Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-26

to dissipation. In the maelStrCmS OF the
street, how many make quick and eternal
sbipwreck. II man OF war comes back
from a battle and is lowed into the navy
yard, we 90 down TO look at the splintered
spars and count the bullet holes, and look
with patriotic admiration on the flag that
hoated in victory from the masthead But
that man is more of q curiosity who has
gone through thirty years OF the sharp
shooting of business life, and yet sails on,
victor Of the temptations of the street. U!
how many have gone down under the
pressure. leaving not so much as the patch
of canvas 10 tell where they persisted
They never had any peace. Their dishon-
estes kept tolling in their ears. If had
an ak and could split open the beams OF
that fine house perhaps ! would find IN
the very heart of it skeleton. In his very
best wine there l. a smack of the poor
mans sweat. o! is it strange that when
a man has deyoured widows houses he is
disturbed with indigestion? All the forces
of nature are against him The floods are
ready to drown him and the earthquake
to swallow him and the fire 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 marts of business, proving them
selves the heroes of the street Mighty
were their temptations mighty was their
deliverance 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 two faceduess! Do all the
people who wish you good morning really
hope for you a happy day: Do all tbs
people who shake hands love each other!
Are all those anxious about your health
who inquire concerning il: Do all want
to see 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
wretcbed stock of goods with brilliant
show window?
Passing up and down these streets to your
business and your work are you not i'm
pressed with the fact that much of society
is hollow and that these are subterfuge'
and preiensions: O. how many are there
who swagger and strut, and how few
people who are natural and walk. While
simpletons giggle, how few people are
natural and laugh. The courtesan and
the libertine go down the street in beauti-
full apparel while within the heart there
are volcanoes of passion consuming their
life away. / say these things not to
create in you incredulity and misanthropy,
nor do j forget there are thousands Of
people great deal better than they seem;
- l. L. l. l., -aA
for the conflict of this life until he knows
this particular peril. Ehud comes pre-
tending to pay his tax to King Eglon, 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. On every street crime
prowls, and drunkenness staggers, and
shame winks, and paupeIism thrusts out
its hand asking for aims. Here want Is
most squalid and hunger is most
lean. A Christian man going along a
street in New York saw a poor lad and
he stopped and said: ''My boy, do you
know how to read and writer" The boy
made no answer. The man asked the
question twice and thrice: 'Can you
read and write" and then the boy an
swered with a tear FLASHING on the back
of his hand. He said in defiance: mo,
| sir; l can't read nor write either. 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 himi
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 l could
carry a basket have to 60 out and pick up
cinders and never have no schooling, siri
| God don't want me to read, sir. l can't
read nor write neither"
| D, 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 60 forth yourself
| then give OF your means; and if you are
too lazy to go and 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 comes along the horses
hoofs trample you into the mire. Be-
ware lest the thousands of the destitute
of your city in the last great day rise
up and curse your stupidity and
your neglect. One cold winters day as a
Christian man was going along the Bat
| terry in New York he saw little girl seat
ed at the gate shivering in the cold. He
said to her: My child. what do you sit
there for this cold day! "she replied,
81 am waiting for some body to come aud
take care of me-" "Why," said the man,
what makes you think any body will come
and take care of your" co." she said,
my mother died last week and was cry
ing very much, and she said: Don't cry,
my dear, though 1 am gone and your
father is gone the Lord will send some
body to take care of YOU My mother
never told lie; she said some body would
come and take care Of me and am watt
ing for them to come" o, yes, they are
waiting for you. Men of great hearts
gather them in, gather them in. 1t is not
the will of your Heavenly Father that one
of these little ones should perish.
Lastly, the street impresses me with
the fact that all the people are looking
forward. 1 see expectancy written on
every face 1 meet between here and
Brooklyn bridge. or walking the whole
length of Broadway. When you find d
thousand people walking straight on, you
only find one man stopping and looking
back. The fact is, God made US all to
| look ahead because we are immortal In
this tramp of the multitude on the streets,
hear the tramp Of a great host, march
ing and marching for eternity.
Beyond the Office, the store, the shop,
there is a world, populous and tremendous.
Through Gods grace, may you reach that
blessed place. A great throng fills those