Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-06-23

wasted their opportunity. Both Of us are
the engineer oflong express trains Of in.
fluence, and we will run them into dc.
pot Of light or tumble them off the en-
bankment.
BEN FRASKLIN's EPITAPu.
What q useful life and what glorious
departure was that of the most famous Of
all American printers, Benjamin Frank
lin, whom iniidels in the pcnury Of their
resources have often fraudulently claim
cd for their own, but the printer who
moved that the Philadelphia convention
be opened with prayer, the resolution lost
because majority thought prayer un.
necessary, and who wrote at the time he
was viciously attacked: MY rule Is to go
straightforward in doing what appears
to me to be right, leaving the consequence
to Providence" and who wrote this
quaint epitaph showing his hope of res
direction, an epitaph that hundreds Of
time: read while living in Philadelphia:
The Body
BENJAMIN franklin, Printer.
like the cover OF an old book.
Its contents torn out,
And strip OF Its lettering and gilding)
Lies here food for worms.
Yet the work itself shall not be lost.
For u will tas we believcdD appear once more
Aud more beautiful edition,
Corrected and amended
The Author.
CIIRIsT's REPORTERs.
That Providence intends the profession
Of reporters TO have mighty share In the
worlds redemption is suggested by the
fact that Paul and Christ took a reporter
along with them. and he reported their
addresses and reported their acts. Luke
but the Acts Of the Apostles. and without
that reporters work We would have
known nothing of Stephens martyrdom.
and nothing Of Tabitah's resurrection,
and nothing Of the falling and unjailing
of Paul and Silas, and nothing Of the ship.
wreck at Mclita. Strike out the rcpor.
ter's work from the Bible and you kill
large part Of the New Testament. II
makes me think that in the future of the
Kingdom Of God the reporters are to bear
mighty part.
About 10 years ago n representative Of
an important newspaper took his seat In
this church. one Sabbath night, about five
pews from the front Of this pulpit, lie
took out pencil and reporters pad resolv.
ell to caricature the whole sence. When
the music began he began. and with his
pencil he ,leri,led that, and then derided
the prayer. and then dcrided the reading
of the Scriptures, and then began TO de
rid the sermon. But, he says, for some
reason, his hand began TO tremble, and he,
rallying himself, sharpened hls pencil and
started again, but broke dcwn again, and
then put pencil and paper in his pocket
and his head down on the front Of the
pew and began TO pray. At the close Of
the service he came up aud asked for
the prayers of others and gave his heart
to God; and, though still engaged In news
paper work, he Is an evangelist, and hires
hall at his own expense, and every Sab
hath afternoon breaches Jesus Christ to
the people. And the men ofthat profess
ion are going TO come In body through.
out the country. know hundreds Of them.
and more genial or highly. educated class
Of men II would be hard TO find and, though
the tendency Of their profession may be
toward skepticism, an organized common
sense. Gospel invitation would fetch them
to to the front of all Christian endcavcr.
Men ofthe pencil and pen. in all depart
ments, you neesl the help Of the Christ
Ian religion. In the day when people
want 10 get their newspapers at three
cents, and are hoping for the time when
they can get any Of them At one cent, and.
as q consequence, the attaches OF the
printing press are by the thousand
ground under the cylinders, you want
God TO take care Of you and your
families. Some Of your best work Is as
much unappreciated as was Millions Par
adise Lost" for which the author received
ts5; and the immortal poem "IIohenlin'
den," Of Thomas Campbell, when he first
offered Il for publication and In the column
called Notices TO Correspondents" ap-
peare,l the words: "TO 7. C.-The lines
commencing 'On Linden when the sun was
low are not up To our standard. Poetry Is
not r. forte.
INSIGNIFICANT MEANS DO WONDERS.
o men the pencil aud pen amid your un-
appreciated work you need encourage
ment and you can have II. Printers Of all
Chrisientom, editors, reporters, compost
tors, pressmen. publishers and rea'iers Of
that which is printed resolve that you will
not write. SET up. edit, issue or read any
thing that debases body. mind or soul. In
the name Of God, by the laying ON OF tale
hands Of faith and prayer, oriain the
printing press for righteousness and lib
erty aud salvation. All Of us with some
influence that win help In the right 'direc-
tlon, let US put our hands TO the work, Inn
ploring God TO hasten the contamination.
A sAle with hundreds Of passengers ap-
preaching the South American coasi, the
man on the lookout neglected his work,
and In few minutes the ship would have
been dasled 10 ruin oa the rocks. But a
cricket ON board the vessel that had made
no sound ell the voyage set mp q shrill
eall 9. he smell ofland, and the captain.
knowing thsi habit Of the insect, the YES
eel was stopped In time To avoid an awful