The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-11-05


Yes, yes; in all these cities and amid
the towering Western prairies, and on
the slopes of the Pacific and amid the
Sierras, and on the banks of the lagoon,
and on the ranches of Texas there is an
uncounted multitude who this hour
stand and sit and kneel with their win
dows open toward Jerusalem. Some of
them played on the heather of the Scottish
hills. Some of them were driven out by
Irish famine. Some of them in early life
drilled in the German army. Some of
them were accustomed at Lyons or Mar
settles or Paris to see on the street Victor
Hugo and Gambetta. Some chased the
chamois among the Alpine precipices.
Some plucked the ripe clusters from 1tal-
ian vineyards. Some lifted their faces
under the midnight sun Of Norway. 1t Is
no dishonor to our land that they remem.
Der the place of their nativity. Miscreants
would they be if, while they have some of
their windows open to take in the free air
of America and the sunlight of an atmos-
phere which no kingly despot has ever
breathed, they forgot sometimes to open
the window toward Jerusalem. No won
away from home, at hearing the National
air of his own country sung, the malady
of Inconsistencies comes on him so power.
fully as to cause his death. You have the
example of the heroic Daniel of my text
for keeping early memories fresh. Forget
not the old folks at home. Write often,
and if you have surplus of means and
they deficit, make practical contribution
and rejoice that America is bound to oil
the world by ties of sanguinity as is no
other nation. Who can doubt but that it
is appointed for the evangelization of all
lands? What stirring, melting, gospel
izing theory that all the doors of other
nations are open toward US while our win :
dows are open toward them!
But Daniel in the text kept this port
hole of his domestic fortress Enclosed be-
cause Jerusalem was the capital of sacred
influences. There smoked the sacrifice.
There was the holy of holies. There was
the ark of the covenant. There stood the
temple. We are all tempted to keep our
windows open on the opposite side,
toward the world, that we may see and
hear and appropriate its advantages.
What does the world say? What does the
world think? What does the world do?
Worshipers of the world instead of wor
shippers of God. Windows open toward
Babylon. Windows open toward Corinth.
Windows open toward Athens. Windows
open toward Sodon. Windows open
toward the fats instead of windows open
toward the hills. Sad mistake; for this
world as god is like something I saw
the other day in the museum of Stras :
burg, Germany. The figure of virgin
in wood and iron. The victim in olden
time was brought there, and this figure
would open its arms to receive him, and
once embodied, the figure closed with
hundred knives and lances upon him,
and then afterward let him drop 1S) feet
sheer down. So the world first embraces
its idolaters. then closes upon them with
many tortures, and then lets them
drop forever down. The highest
honor the world could confer was
to make a man Roman Emperor,
but out of sixty three Emperors it al
lowed only six to die peacefully in their
beds. The dominion of this world over
multitudes is illustrated by the names of
coins of many countries. They have their
pieces of money which they call sover-
eigns and half-sovereigns, crowns and
half.crowns, Napoleons and half-Napo-
Icons, Fredericks and double Fredericks
and ducats and Isabellinos, all of which
names mean not so much usefulness as
dominion. The most of our windows
open toward the Exchange, toward the
salon of fashion, toward the God of this
world. In olden times the length of the
English yard was fixed by the length of
the arm of King Henry l., and we are apt
to measure things by variable standard
and by the human arm that in the great
crises of life can give US no help. We
need. like Daniel, to open our windows
toward God and religion.
But, mark you, that good lion.tamer is
not standing at the window, but kneeling
while he looks out. Most photographs
are taken of those in standing or sitting
posture. now remember but one picture
of man kneeling, and that was David
Livingstone. who. in the cause of God and
civilization, sacrificed himself, and in the
heart of Africa his servant, Majwara,
found him in the tent, by the light
OF candle stuck on the top of a
box, his head in his hands upon the
pillow and dead on his knees. But here is
great lion-tamer living under the dash
of the light and his hair disheveled by the
breeze, praying. The fact is that man
can see further on his knees than standing
on tip-toe. Jerusalem was about $50 stat.
ute m les from Babylon, and the vast Ara
bian desert shifted it's sands between
them. Yet through that open window
Daniel saw Jerusalem, saw all between it,
saw beyond, saw time, saw eternity, saw
earth and saw Heaven. Would you like
to SEE the way through your sins to par.
don, through your troubles to comfort,
through temptation to rescue, through dire
sickness to immortal health, through night
to day, through things terrestrial to things
celestial? You will not see them till you
take Daniels posture No cap of bone to
the joints of the fingers, no cap of bone to
the Joints of the elbow, but cap of bone to
the knees, made so because the god of the
body was the god Of the soul, an especial
provision for those who want to pray, and
physiological structure joins with spirit
ual necessity in bidding us pray, and pray
and pray. In olden time the Earl of
Westmoreland said he had no need to pray.
because he had enough pious tenants on
his estate to nrau fnr hiv,. l,,,+