject, "a Revival of Old Customs"
l am very sure that there are some old
customs which in these days We need to
have revived.
First-The old custom of making the
home haven of rest. type of heaven.
and a place of refuge for all the members
of the family circle We greatly underes-
innate the powerful influence of home upon
a young life When Isaac went out to live
for himself you will notice that he pitched
his tent by the we'll Laharoi. think this
must have been because in his childhood,s
days with Hagar, his nurse. and Ishmael.
his half-brother. he tarried there where