The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-10-02

ACOR LIE A4I4&v GA60 004 ~ IVY w AASo'NAs
Infinite temptations spring upon US from
these places Of public concourse. Amid so
much afiuence how much temptation to
covetousness, and to be disconnected with
our humble lot. Amid 80 many opportuni-
ties for overreaching, what temptation to
extortion. Amid so many saloons Of strong
drink, what allurement to dissipation. In
the maelstroms Of the street, how many
make quick and eternal shipwreck. II q
man-of- war comes back from Q battle, and
is towed into the navy yard, we go down to
look at the splintered spars and count the
bullet holes, and look with patriotic admira
ton on the flag that floated in victory from
the masthead. But that man is more of a
curiosity who has gone through thirty
years Of the sharpshooting of business
life, and yet sails on, victor over the
temptations Of the street. o how many
have gone down under the pressure, leav-
ing not so much as the patch of canvass to
tell where they persisted. They never had
any peace. Their dishonesties kept tolling
in their ears. If had an ak, and could
split open the beams of that fine house,
perhaps l would find in the very heart of it
a skeleton. In his very best wine there is
smack Of the poor mans sweat. 0, is it
strange that when man Nas devoured
widows houses he is disturbed with indi-
gestiona All the forces of nature are
against him. The floods are ready to drown
him, and the earthquake to swallow 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 marts of
business, proving themselves the heroes of
the street. Mighty were their temptations,
mighty was their deliverence, 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-facedness Do all the
people who wish you good morning really
hope for you happy day! DO all the peo.
pie who shake hands love each otherl Are
all those anxious about your health who in
quire concerning its Do all want to see you
who ask you to call? Does all the world
know half as much as it pretends to knows
Is there not many wretched stock Of goods
with 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 pretensionsl
Oh how many there are who swagger and
strut, and how few people who are natural
and walk. While tops shipper, and fools
chuckle, and simpletons gggle, how few
people are natural and laugh. The courtesar
and the libertine go down the street In
beautiful apparel, while within the hear
there are volcanoes of passion consuming
their life away. / say these things not tt
create in you incredulity and misanthropy
nor do forget there are thousands Of PEG
pie great deal better than they seem; but
do not think any man is prepared for thu
conflict Of this life until he knows this par
| ticular peril. Ehud comes pretending X
pay his tax to King Eglon, and while ht
stands in front Of the King, stabbs hin
through with dagger until the haft wen
in after the blade. Judas Iscariot kissei
| Christ.
| Again, the street impresses me with TIL
fact that it is great field for Christian
charity. There are hunger and suffering
and want and wretchedness in Tie country
but these evils chiefly congree he In o.
great cities. On every street crime prowls
and drunkenness staggers, and sham
winks, and pauperism thrusts out IT. hant
asking for aims. Here want Is most squalit
and hunger is most lean. A Christian man
going along street in New York, saw
poor lad and he stopped and said: IN,
boy, do you know how to read and writer
The boy made no answer. The man aske,
the question twice and thrice: "Can yel
read and writer and then the boy answere,
with tear FLASHING on the back Of his hand
He said in defiance mo, sir; can't rea.
or write, neither. God, sir, don't want m
to read and write. Didn't He take away m
father so long ago never rememberto hay
seen hint and haven't had to go along tn
street to get something to fetch home to ca
for the folksl and didn't I, as soon as
could carry basket, have to 60 out an
pick up cinders, and never have no school
ing, sir! God don't want me to read, sir.
can't read nor write neither" o, those poo
wanderers They have no chance. Bor
in degradation, as they get up from thei
hands and knees to walk they take thei
first step on the road to despair. Let US G
forth in the name Of the Lord Jesus Chris
to rescue them. Ifyou are not willing to &
forth yourself, then give Of your means
and if you are too lazy to 90, and If you ar
too stingy to help, then get out of the wa
and hide yourselves in the dens and cave
of the earth, lest, when Christ's chariC
comes along, the horses hoofs trample 70
into the mire. Beware lest the Thousand
of the destitute of your city, in the las
great day rise up and curse your stupidit
and your neglect. One cold winters de-,
as Christian man was going along N
Battery in New York, he saw . little 81
| sootnd ~ tba eofa chivarin with tho o,l.
He said to her: "My child, what do you 8
there for, this cold day!h "O,n she r
piled, Il am waiting-1 am waiting fl
somebody to come and take care of me.
"Why," said the man, "what makes yc
think somebody will come and take care
you." CO." she said, ''my mother died la
J week and was crying very much, and sf
, said: Don't cry, my dear; though ! a
gone and your father is gone, the Lord wi
, send somebody to take care OF you N
: mother never told lie she said some OF
would come and take care of me, and l a
waiting for them to come" q, yes, the
are waiting for you. Men of great heart
: gather them in, gather them in. 1t 10 N
the will of your Heavenly Father that OF
of these little ones should perish.
, Lastly, the street impresses me with Il
, | fact that all the people are looking forwar
!, / see expectancy written on almost evel
: face l meet between here and Brookly
/, bridge, or walking the whole length
Broadway. Where you find thousar
5 people walking straight on, you only fiji
t one man stopping and looking back. II
D fact is, God made us all to look ahead b
! cause we were immortal. In this tramp
the multitude on the streets, | hear Il
tramp of great host, marching and marc
ing for eternity. Beyond the Office, Il
: store, the shop, the street, there is a worl
: populous and tremendous. Through God
: grace may you reach that blessed place.
4 great throng fills those boulevards, and u
= streets are a-rush with the chariots of co
! querors. The inhabitants go up and dow
i but they never weep and they never to
: A river flows through the city, wi