Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-01-31
WRECKS OF 1878.

port bearing joyful throngs, are naught
but sunken tombs to-day. And the
dead which the sea gave up, lie buried
on some foreign shore.
At sunset populous city crowned
the mountain-top. Ii was the home Of
beauty and Of age, the abode Of inno-
cent childhood. the store-house of wealth.
But it perished in the twinkling Of an
eye, The light of dawn disclosed little
else upon its site. save those marks Of
rum and of death which indicate the
power of an earthquakes shock.
A waterspout swept down fer
tile valley, teeming with human life.
In its track was left devastation worse
than any which had ever hung on the
skirts of an invading army. A cyclone
smOte village by the sea and few Of
its inhabitants were left to tell the sto-
ry. The business house was "old and
reliable" II grew strong as the centu-
ry advanced. Multitudes trusted il,
leaned upon it, rested securely beneath
its shadow, as does the traveller under
some mighty tree. But it has gone
down this year, and carried them with
it.
There are wrecks of many newly bro
ken homes scattered over the earth.-
Death has wrecked some. and in others
crime has left more cruel traces than
death alone could ever leave. Some
darling of the house. whose presence was
essential last New Years day to COM
plete the joyful circle. is shut up in
PRISON walls.
Who can tell how many family altars
have been wrecked this year? They
were discontinued because the family
moved into new country, or the hus-
band changed his business, SO that it is
mot convenient to have prayers. now,
except perhaps on Sunday, or simply
because the Pickering light of household
piety has grown still DINNER than it
was. If it were possible for US to in-
+ spect for a few months the books that
have been kept this year by the Record
ing Angel, how could the losses record
/ ed on our balance-sheets sink into insig-
nifcance when compared with wrecks
like these There are very few wrecks
of any kind which do not lie at the door
of single man. The captain slept in
his cabin below too long. the business
manager was reckless. the friend of an
hour presented the fatal temptation. The
ship sinks. the bank fails, the soul is
hurried onward toward perdition. And
the wreck is charged to his account
there to remain till the last great day
when God shall judge the world
Are you responsible for any Of these {?
Do you remember any failures Of the
year which might have been successes
if you had only done your very best {?
If yours had been the outstretched hand.
the kind word. yours the home whose
doors we're often opened to welcome the
wounded and the tempted, only opened
in time. there might have been no wreck.
/ Is your church indulging in spiritual
sleep. are your prayer meetings languish-
ing, is your pastors heart discouraged? ?
If you had done your duty it might all
be otherwise. Has your spiritual life.
your love for Christ, been stranded on
some lee-shore of doubt or business
trouble The wrecks may not yet be
50 complete that a prompt effort on
your part will not mend them. Pray
erful labor 10 the vineyard will bring
the longed-for peace Of your own soul.
There are many apparent wrecks
which are proved to be glorious yicto.
ries. The world would be much sadder
thar it is if we could not throw the man.
tie Of charity over many wrecks that w
see. knowing that time changes many
verdicts, and that eternity will chang
many more
At one time the mission Of Chris
seemed failure. # was while the sol
, diers we're driving the nail into th'
cross. while He was tasting the vinega
and hyssop. while the Roman eohort va
guarding bis sealed tomb.
! But the religion Of Christ Is the obI!
thing which the centuries had left un
wrecked Men and measures. form
and theories. courts aud temples. IA
tons and orders all are gone. But th
Cross Of Jesus Christ Is the light. tb
life. the resting place of more souls u
day than il was yesterday or had eve
been. And thus il will be every da
till time shall end. The heart tia
rests beneath the cross Is comforted. =
. The soal that fees 70 il for refuge ca
ever a.
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