Christian herald., February 23, 1883, Page 6, Image 6

The Beauty and Power of Sor­ vior’s love, and the - certainty of flashes of the fire of youth are gone, the charm omnipotent against all
row.
blissful mansions beyond the river, but the flame of more earnest feel­ our foes, the remedy for all ~our
Who willingly chooses sorrow ?
Sunshine and song are universally
desired. But God is wise; storm
and winter have an important mis­
sion, as well as perfumed zephyrs
—~■MtWP’fWmmeriff-gnldenprime. Many
a darkened chamber, and many a
clouded life-career are invested with
heavenly brightness, and, teach, in
divine language and emphasis, that
------ Borro w is¡rnrtnistering mangel to the
chosen heirs of salvation ; that the
love of a tender Fathei lodges some­
times in a piercing pain. And can
not the reason of this be easily
seen ? “ A burnt child dreads the
fire.” Cau.tion is learned through
adverse events. And often natural
perversity, or intense “ wrong-head­
edness,” can be converted only by
Bome severe experience. Men learn
to shun sin by suffering for sin.
Affliction, causing reflection upon
the penalties of evil acting or think­
ing, and the heinousness of ingrati­
tude to God, the loving Lord, leads
to safer paths.
---- --- --A b eautiful -tesron of trust emer­
ges just here. Felt weakness grows
out of suffering; and a deep sense
of God’s minute care and far reach­
ing power is born in the soul. Then
comes healthy leaning on God. He
is near; he knows our frame; we
trust him. What wonderful count­
ing that in the Bureau of Engrav­
ing at Washington, where bank
notes are printed ! The paper in
blank sheets is accurately counted
at the mill.
These sheets are
counted out to the printer, who
prints with black ink on the backs
of the notes. After he prints them
they are again counted. Once more
account is taken when the faces of
the notes are printed, and again
■when the numbers and seal of the
United States are put on. Then
they are put away in packages of
one hundred and one thousand. Is
not this strict numeration—accurate
knowledge ? Infinitely mure inti­
mately does God know ; and his ar­
rows make men remember how he
counts his sheep, and arresting
guilty steps, causes the erring to
repent, trust and love. Obedience
becomes sweet and leads to green
pastures. “ Before I was afflicted I
went astray, but now I have kept
thy word.”
Sorrow teaches men that this is
not their home.
Pilgrims and
strangers seek a permanent rest;
earthly ties are loosened ; heavenly
prospects brighten. To look above
is safety. Consciousness of a Sa:
«
soothe the troubled spirit, and make ing remains.
The pilgrims have reached the
thorny paths on earth easy to tread.
land of Beulah, that happy country
•• Though in a foreign land,
whose days are as the days of
We are not far from home,
And nearer to onr house ab^ve
heaven upon earth. Angels visit
We every moment come.”
it. celestial gales blow over it, flow­
Ts Tt not a ^bnous inissioti
ers of paradise grow in it, and the
sorrow, too, to teach men to sympa­ air is filled with seraphic music.
thize with and bear each other’s Some dwell here for years, and
burdens ?
How wonderful and others come to it but a few hours
electric the touch of human sympa- before their departure, but it is an
thy. Who can bring solace to a Eden on earth. We may well long
smitten soul like one who' has also for the time when we shall recline
been pierced by a like wound ? in its shady groves, and be satisfied
Our Saviour was afflicted and with hope until the time of fruition
tempted like men, that the reality comes.
v
of his clinging and helping love
The setting sun seems larger than
* when aloft in the sky, and a splen­
might be seen and felt.
dor of glory tinges all the clouds
" Blest be the tie that binds
Oar hearts in Christian love ;
which surround his going down.
The fellowship of kindred minds
Pain breaks not the sweet calm of
Is like to that above.”
the twilight of age, for strength
So the tried, the chosen in the made perfect in weakness bears up
furnace of affliction, learn to bless with patience under it all. Ripe
God. “ Afflictions are blessings to fruits of choice experience are gath­
us when we can bless God for afflic­ ered as. the rare repast of life’s
tions.” God lives in them, and evening, and the soul prepares itself
they are happy in him, their all. for rest.
——~——------ ---- ;
—T he Lo r d's people shall also enjo y
a marvelous softness and beauty light in the hour of death. Unbe­
over human character.
Divine lief laments ; the shadows fall, the
graces bloom in the soul and daily night is coming, existence is ending.
grow in richness. Holiness is en­ Ah ! no, crieth Faith, the night is
throned in the heart and shines in far spent, the day is at hand. Light
the life. Is not this beauty of ho­ is come, the light of immortality,
liness—the daughter of refining sor­ the light of a Father’s countenance.
row—more precious than any earth­ Gather up thy feet in the bed, see
ly array ?
the waiting band of spirits. An­
Then the power righteousness is gels waft thee away. Farewell, be­
made manifest. Does it not gird loved one, thou art gone; thou
with strength to resist and conquer xpavest thy hand. Ah ! now it is
temptation ? Doe3 it not give a light. The pearly gates are open,
majesty and force to every effort for the golden streets shine in the jas­
good ? The sorrows of the Son of per light. We cover our eyes, but
God break sinners’ hearts, open the thou beholdest the unseen. Adieu,
way to heaven, and lead them as brother, thou hast light at eventide,
conquerors, to glory. To God’B such as we have not yet.
people, under His Holy Spirit’s “ O long expected day, begin "f
working sorrow is often their beauty Dawn on these realms of woe and sin ;
and their strength.
Fain wonld we tread the appointed road
And sleep ir death, and wake with God.”
“ Soon will yoar sorrows all be o’er,
And you shall sweetly tell,
On Canaan’s calm and pleasant shore,
<• That all at last is well.”
t -N. C. Presbyterian.
—Spurgeon.
“ The Name Jesus.”
The Aged Christian.
“ At evening time it shall be light.”
16: <.)
(Zech.
Oftentimes we look forward with
forebodings to the time of old age,
forgetful that at evening-tide it
shall be light. To many saints old
age is the choicest season in their
lives. A balmier air fans the mari­
ner’s cheek as he nears the shores of
immortality ; fewer waves ruffle his
sea; quiet reigns, deep, still, and
solemn. From the altar of age the
Jesus ! How does the very word
overflow with exceeding sweet and
light and love and life ! Filling
the air with odors like precious
ointment poured forth, irradiating
the mind with a glory of truth in
which no fear can live. Soothing
wounds of the heart with a balm
that turns the sharpest anguish in­
to delicious peace, shedding through
the soul a cordial of. immortal
strength. Jesus ! the answer to all
our doubts, the spring of all our
courage, the earnest of all our hopes,
sicknesses, the supply of ail our
wants, the fullness of all our de­
sires. Jesus I melody to our ears,
altogether lovely to our sight, man­
na to our taste, living water to our
thirst. Jesus! our shadow from
the heat, our refuge from the storm,
our cloud by night, our morning
star, our Sun of Righteousness«
Jesus! at the mention of whose
name“exery knee shall bow and
every tongue confess.^" Jesus our
power, Jesus our rigeteousness, Je­
sus our sanctification, Jesus our re­
demption, Jesus our elder brother,
Jesus our Jehovah, Jesus our Im­
manuel ! Thy name is the most
transporting theme of the church,
as they sing going up the valley of
tears to their home on the mount
of God—thy name shall ever be the
richest chord in the harmony of
heaven, where th6 angels and the
redeemed unite their exulting, ador- -
ing songs around the throne of God
and the Lamb. Jesus ! thou only
canst interpret thine own name,
thou hast done it by thy work on -
earth, and thy glory at the right
hand of the Father; Jesus, Saviour !
—Dr, Betkuni.
An Infidel Cured.
A few years ago an infidel lawyer
in St. Louis, during the progress of
a great revival which he ridiculed,
was on his way to a drug store to
procure some medicine for his sick
child. It was a bright afternoon of
the Lord’s day, and a street preach­
er was speaking of Jesus to an im­
mense crowd in one of the worst
quarters of the city. The curiosity
of the infidel was excited, and he
stepped for a moment on the edge
of the vase throng to see what the
gathering of so many persons meant.
Not a word the preacher uttered
could he hear ; but near him, and
mounted on a wagon, stood a man
who was pouring forth a volume of
blasphemy and obscenity and hate,
cursing the Bible and Christ and
Christianity. The infidel noticed
that he had quite a group of sym­
pathizers around him, who laughed
at his coarse jests and loudly ap­
plauded his vile sentiments. But
he also noticed the group was made
up of the very scum of society.
Thieves, burglars, prostitutes, bloat­
ed drunkards—men and women and
half grown lads upon whom the
police kept a watchful eye—consti­
tuted the admiring audience of the
foul wretch who was flooding them
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