Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-02-03
.w1ysrDE PROPHEE

= WAYsrDE PROPHEE
while riding in buggy through tho
country in Northern Ohio. We noticed
that fences and bridges were adorned
With various aottoes, painted in large
letters, and calculated to arrest the eye
of the spiritually Indifferent On the
fence at certain cross-road was printed
aPrepare to meet thy God, and
sEternal life il FREQ. On 9 stone
abutment Of . bridge appeared the
startling injunction. Repent OF go 20
hell Other notices ct different
places were, Repent, you wicked sin
ner, Watch and pray. and LET your
light shine. On inquiry we learned
that this is the work Of jealous old
gentleman, who drives aboutrin can
vas-covered wagon, spreading, % he
believes, the gospel Of Righteousness.
Thes, can he no a>aht th".. 's>ne so ''
is startled occasionally out Of ito
lethargy BY sight Of one Of these
sentences The farmer, driving his
load Of produce to the CITY, thinking Of
nothing but the state Of the market,
may be suddenly reminded that there
are things shove the sale Of
corn and potatoes. The butcher,
driving his cattle to the slaughter
house, may suddenly recollect that
souls. o. well as bodies, must have food.
The careless pedestrian. saunterings
along, thoughtless, Of any save material
wants, may be disagreeably confronted
by the thought Of spiritual needs. The
comfortable man Of the world, satisfied
with his surroundings, in time may be
forcibly reminded Of an existence in
eternity, wherein worldly goods confer
no comfort The sensualist, the drunk
ard, the robber, and oppressor may be
sometimes brought up standing BY one
Of these wsrside sermons. Scofrng will
not obliterate the impression. The
letters burn on the brain. Like an ac-
cusing spirit they follow the man, and
will not down at his bidling. When
he would laugh, they silence his mirth.
He sees them in the bottom Of the
social glass. They transform the
faces of his former boon companions,
and make them hideous. The seed
sown by the wayside has taken root,
and sometime must bear fruit in char
acter. 9nch q work may these sem
fences on fence and stone perform.
And if but one soul is made better the
patient painter will be rewarded.
Many may laugh at his Jealous at
tempts to reform tho world by printing
his gospel on board by the roadside;
but it is more sensible to print it in a
book? This man has put his message
where he who runs may read. It will
not be silenced, nor could any prophet
scream louder. The flowers by the
roadside speak the same, but men can
not hear their voices. Cloud and sum
light, brook and meadow paint the same
words, but men are blind to these
they do not heed them. And 80 this
wayside prophet goes forth to paint in
characters which still mean something
to human eyes (though even these are
fast becoming meaningless) the gospel
of righteousness. Do not call him
over Jealous, nor enthusiast. He rec
ognizes the needs Of the hour and the
blindness of men, and he conforms his
conduct to these. When men can read
the higher Scriptures his brush will not
be needed. But when that time comes
many pens will lose employment, and
the hum of printing presses will be
diminished. Scion Lasler, IN Unity.