Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-03-03

which roll AMI swc,i Gnd thunder and
whisper and pray AMI chant and die
From out of every grotto stretches
some hand or lifts some snowbank or
flaps some wing or. like n eats eye.
blinks some emerald or, tiger.like
glares the bloodShot eyeball of some
rLn.- or flashes some emerald. Ard
wnLe all the chimes Of all the towers
are beginning 10 ring suddenly sta
lactite n any tons i'm weight breaks
loose and crashes upon the floor. II
shivers, rolls over once or twice and
then lies still. to be decomposed b. the
coming eges. \ marvellous and en-
chanting place Is Luray cave OF old
Virginia.
All its walls are strangely sculptured.
Column high and cbasni wide.
IT'S the lace where all the shadows
or the past years silent hide.
But when ] stood within the walls
Of that fascinating place I said to my
self: How like selfish man Is this caves
His heart IL a heart or stone. Amid
the sufferings ami troubles CT n sinful
world. with all his vast resources for
doing good, lie buries himself I'm a wall
Ell citadel. which is called his home or
his store. He lives. he breathes, he
eats. he sleeps. lie works for himself,
and himself alone. Oh, brother. RAY
your gospel peace be no. like the gilt
tering grandeur hidden I'm the darkness
of l.uray cave in Virginia or of n 81
lent river Styx flowing through the
dark halls OF Mammoth cave of old
Kentucky! May 1t be river OF life,
bringing. peace and joy and hope to all
who are willing to bend down their
parched and sinful lips TO lap of the
spiritual waters.
River OF Triumph.
But cannot close this sermon upon
this beautiful text without finding one
more symbol. The pleading river Is
not only river of cousecra ton to God.
but river OF triumph. 1t is not only
the crystal gates through which, as the
Jordan OF death. we shall enter the
tomb. but 1t Is the crystal gates by
which we shall leave the wilderness or
trouble and earthly wanderings and en-
ter into the promised land OF heaven
Is like n river. stop at the brink of the
grave?
We have read how George Frederick
Handel on the river Thames won his
great musical victory over the irate
George !. Of England. When King
george was elector Of Hanover he BE-
friended the young unknown musician
Handel and made him court musician.
But after Handel had won musical
fame he tired of the Hanover court
and hied himself to London. This great.
ly enraged the elector. When he became
king of England rs George /. he would
have nothing to do with his old favor.
lite. But one day the king gave a great
fete upon the river Thames As the
royal barge moved along another barge
followed, playing twenty five concertos
OF music. These coneertos, gathered to-
gether under one musical head, are
known us the celebrated water mul
Sic OF Handel. Every musical instru.
ment then known was utilized in the
orchestra. "Ah," said King George, mo
one could compose such music as that
but my old court musician, Freder-
lex Handler At once the king restored
Handel TO favor and gave to him n sal
airy OF $1,000 per year. But, though
Handel upon the river Thames was
able TO play himself into the good
graces OF an earthly king. our divine
peace, like n river. shall yet open for us
more triumphant entry into the royal
courts of heaven. There we shall not
have 10 play as Handel played, but we
shall have oil the celestial choir which
sang for the shepherds above the Ju-
daesn hills sing for US the halIeluiah
chorus OF royal and divine welcome.
But l think myself OF one suggestive
fact about this same river Thames.
Though Handel by sweetest harmony
may have played himself into the good
graces OF an earthly king. yet lie was
playing his water music upon the
stream which washed the iron gratings
or the traitors gate" or the old Tow.
CT OF London. Through this gate the
English kings sent their enemies for
incarceration or decapitation. oh, my
friends. can IL be that you or I must
ever pass through the traitors gate.
which is today swinging over the river
or death for those who love not Godf
Can 1t be that there shall ever come a
time when God shall speak to us or
eternal condemnation with the follow
ing words: "Oh. that thou hadst heark-
ened unto my commandments; then
had thy peace been as n river and thy
righteousness as the waves OF the sea ~
Oh, for the peace, the everlasting peace.
or God, which is like n rIveri
copyright. 1906. by Louis Klopschl