The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-01-15


| might learn tn. lesson together to-day
have brought before you these two springs:
Whether thektrict exegesis of the text will
allow the Interpretation or not, L am very
sure that Ill will agree that it is perfect
illustration. To drink at the neither
spring is salvation. but to drink at the up
per spring is a high privilege that is OF
iercd to every child of God. l could bring
so many passages of Scripture to you
what / mean. Take Ephesians i: 3:
'Birssed be the God and Father OF our
lord Jesus Christ. who hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
Or. Col. ii: 70: Buried with Him in bap-
tism. wherein also We are risen with Him,
through the faith of the operation of God,
who bath raised Him from the dead"
Or, take Col. iii: l-3: "If We then be risen
with Christ. seek those things W hich are
above. where Christ sitteth on the right
hand OF God. Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth. For We
are dead. and your life is hid with Christ
in God" Or, take Phil. iii: 20: "For our
conversation is in heaven. from whence
also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ"
I would that We might all drink at the
upper spring. What peace would then fill
our hearts! When we drink at the lower
spring VIC come to be at peace with God,
but when we learn to drink also at the
upper spring we have the peace OF God,
and there is great difference. between
the two. 1t is something like the differ.
ence between microscope and telescope.
With the first we can see things near, and
in hulk not larger than grain OF sand L
can find thousand million animalculae,
bnt with The latter | can see things afar
off. I can actually study the Milky Way,
which is removed IRON me thousands and
thousands Of miles At the neither spring,
first OF all. I see myself and all my sinful
ness; then / see Christ in all His righteous
ness: then ! hear Him say that though
nv sins be like scarlet they shall be az
spring am made whole. but with the up
per spring it is different. Like the tee
scope il is all abort the things which are
above. and as 7 drink at it's waters find
myself being lifted above this world, and
nv conversation. not or'v. but my very
life. nay be in the heavenlies.
And the way to this upper spring il
pointed ont very plainly to us. ! remem-
her the dream OF Jacob as he was going
from Beersheba to Haran. 1t was of the
ladder which was set unon earth, the top
OF which reached up to heaven.
This ladder is set for US. It reaches to
j
ladder is Christ; His feet rest uDon the
earth. His brow is bound with the glory
Of heaven. The events Of His earthly life
are the earthward end Of the ladder; His
divinity. His finished Mcssiahship, His
peraetdal priesthood the topnost end. in
a distant city fire was raging. 1t was
thought that all the inmates had been
saved, when to the horror Of the bystaad-
crs two children were seen standing at
third-storv window. 1t was before the
days of the almost perfect appliances for
the saving Of lives. Two ladders were
hurriedly spliced together and lifted to
the side of the building. There was
shout OF terror when it was found that
the ladder lacked six feet Of reaching the
children. In moment brave fireman
was mounting the ladder; he reached the
topmost round. and then stood for mo-
mcnt halancinr himself until he had caught
the window sill with his hand. and then
over his BODY. which supplied the gap be-
tween the ladder and window the children
came slowly down until outstretched hands
reached them in safety And this is what
the Lor1 Jesus Christ did for you,and for
me! There was no way for us back to
heaven. We were estranged from God.
.Aad then He came in His incarnation. and
on the platform erected by the patriarchal,
as it were, in His own body. reaching up
His hands, He took hold of God. and the
way was made complete. And so it has
come to pass that not onlv in Christ We are
saved. but it is also true that we mount BY
Him into the very secret place of the Most
High. And this is drinking at the upper
spring.
Thus the secret Of this Great blessing is
to he found by abiding in Christ. DR.. Cor
don used to tell a little circumstance which
came beneath his eyes in New England,
which presents to US figure Of it all.
Two little ssplings grew side by side.
Throuoh the action of the wind they
crossed each other. BY and bv the bark
OF each became wounded and the sap be-
gan to mingle until in some still dav they
became united to each other. This pro-
cess went on more end more until they
were firmly compacted. Then the stronger
began to absorb the life from the weaker:
it crew stronger while the other grew
weaker ard weaker until finally it dropped
away and then disappeared. And now
there are two trunks at the bottom and
only one at the top. Death has taken
away the one. lifc has triumphed in the
other