The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-11-14

is what Solomon meant when he said:
'"Ths rich and the poor meet together:
the Lord is tho maker of them all
like this democratic principle oftthe Cos
pei of Jesus Christ which recognizes the
fact that we stand before one God on one
and the same platform. Do not take on
any airs; whatever position you have
gained in society, you are nothing but
man, born of the same parent, regener-
ated by the same spirit, cleansed by the
same blood, to lie down in the same dust.
to get up in the same resurrection. It is
high time that we all acknowledged, not
only the fatherhood of God, but the
brotherhood of man.
Again, the street impresses me with
the fact that it is very hard thing for
man to keep his heart right and go to
Heaven. Infinite temptations spring
upon US from these places of public con-
course. Amid so much aff1uence how
much temptation to covetness, and to be
disconnected with our humble lot. Amid
so many opportunities for overreaching,
what temptation to extortion. Amid so
much display, what temptation to vanity.
Amid so many saloons of strong
drink, what allurement to dissipa-
lion. In the maelstrOms of the street.
how many make quick and eternal ship
wreck. If a man-of-war comes back
from battle, and is towed into the navy
yard, we go down to see the splintered
spars and count the bullet holes, and
look with patriotic admiration on the flag
that foated in victory from the mast
head. But that man is more of Gu.
riosity who has gone through thirty
years of the sharp shooting of business
life, and yet sails on, victor over the
temptations of the street. Oil how
many have gone down under the press.
ure, leaving not so much as the patch of
canvas to tell where they persisted. They
never had any peace. Their dishonesties
kept tolling in their ears.
If l had an axe and could split open the
beams of that fine house perhaps l
would find in the very heart of it o skel-
etOn. In the vary best wine there is q
smack of the poor mans sweat Oh! is
it strange that when a man has devoured
widows houses he is disturbed with indi-
gestion? All the forces of nature are
against him. The floods arc ready to
drown him, and the earthquake to swal-
low him, and the fires to consume him,
and the lightnings to smite him. But
the children of God are on every street,
and in the day when the crowns of
Heaven are distributed some of the
brightest will be given to those men who
were faithful to God and faithful to the
souls of others amid the marta of bust
ness, proving themselves the heroes of
the street. Mighty were their tempta-
tons, mighty was their deliverancs, and
mighty shall be their triumph.
Again, the street impresses me with the
fact that life is full of pretensions and
sham. What subterfuge, what double
dealing, what twofacedness? d. all the
people who shake hands love each other?
Are all those anxious about your health
who inquire concerning it? Do all want
to soc you who ask you to call? Does all
the world know half as much as it pre-
tends to know? Is there not many a
wretched stock of goods with a brilliant
show window? Passing up and down
these streets to your business and your
work, are you not impressed with the
fact that much of society is hollow, and
that there are subterfuges and preten-
sions? Oh, how many there are who
swagger and strut, and how few people
who are natural and walk While fops
shipper and fools chuckle and simpletons
giggle, how few people are natural and
laugh.
The courtesan aud the libertine go
down the street in beautiful apparel,
while within the heart there are VOL
canoes of passion consuming their life
away. I say these things not to create
in you incredulity and misan thropy, nor
do forget there are thousands of peo-
pie great deal better than they seem;
but do not think any man is prepared
for the conflict of this life until ne knows
this particular peril. Ehud comes pre-
tending to pay his tax to King E zion,
and while he stands in front of the King
stabs him through with a dagger until
the haft went in after the blade. Judas
Iscariot kissed Christ.
Again, the street impresses me with the
fact that it is great field for Christian
charity. There are hunger, and suffering,
and want, and wretchedness in the coun-
try, but these evils chiefly cOngregate in
our great cities. Ga every street crime
prowls, and drunkenness staggers, and
shame winks, and pauperism thrusts out
its hand asking for aims. Here want is
most SOU aid and hunger is most lean. A
Christian man going along a street in
New York saw poor lad, and he stopped
and said: my boy, do you know how to
read and writer" The boy made no an
swer. The man asked the question twice
and thrice: fCan you read and write?''
and then the boy answered with a tear
FLASHING on the back of his hand.
He said in defiance: mo, sir; l can't
read nor write neither. God, sir, don't
want me to read and write. Didn't He
take away my father so long ago / never
remember to have seen him? And
haven't had to go along the street to
get something to fetch home to eat FOR
the folks? And didn't !, as soon as 1
could carry basket have to go out and
pick up cinders, and never have no
schooling, sir? God don't want me to
read, sir. can't read nor write neither"
Oh, these poor wanderers They have
no chance. Born in degradation, as they
get up from their hands and knees to walk
they take their first step on the road to
despair. Let us go forth in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue them. II
you are not willing to go fortl yourself,
then give of your means; and if you are
too lazy to go, and If you are too stingy
to help. then get out of the way, and hide
yourself in the dens and caves of the
earth, lest when Christ's chariot com es
along, the horses hoofs trample you into
the mire. Beware lest the thousands of