The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-10-04
StecpIcs and Ouicksnuds.

In the county of Kent. England, says the
Rev. Wilbur +. Crafts. in the Voice, is the
little borough of Tenterden, containing
about five thousand inhabitants About
thirty miles away. in early times. was the
estate OF Earl Godwine, on the sea coast
Hall century after the Earl's death about
500 years ago the bishop Of the diocese built
steepIe TO lenterden church. A lew months
afterwards the sea swept through the dikps
and carried away the Earl's estate, which he
came dangerous quicksand. known since as
toodwin Sands No sooner had the angry
sea carried of his prey than the villagers
gathered together to ask themselves why TIE
calamity had occurred. The older men of the
village were asked for their opinions i'm turn
Az length ono old man, pointing To the
steepc thirty miles away. said solemnly
Ienterden steeple was the cause OF Goodwin
Sands The remark was greeted with
burst OF laughter, and for centuries was used
as n proyerU whenever any one fell into
the illogical argument known ns most hoe
ergo, proptcr hoc-aft'r this therefore be
cause of this. But later explorations prove
that the old man was right. Historic docu
ments show that revenues previously de.
voted TO keeping the sea wall In repair wore
taken 10y the bishop because the sea had been
quiet for u year or two TO build the church
steepe, and so the dixie had been neg lectcd
aud gave way before the wild CHARGE of tho
waves, anu a fair estate became "A deadly
quick sand.
Why have the floods Of intcmrcrnncc i'm
tho last thirty years captured so much of
our national estate, and male IL a uuicksand
iull of licensed pits uf DEATH "rentrrdrn
stecpo was the cause OF Goodwin Sands
cur churches have given too much of thcir
time aud money and energy TO luildm.
stcrpc, of ccClrsl,tCism. aud too little t0
the practical dlse.huldng of prevent We r..
form work. l"j uS not uut into tho st,rplc.
building of church pride the money and
effort aud work that Is more mp rntiyrl,
needed To max" every sabbath school u rpgi.
ment or company In tho Coh U1'cr .IrDIy.
e. make every Christian an uh-taincr aud
an advocate of abstinence. Down there
IN tho pewS there are mon and
oven boys whose flushed faces and
b"rrv breath proclaim that the alcoholic
tooi Is break ng through upon th m. What
IS the minister doing up there IN the pulpit,
le-huilllng- preaching about future
probation for dead heather that cannot bo
hoped 10y any tn ore, we may devise Nnn
of tod, hark! DO YOU not hear the crash of
the wild sen on the neglected dykes close mt
handf DO you not soe men and bovs-nye,
women anl girls right before who's, fnit
estate of health and home and hop, will soon
be the drunkard's quicksand, il You do not
strengthen the old dikes Of the pledge aud
Prohibition
Come down from your stceplcs q men Of
God, preachers, teachers. parents, and
strengthen these dillcs
1hisk of preachers meeting discussin,
"The Politics Of Calvin when the pol tics of
the devil, with its mad waves Of rum. il
da,hing against their very doors Well has
IL been said that pulpit silent on the temper.
ance question dScrclits itself aS much ns n
pulpit silent about dishonesty. Both of these
questions are "in politics rs subjects of leg.
lsl1tion. Let not thnt fact make conseryn-
tiyeS neglect the dixie of Prohibition. nor
radicals the equally important dixie of tho
pledge.