The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-02-12

soon became unconscious In the nre, put
here is fifty years. martyrdom, fifty
years. putting to death, yet uncom-
planning. No bitter words when the roll
licking companions, at two O'Clock in the
morning, pitch the husband dead drunk
into the front entry. No bitter words when
wiping from the swollen brow the blood
struck out in a midnight carousai; bend
ing over the battered and bruised
form Of him who, when he took
her from her fathers home, promised
love and kindness and protection, yet
nothing but sympathy and prayers and
forgiveness, before they are asked for. No
bitter words when the family Bible goes
for rum, and the pawnbroker's shop gets
the last decent dress. Some day, desiring to
evoke the story of her sorrows, you say:
"Well, how are you getting along now!"
And, rallying her. trembling voice and
quieting her quivering lip, she says:
"Pretty well, thank you, pretty WELL"
She never viii tell you. In the delirium OF
her last sickness she may tell all the Sc
crets of her lifetime, but she will not do
that Not until the books of eternity are
opened on the throne of judgment will
ever be known what she has suffered.
Oh We who are twisting q garland for the
victor, put it on that pale brow! When she
is dead the neighbors will beg linen to
make her shroud, and she will be carried
out in plain box, with no silver plate to
tell her years, for she has lived a thousand
years of trials and anguish. The gam
blers, the swindlers who destroyed her
husband, will not come to the funeral.
One carriage will be enough for that
funeral, one carriage to carry the or
phans and the two Christian women who
presided over the obsequies; but there is
flash, and the opening of q celestial door,
and shout: Lift up your heads, we ever
lasting gates, and let her come in;"
and Christ will step forth and say, Come
in; We suffered with me on earth, be glori-
fed with me in Heaven What i the
highest throne in Heaven? The throne of
the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. No
doubt about it. What is the next highest
throne in Heaven While speak it seems
to me that it will be throne of the drunk
ards wife, if she with cheerful patience
endure all her earthly torture. Heroes and
heroines!
find also in this roll the heroes Of Chris
tian charity. We all admire the George
Peabodys and the James Lenoxes of the
earth, who gave tens and hundreds and
thousands of dollars to good objects. But
am speaking this morning OF those who
out of their pinched poverty help others
of such men as those Christian missionar-
les at the West, who are living on $50 a
year that they may proclaim Christ to the
people. One Of them writing to the Secre-
tary, in New York, says: 81 thank you
for that SO. Until yesterday we have had
no meat in our house for three months.
We have suffered terribly. Ny childrea
have no shoes this winter" / am speak
ing of those people who have only half
loaf of bread, but give piece Of it to
others who are hungry; and Of those who
have only scuttle of coal, but help others
to fuel; and Of those who have only dol
lar in their pocket and give twenty 1--we
cents to somebody else; and Of that
father who wears shabby
coat, and Of that mother who wears fad
ed dress. that their children may be well
appareled. You call them paupers, or
ragamuflins, or immigrants. ! call them
heroes and heroines. You and 1 may not
know where they live or what their name
b; God knows, and they have more angels
lowering over them than you and I have,
and they viii have higher seat in
Heaven.
They have had only cup of cold water
to give O poor traveller, or may have only
picked splinter from under the nail OF
child's finger, or put only two mites into
the treasury, but the Lord knows them.
Considering what they had, they did
more than we have ever done, and their
faded dress will become white robe, and
the small room will be an eternal mansion,
and the old hat will be coronet Of VIC
tory, and all the applause Of Earth, and
sll the shouting of Heaven, win be
drowned out when God rises up to give his
reward to those humble workers in his
kingdom, and to say to them: 'Wen done,
good and faithful servantsl" You have
all seen Or heard Of the ruin Of Melrose
Abbey. suppose in some respects the
most exquisite ruin on Earth, and yet,
looking on it was not 80 impressed
may set Il down to bad taste, but was
not so deeply stirred-as I was at
the tombstone at the foot
of that abbey, the tomb
stone placed by Walter Scott over the
grave Of an old man who had served for
good many years In his house-the in
scription most significant, and defy any
man to stand there and read IL without
tears coming into his eyes; the epitaph:
s'Well done, good and faithful servantw
O, when our work Is over, win IL be found
that because Of anything we have done
for God, or the Church, or suffering hu-
manity, that such an inscription is appro-
pirate for us. God grant it.
Who are those who were bravest and de-
served the greatest monument-Lord
Claverhouse and his buriy soldiers, q
John Brown, the Edinburgh carrier, and
his wifes Mr.. Atkins, the persecuted min
lister Of Jesus Christ in Scotland, was
secreted by John Brown and his wife, and
Claverhouse rode up one day with his armed
men, and shouted in front Of tho house.
John Browns little girl came out. He said
70 her: "Well, Miss, is Mr.. Atkins herels
She made no answer, for she could not BE-
tray the minister Of the gospel. "Haw
Ciaverhouse said, ''then you are chip Of
the old block, are you, haze something
Ia my pocket for you. Il is Z nosegay.