The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1879-01-22
MISCELLANY.
LIGHT AND SHADE.

HeF. MT. tdlmape cODcluueu one OF his
sermons on crime in New York as he saw it
by giving series of magic lantern views, sup
posed to be thrown on canvass in the church.
In imagination the pastor brought out two
magic lanterns-the lantern of home and the
public lantern-and threw their contrasted
pictures ON the screen.
The magic lantern of the home-a mother
putting her little ones to bed, trying to hush
the flisky and giggling group for evening
prayer. She covers them up to the chin with
the blankets and gives them a warm good
night dress. Then they are left to the guar
dian angels that all long canopy with spirit
wings and truudle bed.
The lantern of the polce-a boy kennelled
for the night under the stairway of hall
through which the wind sweeps, or lying on
the cold ground. He does not go to bed he
has no bed His cold fingers thrust through
his matted hair, his only pillow. He did not
sup last night he will not breakfast to.mor-
row. He did not say his prayers when he re-
tired he knows no prayer. He never heard
the name of God or Christ except as some
the wings of angels, but the dark bat-like
wings of perjury and want.
Magic lantern of home-fanily gathered
around the argand burner. Father with his
feet on ottoman, mother sewing fancy work,
two children pretending to study, but in re-
atty watching the other children who run in
and ont of the rooms like balls full of bounce
Magic lantern of the polce-a group intox-
icated and wrangling, cursrg each other, a
past of shame a future of suffering The
fragments of chair propped against the wall,
fragments of pitcher standing on the worn
out, half broken down mantel. The pail of
refuse brought in from some kitchen torn by
the human swine plunging into the trough.
Magic lantern of the home--A Christian
daughter has just died. Carriages roll up to
the door in sympathy. Funeral service in
toned amid the richly -shawled and kid gloved
going ont toward unparalleled Green wood,
where will be raised monument of FURNISH
ed Aberdeen, with the inscription, She is not
dead, but sleepeth'
Magic lantern of the police-a poor waif of
the street has just expired. Did she have
any doctor ? No. Did she have any medi-
cinep No. Are there no garments to wrap
her in for the tomb? None. Where are all
the good Christians ? Oh, some of them are
in rocking chairs, in morning gowns and ov-
er Bulwer Lytton's account of the last days
of Pompeii-so sorry for that girl that was
petrified-and others of the Christians are in
church kneeling on soft cushions, praying for
the forlorn Hottentots. The carpenter I'M
rolls measuring tape and decides she will
need a box five and a halt feet long. One of
the men gets on the lid and brushes it to its
place. Wait for the city missionary No,
es just like this to bury before noon. How
is the grave to be filled up? Christ suggests
a way. Perhaps it had better be filed up
with stones. Let those who are without sin
come ard cast stone at her till the excava-
tion is filled. | see a form coming slowly
across the Potter's Field, walking as though
his feet nurt. He comes to the grave and
stands there all day and night. 1t is the Christ
of Mary Magdalen. Then thought that per-
haps there might have been dying prayer,
pcnitential tear around that miserably spot.
At last there may be greater resurrection pow
er hare than when Qneen Elizabeth comes out
of her mausoleum in Westminster Abby.