Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

May 24, 1893. A FAMILT PAPER. 6.to sing at the firstpeep of day. The old areoften ready to rise as early as that. "All thedaughters of music ahall be brought low." Thevoice is cracked. The best of singers areobliged to give place to the young, when theygrow old. "Also they shall be afraid of high."I leave out the supplements. The old take veryshort steps, They desire to sleep down stairs—cannot walk up hill—"afraid of the high."His hair is white like a tree covered with white blossoms.If, when walking through the fields,even a is the foundation of it. We receive it through thegrasshopper alights on his arm, he can scarcely shake Holy Spirit. We get it from the Word. " Thy statuteshave been my songs in the house of my pilgrim­"Fears in the way." How they learn to dread it oflf. Soon life is gone, the silver eord is loosed anda journey. And of they fear greatly the last the spirit flies away to God who gave it. The golden age." We get it from prayer, from the Sabbatb, fromjourney. They almost all do, until they enter bowl is broken, the pitcher lies broken at the fountain,the cistern is deserted : service is over, and thethe sanctuary. Ohrist uses all these means to bestowupon it. "The almond tree shall flourish."peace upon us.The almond blossomed before the rains of lifeless dust returns to dust. His days of labor are atWho possess this peace? Not every one. The worldwinter were over. Its pink blossohis fade to an end.may have some measure of enjoyment and satisfactionwhite before they fall, and look like snow. The What was it that makes your grandfather so happyfrom the things of this life, but it has not this truegray head isthe almond tree. "The grasshopper amid all his infirmities? It is his religion. He sitspeaoe. They who possess it are those whom God hasa burden," the least thing is too much for old for hDurs with his Bible on his knee, for he flndsallfavored. They are the chosen of God, the called, theage. "Desire shall fail." This covers the his comfort there. He has known God all his life.whole scope of physical desires. It is strikinglytrue in respect to the demands of the forgotten the name of the man who took dinner withHe flnds it hard to make new acquaintances. He hasredeemed, the regenerated ; those in whom the Spiritdwells. The ones whom God delights in are those onbody for food. The old lose appetite. This is you yesterday. But God is a lifelong friend: Hewhom he bestows this peace. This is clearly true ;the slow process by which "man goeth to his will never lose him.but there is another side to this matter. There is thelong home" leaving "the mourners going about We, if we live, must all grow old. God is the only hnman side, and the remembrance of this is very importantfor our welfare. Those who receive this peacethe streets."comfort of the aged. It is hard for old people to"The silver cord," nervous system. "Goldenbowl," cerebral cavity. "Pitcher at foun­that he may be our comfort when we grow old. who repent of sin, and forsake it. God will not givemake new friends. Let us make God our friend now, are the ones who yield to God, who cease to rebel,tain," respiratory organs. "Wheel at cistern," Repeat the golden text. The way to make God our us peace, if we will not turn from our evil waya.circulatory system—let any of these be damaged,and the fabric falls to pieces. Is it best Whether we die while young or live to be old we believes on the Lord Jesus Cnrist for bis own salva-friend is to fear Him and keep His commandments. Moreover, the one who receives this peaoe is he whoto leave the affairs of our eternal interests to will have to give an account to God of the works we tion ; who prays humbly, trustingly, from day to day;such a time, and such a state as this? Look at have done. What do you think is the most impor­who, also, walks in the pathway of obedience.the conclusion Solomon reaches.This wondrous peace will help to prodnce results inIll The Application, vs. 13 14. 1. Fearour lives, though it is itself a most blessed result ofcertain causes. It is a preventive against sin. WeGod. Here we reach a comprehension of whatis our highest eood. Our true relation to Godis expressed by this word fear.2. Keep his commandments, for this is thewhole duty of man." And this is the wholeduty of man. And this is the whole happinessof man.3. Our future accountability. We shall renderan account of the deeds done in the body."God will call every work into judgment, withevery secret thing, whether it be good orwhether it be evil." To the evil, this must bea thought full of terror. To go back to Godwith a life that is full of nothing but sinful neglectand selfish gratification will fillthe soulwith awful foreboding. But to close up anactive earnest life of devoted and loving service,and realize that Christ will gather out everywell intended act of that life, and, placing it inthe light of his countenance, glorify himself byit, such a thought is ennobling.Reader, have you given your life to Christ?Remember Thy Creator.By Grace Hamilton George.How many of you hava grandfathers? You allknow some old person, I am sure, so you will be ablenot seem so bright. The moon and stars seem dim.Lite looks very diflferent to the old. You know hownervous your grandfather is. How his hand trembleswhen he lifts a glass of water, or tries to write. Peoplesay he used to be tall and straight like your father ;now he is bowed with age. He cannot eat apples orroasted ears of oorn as you do, but must cut themwith his knife because his teeth are gone. His eyesare so dim he cannot read without spectacles. Hehas not the same interest in aflfairs that your fatherand brothers have. He tells m the morning how beoould not sleep last night. He rises before any oneelse in the morning. The birds singing in the treesnear his window waken him. His voice tren. bles sothat he cannot sing. He eannot even ei Joy the smgingof others for he has lost his hearing. He is afraidto venture far ; the hills where you go for flowers hewill not attempt " forjfear it will be too much." Youhear him tell yonr father he is afraid aflfairs in theoountry or in the church are going wrongj they areso changed from what he remembers in his youth.tant thing to be done in this world ? When do youthink we ought to do it ?FRATER MEETING TOPIC.By the Rev. T. H. Acheson.Prayermeeting topic for May 31, 1893 : Peace.Passage : "Peace I leave with you, my peace I giveunto you : not as the world giveth, give I unto you.Let not your heart be troubled, neither letit be afraid."John 14: 27.1. The character of this peace.2. The source of it.3. The possessors of it.4. The results of this peace in their lives.Parallel passages: Phil. 4 : 6, 7. Col. 3 :15. Rom.sweeter, will be the song wtiich our lives will sing£orth to his praise.14: 17. Mat. 11: 38, 39. Jer. 6 : 16. Is. 57: 20,21.26 : 3. Ps. 37 : 7; 36 : 7. Gen. 41 : 16. Is. 48 : REFORMED 18. PRESBYTERIAN CHDRCH SYNOD.Ps. 116 : 7 ; 23 : 2 ; 35 : 13.—The Clerk of Synod would again remind sessionsSuitable psalms : 4 : 6-8. 62 : 5-8 119 :165-16 823 : 1-6. 37 : 37 40 ; 37 : 7.The character of the peace here promised by Christdoes not seem to be peace with God, the state of reconciliationbrought about through the cross of Christ.Nor does Meyer seem to be correct when he says ;"That which men were wont to wish at departure,namely, prosperity, Jesus is conscious of leaving behind,and of giving to his disciples, and that in thebest and highest sense, namely, the entire prosperityof his redemptive work." But, rather, the peaoeto understand the meaning of these verses. Do oldmeant here is peace of mind. " On leaving them,people have as good times as we do? One day youJesus would make them enjoy a perfect inward quietness,such as that which they behold iti himself."were wishing to go out. It was raining. Every oncem a while the clouds would break away and the sun(Godet). ThiS' peace, then, is a feeling, not a state.would shine out. Then just when you were rejoicing,It is not the condition of peace with God, but the feel­the rain came on. Again and again new clouds wouldroll up. Tbat is the way the troubles come to theaged; one after another, a sorrow, a pain, they havesuflfered untill their faces are all marked with lines andcreases that their troubles have left. The sun doesing of rest in hiaa. That this is correct is more evidentfrom the latter part of the verse : " Let not yourheart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'' But peaoeof mind and peaoe with God eaoh imply the other.Oue is the result, the other the caase.Moreover, this peace of mind is the opposite of anysuch feeling which sinners may seem to possess. It isnot indiflference to the truth, not callousness, hardnessof heart. It is not satisfaction with the things of theworld. But it is the absence ot the unrest of oonscience.It is the approval of conscience. It is restfulnessof soul. " And ye shall flud rest unto yoursouls." It is resting in God. It is joy in the HolyGhost. It IB the same peace which Christ himselfhad. When he here says : " My peace I give untoyou," he evidently means, in part at least, that this isthe same peace which he himself enjoys.'Where shall we get this peace? To whom shall wego that we may find rest anto our souls? Let ns goto Christ. "My peaoe I give unto you." He wasleaving behind peace, at this time, for his disciples.He gave them more peace when he sent down to themhis Holy Spirit at Pentecost. They received moreand more peaoe from him as they journeyed onwardand upward in the Christian way. We can get thispeace through the cross of Calvary. The atonementshall not be so likely to long after the pleasures of tieworld. It will keep us from discouragement and despondency.It will make our work go on more efliciently.It will make onr lives mmh more full ofligbt. We shall be a far better example to otherpjThe gloomy Christian is at times a stumbling blockinstead of a beacon. Aud, flnally,this peace will helpus muoh to reflect the glory of God among men. Themora peace we have in our hearts, the clearer, theof the rule requiring " sessions to send the names ofdelegates at least one week before the meeting of thejudicatory ;" also that a certiflcate to be regularmust be " signed by the moderator and clerk of session,or by a majority of the elders, if a congregationbe vacant aud there has been no opportnnilj to makean appointment in constituted session." Please address,0. D. Trumbull, Morning Sun, Iowa.New Uastlb. Pa., April 13, 1893.All minisfers and i Iders who are coming to themeeting of Synod in New Oastle, please send forwardyour names to Eobert Speer, Ohairman of CorrespondingCommittee, Box 161, New Castle, Pa. Sendat the earliest opportunity, and whether you want entertainmentat a hotel or in a private family. Hotelrates from $1.00 to 81-50 per day ; and at boarding.houses and private families at from 75c. to $1.00.Robert Speeb.—Those attending the Synod ofthe Reformed PresbyteiianOhurch at New Oastle, Pa., beginning MaySist, can see more ot this country, can view the mostpicturesque scenery in America, andit traveling fromthe eastern cities can pass through Washini^ton andtraverse the historic Potomac Valley, the theatre ofthe war between the states, by traveling via the Baltimoreand Ohio Railroad. All through passengertrains ot this Company are vestibuled from end toend, and equipped with Pullman Sleeping Cars.Trains leave New York for New Oastle at 13.15 a. m.,and 1.30 p m. , daily; leave Philadelphia 815 a.m.,and 4 00 p. M. For fnll information as to rates, timoof trains and Sleeping Car accommodations, apply toE. G. Tuckerman, City Passenger Agent, 415 Broadway,New York ; James Potter, District PassengerAgent, 833 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia ; or Chas. O.Scull, General Passenger Agent, Baltuuora, Md.