The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-16
atherhOOd of God, but the brotherhood of

lnhnlte temptations spring upon us from
these places of public conc0urse. Amid SO
much affiuence how much temptation 20
covetousness, and to be discontentad with
our humble lot. Amid so many oDportuni-
ties for overreaching, what temptation to
extortion. Amid so much display, what
temptation TO vanity. Amid so many sa-
looms of strong drink, what allurement to
dissipation. In the maelstroms of the
street, how mauY make quick and eternal
shipwreok. If IA mau-of-war comes back
from battle, ana is towed into the navy
yard, we go down TO look at the spintered
spars and count the bullet holes, and lolk
with patriotic admiration on the flag that
hoated in victory from the masthead But
that man is more of a curiosity who has
gone through thirty years of the sharp
shooting Of business life. and vet sails on,
victor over the temptations of the street.
Ohi how many have gone down under
the pressure, leaving not so much as
the patch Of canvas to tell whore
they perished. They never had
any peace. Their dishonesties kept tolling
in their ears. If | had an ak, aud 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 a
smack OF the poor mans sweat. Oh! is it
strange that when man has devoured
widows houses he is disturbed with
indigeshoEi All the forces of nature
are against him. The floods arc ready
to drown him, aud the earthquake TO
swallow him, aud 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 dis
tributed, some of the brightest will be
given to those mon who were faithful TO
God and faithful to the souls of others
amid the msrts of business, proving them
selves the heroes Of the street. Mighty
were their temptations, mighty was there
deliverance, and mighty shall be their tri-
umph.
Again, the street impresse5 me with the
fact that life is full of pretensions and
sham. What subterfuge, what double
dealing, what two-facednessg Do all tho
people who wish you good morning really
hope for you happy day? Do all the
people who shake hands love each other2
Are all those anxious about your health
who inquire concerning its D. all want to
see you who ask you to call? Does all the
world know half as much as it pretends to
knowf Is there not many 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 subter-
there are who swagger and strut, and how
few people who are natural and walk.
While fops simper, and fools uckle,
and simpletons giggle, how few people
are natural and laugh. The courte-
san and the libertiue go down the
street in beautiful apparel. while within
the heart there are volcanoes of pas
sion consuming Their life away. say these
things not TO create in you iucredulity and
mic anth do I
thousands of people great deal better than
they seem; but | do not think any man is
prepared for the conflict Of this life until he
knows this particular peril. Ehud comes
pretending 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 a great field for christian
charity. There are munger and suffering
and want and wretchedness in the country,
but these evils chiefly congregate in our
great cities. On every street crime prowls,
and drunkenness staggers, and shame
winks, and pauperism thrusts out its hand
asking for aims. Here want is most
squalid and hunger is most lean. A christian
man, going along street in New York,
saw a poor lad and he stopped and said:
MY DOys uO yOu kuOW NOW 10 TBau anu
write" The boy made no answer. The
man asked the question twics and thrice:
Can you read aud writeP and then the boy
answered with a tear plashing on the back
Of his hand. He said in defiance;
mo, sir; / 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? aud haven't had to go along the
street to get something to fetch nome to eat
for the folkss and didn't |, as soon as
could carry basket, have to go out and
pick up cinders, and never have no schooling,
sir7 God don't want me to read, sir. / can't
read nor write neither" Oh, these poor
wanderersl 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. IL you arenot willing to 20
forth 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 comes
along, the horses' hoofs trample you into
the mire. Beware lest the thousands Of the
destitute of your city, in the last great day,
rise up and curse your stupidity and your
neglect. One c)ld winters day, as a christ
ian man was going along the Battery in New
York, he saw little girl seated at the gate,
shivering in the cold. He said to her: "My
child, what do you sit there for, this cold
dayP' "Oh," she replied. 81 am waiting
| am waiting for somebody to come and
take care of me-" "Why," said the man,
''what makes you think anybody win come
and take care of youp on she said,
'my mother died last week and was cry
ing very much, and she said: Don't cry,
my dear; though l am gone aud your
father is gone, the Lord will send some
body to take care Of you My mother
never told lie she said some one would
come and take care Of me, and / am wait
ing for them to come" 0 yes, they are
waiting for you. Men of great hearts,
gather them 10, 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 for
ward. see expectancy written on almost
every face meet be5wesn here and Brook
lyn bridge, or walking the whole length of
Broadway. Where you fad a thousand
people walking straight on, you find only
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 l hear the
tramp of a great host, marching and
marching for eternity. Beyond the
Office. the store, the shop, the
street. there is world, populous and
tremendous. Through Gods grace, may
you reach that blessed place. A great
thropg fills those boulevards and the streets
are a-rush with tie chariots of conquerors.