The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-04-07

| God are annexed to the performance OF
| present duties To-day is the day OF mer.
| cy; the future holds the Gay OF justice ana
! of Judgment. "It is a horrible hing 70
| fall into the hands of the living God" Ii,
notwithstanding your present Conversion
to God, your freedom from sin, your en-
| joyment of the possession OF grace, you
should forfeit that grace, belle your pro-
LESSONS of amendment and return to wal
low in the mire OF iniquity and then close
your eyes in death an enemy OF God-a
frightful fate awaits you. For death IN
mortal sin means an eternal separation
from God, an utter and irreparable fail
ure to attain the destiny for which God
created you; the forced companionship OF
demons who labored hard for your de-
struction and who will goat over your
ruin and finally never-ending pains in
ficted by the omnipotent hand OF an an
CRY God.
But this is a melancholy thought. God
has other motives than fear TO deter n
from sin and to inspire US with the reso-
luton to persevere in His grace: And 1t
is a pleasure to turn from the thought OF
punishment to that OF reward.
The first effect of good life that can
not fail 10 impress you strongly IS the
cheerfulness and Joy born c. the testimony
of good conscience. Instead OF the de-
pressing and overpowering sense OF guilt
produced by sin, you now experience
light heartedness and buoyancy which
tells you plainly that terrible weight
has been lifted from your soul. The DOM
inaat 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 unconscioussof pub
lie offense or secret deilement. You were
strangers to this neace while you were
aware that you were not in the friendship
of God. Now that it is yours you viii
guard it against all attacks and never
again forfeit it by sin. You will not allow
yourselves to be blinded by the seductive
and heeting pleasures of the moment. You
will be brave and loyal and steadfast IN
temptation and remain true to your God
and grateful fol. His mercies;; Evermore
you will keep before your minds the prom
ise of our Lord: "Be faithful until death
and will give thee the crown of life.
And when, at Ks, the struggle is about
to close and this dreary world is fading
from your sight, with the smile of God
sweetly beckoning you on, you will be able
to lay down your weary heads in peace
and resignation You will take courage
from the declaration OF Christ: "He that
perseveres unto the end, be shall be
saved" Death will have no terrors for
you because you will be able to regard it
as the gate through which all must pass
to enter upon the rewards # eternal life.
The inspired words OF Holy Scripture:
Lord" will find their fuliliment in your
case, for you will go 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 cate. glimpse of the
1oys awaiting us. Our mental vision
ranges over the myriads angels md arcn-
angels, patriavchs and prophets, 5postles
ana martyrs, confessors and virgins. who
bask in the sunshine Of thc presence OF
God Our souls are transported beyond
the bounds of the material Uody when we
think that we, too. are called TO JOIN IN
the praise of God, with the nine ehoirs or
angels. Our hearts expand with joy when
We behold those now rejoicing who, like
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
ing. nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any
more, for these things have passed away.
How clearly does their happy state ex-
'nrs or the Diesert time ara nuw"rl
being compared to. the glory to come
which shall be revealed to us.
And to think that the blessedness Of the
saints is the destiny which God has
marked out for you. This is the final
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
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 forfeitng this inn
mortal happiness? Where shall we find q
more loving father than God, a swester
friend than Christ, O. kinder mother than
Mary, nobler brothers and sisters than the
apostles, martyrs ana virgins already re-
joicing before the throne of God? Oh.
what humiliation it must cause rs to feel
ourselves so sin stained and unworthy,
and yet to know that we are called to as
sociate with such purify. and splendor!
~
companionship of the blessed? What have
we done that with thsm we should gaze
forever on the bissful vision OF God, that
we should intone the canticles of adora-
ton with the quiring seraphim, that we
should kueel 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
spot.ess virgins, that We should behold the
Bright radiance Of eternal truth and beau-
ty with St.. augustine and st. Thomas:
All this and unspeakably more is the lot
of those who, are numbered among the
saints. And yet il Is to this that Sod
invites us, calls US and ent;eats US.
Let lie listen TO His voice and let our
thoughts and affections dwell m heaven.
and let serve God az the saints served
Him. Strive heroicslly, consistently and
steadfastly with your passions. Follow
faithfully the means OF perseverance point
ed out to you in the holy tribunal OF pen
ance. Keep in sight the crown OF glory
laid up for yoa. And although your names
ha a,,on1 tho a.no~-