The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-08-24
PrisOners of the Lord.

Paul often calls himself "the slave of
Jesus Christ" And if any man ever be-
.onged to another, body, soul and spirit.
Paul belonged to Jesus Christ. For Him
Paul lived and loved, wrought and wrote.
suffered and died. Ii those mute hps of
his moved at all after his bleeding head
dropped from the block it must have been
In last endeavor to utter the name of his
beloved Lord
Once Paul calls himself "the prisoner of
the Lord And that was true title, for
was he not IN prison oft for the sake OF
the testimony OF the gospel? Nor did he
ever boast a prouder title than lust this
the prisoner of tie Lord Decorations for
which others strove he absolutely dis
iained. This was his badge of honor, this
his insignia OF distinction He gloried
ever in the cross OF Christ and in the cross
he bore for Christ.
Paul was in good company when he was
in prison for the Lord. Count over the
names OF those who have been banished
from home, sold into captivity, immured
IN dungeons and otherwise deprived OF lib.
erty Tor Conscience's sake, and you nave an
lllustrious band.
There is Joseph, in Jail, because of his
firm resolve to do no sin. There is Daniel,
cast into a wild beasts den, because he
would not dshonor God by defying man.
There is John the Baptist in Herod's dun.
geon because he rebuked wickedness in
high places. There is Peter, victim of Her.
DDS cruelty, languishing in gloom. There
is John, to whom the island OF Patmos was
rockbound, sea-glrt prison. These are
all prisoners of the Lord. They share with
Paul the splendid fame of counting not
liberty dear unto them for the sake of
their loyalty to God.
John Bunyan was prisoner OF the Lord
when he wrote his immortal Pilgrim
Dream. Nine. Guyon was a prisoner OF
the Lord when she sang:
"A little bird am.
Shut from the fields of air,
And in my cage | sit and sing
10 Him who paced me there;
. Well pleased a prisoner to be
Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee"
But not alone those who have worn lit.
eral chains and suffered literal bondage,
for conscience sake or duty's, are prison.
.rs OF the Lord. Many an invalid patient
and trustful in spite of long helplessness
and pain; many a mother weary with the
care OF household and children, yet brave
and hopeful withal; many man limited
to narrow sphere by poverty, yet think
ing great thoughts and bearing his share
OF the burdens OF the kingdom OF God /;
many self'eXlled pioneer OF progress, mis-
sonary or explorer, who prepares the way
for the gospel in heathen lands or in dis.
tant parts Of our own; many an humble
worker, who voluntarily limits his freedom
and restricts his leisure that he may do
something for somebody is as surely a
prisoner OF the Lord as was the great apos.
tie
And this is the comfort of every such
soul: The Lord is with His people in
prison. He gives their souls sweet liberty.
He rests them when they are weary, lifts
them up when they are faint and whispers
in every hour OF darkness and night OF
pain: Fear not, Tor | am with thee;
neither be thou di,mayed ior | am thy
COD; | will strengthen thee; yea, ! will
help thee; yea, will uphold thee with the
right hand Of Ny righteousness. '-Phiia.
delphia Ledge.