The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-04-07

fall into the hands of the living God" If,
notwithstanding your present conversion
to God, your freedom from SIN, your en-
ioyment of the possession OF grace, you
should forfeit that grace, belle your pro-
fessions of amendment and return to wal
low in the mire of imqulty and then close
YOUR eyes in death an enemy OF God-a
frightful fate awaits you. For death IN
mortal sin lreans an eternal separation
from God. an utter and irreparable fail
ure to attain the destiny for which GOD
created you; the forced companlonshlp or
demons who labored hard for your de-
struction and who will gloat over your
ruin and finally ncver-ending pains IN
fictcd by the omnipotent hand OF an an
cry God. ,,. ~,
But this is a melancholy thought. God
has other motives than fear to deter US
from sin and to inspire us with the reso-
luton to perseverc in His grace; And 1t
is pleasure to turn from the thought OF
punishment to that of reward.
Tbe first effect OF a good life that can
not fail to impress you strongly is the
cheerfulness ard JOY oorn o. the testimony
of a GOOD conscience. Instead Of the de-
pressing and overpowering sense OF quit
produced by sin, you now experience a
light heartedness and a buoyancy which
tells YOU plainly that terrible weight
has been lifted from your soul. The DOM
inant note of your life now is peace. that
''peace which surpasseth all understand
ing" the peace that enables you to look
the world in the face unconscious OF pup
lie offense OF secret dehlement. You were
strangers to this neace while you were
aware that you were not i'll the friendship
of God. Now that it is yours you will
Guard it against all attacks and never
again forfeit it by sin. You will not allow
Yourselves to be blinded by the seductive
and feeting pleasures of the moment. You
will be brave and loyal and steadfast IN
temptation and remain true to your God
and grateful for His mercies. Evermore
Won will keep before your minds the prom
ise of our Lord: :.'Be faithful until death
and will give thee the crown OF llte;
And when, at lact. the struggle Is about
to close and this dreary world IS iadlng
from your sight. with the smile OF God
sweetly beckoning you on, You Will DC ape
to lay down your weary heads IN peace
aad resignation. You vii! take courage
from the declaration of Christ: ne that
perseveres unto the end, he shall be
saved" Death will have no terrors for
YOU because you will be able to regard 1t
as the gate through which all must, pass
60 enter upon the rewards OF eternal lite.
The inspired words of Holy Scripture:
blessed are the dead who die i'll the
Lord" will find their fulhllment IN your
case. for you will 90 cheerfuliy with the
seal of faith to the sweet repose OF ever
lasting peace.
Whittier? To God and HIS heaven. Let
us consider our reward. Let us try to
pierce the skies and eaten = glimpse OF the
joys awaiting us. Our mental VISION
ranges over the myriads g angels md arcn-
nd nrnrhafQ nnOStleS
and martyrs, confessors and virgins, VINO
bask in the sunshine of the presence OF
God. Our souls are transported beyond
the bounds of the material body when we
think that we, too. are called to JOIN IN
the praise of God, with the nine choirss OF
angels. Our hearts expand with Joy when
we behold those now rejoicing who, IKE
us. have battled with ...e enemies OF their
salvation. They have fought the good
fight. they have finished their course, they
have kept the faith. Now they are enjoy
ing the crown of justice which God, the
Just Judge, has awarded them for their
fidelity. They are placed beyond the
reach of tribulation, for in heaven God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and death shall be no more, nor mourn
more, for these things have passed away.
How clearly does their happy state ex-
emplify the apostles words: The suffer.
MOS Of the present time are unworthy or
being compared to the glory to come
which shall be revealed to u.s.
And to think that the blessedness Of the
saints is the destiny which God has
marked out for sou. This Is the hnal
vocation to which God has called. you.
Listen to St. Paul: ''You are, come, says
he, ''to the Mount of Zion, and to the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusa-
lem, and the many thousands OF angels,
and the church of the first born who are
written in heaven, and God the Judge OF
All. and Jesus the Mediator of the New
Testament Has earth any joys compared
to these? Is there anything under God
which can justify us in forfeiting this I'M
mortal happiness? Where shall we find a
more loving father than God, q sweeter
friend than Christ. kinder mother than
Mary. nobier brothers and sisters than the
apostles, martyrs ana virgins already re-
joicing before the throne of God! Oh,
what humiliation it must cause us to feel
ourselves so sin stained and unworthy,
and yet to know that we are called to as.
sociate with such purity and spiendor!
Who are We that we should aspire to the
companionship of the blessed? What have
we done that with them we should gaze
We should intone the canticles of adora-
ton with the quiring seraphim, that We
should kneel as children at the feet OF
the Immaculate Mary, that we should con-
sort with such saints as Peter and Paul,
that we should proclaim the glory Of the
Lamb of God with John the Baptist, that
we should sing His praises with Holy
David, that we should repose in peace and
rest with the victorious martyrs, that we
should attend in the train of Christ with
spotless virgins, that we should behold the
bright radiance of eternal truth and beau.
ty with St. Augustine and St.. Thomas?
Ali this and unspeakably more is the lot
of those who are numbered among the
saints. And yet it is to this that God
invites US, calls US and entreats us.
Let US listen to His voice and let our
thoughts and affections dwell in heaven,
and let lis serve God as the saints served
Him. Strive heroically, consistently and
steadfastly with your passions. Follow
faithfully the means of perseverance point
ed out to you in the holy tribunal of PEN
arce. Keep in sight the crown Of glory
laid up for you. And although your names
may not be registered among the canon
lied, nevertheless L recurrence Of this
happy day will find you reigning in bliss.
The storm will be past, the haven reached,
the inheritance secured. Happiness I'm.
- G.. No,,o 10 ~ .oco nan ,or