Milford chronicle., 1888-11-02

Of carnage, but with the victories Of that
art which was so long ago recognized in my
text as pheasant pictures" Oh, the power
Of picturesi | cannot deride as some have
done, Cardinal Mazarin, who, when told that
he must die, took his last walk through the
art gallery Of his palace, saying: Must l
quit all thisi Look at that Titiani Look at
that Correggiol Look at that deluge Of Ca
raccil Farewell, dear picturesw As the
day Of the Lord Of Hosts, according to this
text, will scrutinize the pictures, implore
all parents to see that In their households
they have neither in book or newspaper or
on canvas anything that will deprave.
Pictures are no longer the exclusive posses
sion Of the affluent. There is not a respect
able home in these cities that has not speci-
mems Of wood cut or steel engraving, if not
Of painting, and your whole family will
feel the moral uplifting or depression.
Have nothing on your wall or in
books that will familiarize the young
with scenes of cruelty or wassail; have
only those sketches made by artists in ele-
vated moods, and none Of those scenes that
seem the product of artistic delirium tre-
mems Pictures are not only a strong but a
universal language. The human race is di-
vided into almost as many languages as there
people Of all tongues Volapull many have
hoped, with little reason, would become
world wide language; but the pictorial is
always a world wide language, and printers
types have no emphasis compared with it.
We say that children are fond Of pictures;
but notice any man when he takes up book,
and you will sec that the first thing that he
looks at is the pictures. Have only those in
your house that appeal to the better nature.
One engraving has sometimes decided an
eternal destiny. Under the title Of fino
arts there have come here from France
a class Of pictures which elaborate ar
gument has tried TO prove irreproachable.
They would disgrace a bar room, and they
need to be confiscated. Your children will
carry the pictures of their fathers house with
them clear on 10 the grave, and, passing that
marble pillar, will take them through eter-
nifty.
Furthermore, let all reformers, and all
Sabbath school teachers, and all Christian
workers realize that if they would be effect
i've for good they must make pictures, if not
by chalk on blackboards, or kindergarten de
signs, or by pencil on canvas, then by words.
Arguments are soon forgotten, but pictures,
whether in language or in colOrs, are what
produce strongest effects. Christ was always
telling what n thing was like, and his Ser
mon on the Mount was a great picture
gallery, beginning with a sketch of a
''city on a hill that cannot be hid, T
and ending with a tempest beating
against two houses, one on the rock and the
other on the sand. The parable of the prodigal
son, picture; parable of the s0wer, who
went forth to sow, picture; parable ofsthe
unmerciful servant, picture; parable of the
ten virgins, picture; parable of the talents,
a picture. The world wants pictures, and
the appetite begins with the child who con-
sents to 60 early to bed if the mother viii sit
beside him and rehearse a story, which is
only picture. When we see how much has
been accomplished in secular directions by
pictures es-Shakespeare's tragedies picture,
Victor Hugo's writings all pictures, John
Ruskin's and Teunyson's and Longfellow's
works all pictures-why not enlist, as far as
possible, for our churches and schools and
reformatOry work and evangelistic endeavor,
the power of thought that can be put into
word pictures, if not pictures in colori Yea,
why not all young men draw for themselves
on paper. with pen or pencil, their coming
career, of virtne if they prefer that, Of vice
if they prefer thatl After making the pic
ture, put it on the wall or paste it on the fly
leaf of some favorite book, that you may
have it before you. l read the other day Of
a man who had been executed for murder,
and the jailer found afterwaYd a picture
made on the wall Of the cell by the assassin's
own hand, picture of a flight Of stairs On
the lowest step he had written: "Disobedi-
ence Of parents;n on the second: sabbath
breaking;n op,the third: drunkenness and
gambling;" on the fourth: Murder" and on
the fifth and top step "a gallows." If that
man had made that pictSre before he took
the first step, he never would have taken
any Of them. Oh, man, make another pic
ture, bright picture, an evangelical picture,
and will help you make i'll l suggest siS
steps for this flight Of stairs. On the first
step write the words, "a nature changed by
the Holy Ghost and washed in the blood Of
the Lamb on the second step, Industry
and good companionship;n ON the third step,
"a Christian home with family altar on
the fourth step, ever widening usefulness;'
on the fifth step, "A glorious departure from
this world;n on the sixth step, "Heavenl
heaven! heavenm Write it three times, and
let the letters Of the one word be made up Of
banners, the second of coronets, and the third
of thrones! Promise me that you will do
that, and will promise to meet you on the
sixth step, if the Lord will, through his par
doning grace, bring me there, too.
AID here / am going to say word of
cheer to people who have never had a word
Of consolation on that subject. There are
men and women in this world by hundreds Of
thousands, and some Of them are here to-
,lay, who have a fine natural taste, and yet
eli their lives that taste has been suppressed,
and although they could appreciate the gal
leries of Dresden and ViennSr and Naples far
more than nine hundred and ninety out
of one thousand who visit them, they never
may 20, for they must support their house
holds, and breai and schooling for their
children are of mere importance than pict-
ures. Though fond Of music, they are com
peIled to live amid discord, and though fond of
architecture they dwell in clumsy abodes, and
though appreciativo Of all that engravings
and paintings can do, they are in perpetual
deprivation. You are going, after you get on
the sixth step Of that stairs just spoken Of, to
find yourselves in the royal gallery OF tho
universe, the concentered splendors OF all
worlds before your transported vision. In
some way all the thrilling scenes through
which we and the Church Of God have passed
in our earthly state will be pictured or
brought to mind At the cyclorama OF
Gettysburg, which we had in Brooklyn, one
day blind man, who lost his sight in that
battle, was with his child heard talking
while standing before that picture. The
blind man said to the daughter: "Are there
at the right Of the picture some
regiments marching up a hillf "Yes,"
she said. "Wen," said the blind man,
sis there a general on horseback leading
them onr' "Yes,n she said. "Well. is there
rushing down on these men cavalry charger
"Yes,n was the reply. "And do there seem
to be many dying and deadT' YES" was
the answer. "Well, now, do you see shell
| from the woods bursting near the wheel OF a
cannonr' YES" she said. "Stop right
therer said the blind man. THAT is the
last thing ever saw on earthl What time
it was, Jenny, when lost my eyesightf
But when you, who have found life a hard
battle, a very Gettysburg, shall stand in the
royal gallery of heaven, and with your new
vision begin to see and understand that
|. which in your earthly blindness you
could not see at all, you will point
/ out to your celestial comrades, perhaps
/ to your own dear children who have gone
! A. coo,,ac nf tho On rfhlV conflicts IN