St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-11-01

w men Jesus washed my SlIS away
He taught me how to watch and pray,
And live rejoicing every day.
Happy Gay, happy day.,
When Jesus washed my sins away"
But what that song in Heaven is over
N sinner hat repenteth we cannot
| know here. That it is transcend
entally sweeter and richer and fuller
than any song the redeemed sing
| here is certain.
And while Heaven is rejoicing over
another soul saved, that Devil, whom
SO many modern-day preachers and
! rationalistic Christians, the twenti-
eth century Sadducees, are trying to
reason and argue out of existence, is
hanging around the outskirts of the
celestial city and raging in impotent
madness that another sinner has es-
capedhis snare and his destruction. He
tried ito stife that cry before it could
penetrate the pearly gates and reach
the crystal throne. He sent his min
ions post haste to whisper words OF
doubt and encouragement in the
heart of the sin-sick soul. He did his
utmost to quiet the rising fears, and
bolster up the confidence in a false
hope. Satan never let's a soul get out
of his grasp if he can help it, and on
the days when Heaven is the happiest,
he is having his bluest of days. AS the
music of Heaven over the n repent
ant soul which he has lost floats out
to him it drives him back to earth to
redouble his efforts to send souls to
hell. Where the revival is being felt,
and the cry of ~repentant sinners is
heard, there you will find Satan doing
his hardest work. Peter declares that
"your adversary, the Devil, as a roar
ing lion, walketh about, seeking whom
he may devour." And I am rather in
clined to think that Peter caught this
glimpse of the Devil during the thick
est part of one of his great reyivals.
The Value of a Soul.-And if Heaven
rejoices so over n single soul which
repents, and the Devil works SO hard
to compass its destruction, there must
be a value inthat soul which is little re-
allied. Heavens standard of values is
HUI llC SdlAC dS lAoC " u ~ 40
the correct standard and will continue
in use throughout eternities, long after
the earth has melted withfervent heat
and God has established a new heavens
and a new earth. The cheapest thing
in the world to-day is human life. Out
side of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,
life and the welfare of the soul con-
sumo less thought and care than are
given to the dumb brutes, which sus-
tain a positive intrinsic value to their
owners. But it is not our purpose to
discuss the question of mans inhumanr
ity to man, as real and inhuman and
selfish as it may be. We may not be
able to estimate the value which
Heaven puts upon a human soul by
contrasting the cheapness in which it
is held by the world, but perhaps we
may be able to understand something
of it by contemplating the sacrifice
which Heaven was willing to make in
behalf of the lost soul. The song of
Heaven referred to in our text fur
nishes us the secret whereby we may
discover the real value of a soul.
The parallels of the lost sheep and
the lost coin, uttered by our Lord in
connection with the words of u
text, reveal to US two important
facts in regard to the souls value. In
the case of the sheep, individuality OF
the soul is set forth; in that of the
coin, its intrinsic value is emphasized.
and in the parable of the prodigal son,
which follows, we have beautifully il
lustrated the intimate relationship
which exists between God and the
human soul: the empty place in the
household; the vacant chair at the
family table; the love of the father
going out after the son in the far coun-
try; the full and free forgiveness
which is given before the son has asked
for it, and the Joy of the return.
There were an hundred sheep in the
fold of our parable, but every sheep
was different. No two were exactly
alike. The place of the lost sheep,
therefore, could not be exactly filled.
The completeness of the sheepfold is
married by the absence of that one
sheep. The shepherd misses it.
Though the ninety and nine are safe
within the fold, he needs must go out
after the lost sheep. So is it with the
human soul. No two are alike. And
the individuality of the soul gives it
an inestimable value in the sight of
Heaven. No soul a fill the place in
tended for another. A beautiful mosaic
is being worked out in Heaven. If n
stone is missing. it mars the complete
ness of the whole. Is it any wonder,
then, that all the Heavenly hosts burst
into song when a new stone is set and
the pattern grows toward completion?
To understand the value of a soul one
must realize how Heaven prizes the in
dividuality of every soul. Let this
thought take hold Of your heart as
you engage in your Christian service.
Try and see in every soul with whom
you come in touch, as the Master sees,
some individuality, some characters
tic, which just fits into a place that
God would have filled. Don't be an
noyed by the peculiarities of people,
but try to find in them a greater meas
ure of service for the Master. Don't
try to be like somebody else. Be your
self, doing the will of God. Don't envy
some one else, his gifts, or position in
the service of the Lord, but realize and
understand that in your own individ-
uality and characteristics, God can best
work out His purposes, and you will
more perfectly fit into the place left
for you in the Heavenly mosaic.
The Intrinsic Value of a Soul
How can we adequately set forth
what the intrinsic value of a soul is