The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-04-10

the testator's death, gone into Hquida-
tion. Attorneys with large fees are
employed on both sides, and the case
goes on month after month, and year
after year, and after one court decides,
it ascends to another court and is de-
cided in the opposite direction, and
then new evidence is found, and the
trials are all repeated. Tho children
who, at the fathers funeral seemed to
have an uncomfortable grief, after the
will is read go into elaborate process to
prove that the father was crazy, and
therefore incompetent to make q will;
and there are men on the jury who
think that the fact that the testator
gave so much of his money to the Bible
society and the missionary society, or
the opening of free library, Is proof
positive that he knew not what he was
signing when he subscribed to the
words: "In the name of God, amen. ],
being of sound mind, do make this my
last will and testament
The torn wills, the fraudulent wills,
the broken wills have recently been
men that all over the land successful
men are calling in architects and say
ing to them: How much would it cost
for me to build picture gallery for our
town. or, What plans can you draw
me for a concert hall?" or, II am spe-
cially interested in the fncurables,' and
how large building would sccommo-
date three hundred of such patients?"
or ''The church of God has been a
great help to me all my life, and want
you to draw me a plan for church,
commodious, beautiful, we'll ventilated,
and with plenty of windows to let IN
the light; 1 want you to get right at
work in making out plans of such
building, for, though / am well now.
life is uncertain, and before leave the
world I want to see something done that
will be an appropriate acknowledgment
of the goodness of God to me ard mine;
now when can hear from you?"
A poor Scotch lad came to America at
twelve yeexs of age, and went to Pitts
burgh. He looked around for work, and
became an engineer in cellar, then
rose to become a telegraph messenger
boy, then rose to position in railroad
Office, then rose to place in telegraph
Office, then rose to be superintendent Of
a railroad, then rose till he became an
iron and steel manufacturer, then rose
until he opened free libraries in his ma
tive land, and last month a free library
in Allegheny City, and now offers
two million dollars for a free
library in Pittsburgh. This example
will be catching until the earth is revo-
lutionized. How majestic such men
in comparison with some / wot OF,
who amass wealth and cluech 1t with
both hands until death begins to feel
for their heartstrings, and they die
tate to an attorney last will and
testament, in which they spite some
because she married against
her fathers wish, and fling few crusts
to God and suffering humanity, as much
as to say: II have kept this surplus
through all these severe win
ters, and through all these long years,
from a needy and suffering world, and
would keep it longer if could, but as
must give it up, take it, and much good
may it do your Now we begin to un;
derstand the text: Better is living
dog than a dead lion"
Who would attempt to write the obitI
uary of the dead lions of commerce, the
dead lions of law, the dead lions of
the dead lions of social infiu-
ence? Vast capacity had they, and
mighty range, and other men in their
presence were as powerless as the ante
lope or heifer or giraffe when from the
Jungle Numidian lion springs upon its
prey. But they get through with life.
They have made their last sharp bar
gain. They have spoken their last
hard word. They have committed their
last mean act. When tawny inhabi-
tant of the desert rolls over helpless,
the lioness and whelps fill the air with
shrieks and howls, and lash themselves
into lamentation, and it is genuine
grief for the poor things But when
this dead lionsof monstrous usefulness
expires, there is nothing but drama
tized woe, for "Better is living dog
than dead lion"
In the great city it will be found thai
the last shall be first. There are in the
and in the haunts of iniquity
to-day those who will yet be models OF
holiness and preach Christ to the people.
In yonder group of young men who cam6
here with no useful purpose, there is one
who will yet live for Christ and perhaps
die ufor Him. In a pulpit stood Z
stranger preaching, and he said: ''Tne
last time was in this church was fif-
teen years ago, and the circumstances
were peculiar. Three young men had
come expecting to disturb the service,
and they had stones in their pockets
which they expected to hurl at the
preacher. One of the young men re-
ferred to refused to take part in the
assault, and the others in disgust at his
left the building. One Of
the three was hanged for forgery.
Another is in prison, condemned
to death for murder. 1 was
the third, but the grace of
God saved me-" My hearers, give NO
one up. The case may seem desperate,
but the grace of God likes to undertake
dead lift. proclaim it this day to all
the people-Free Gracel Living land
dying,.be that my theme-free grace!
Sound it across the CONTINENT, sound 1t
across the seas-free grace! Spell cut
those words in flowers, lift them In
arches, build them in thrones, roll them
in oratorios-free gracei That will Jet
Edenize the earth and people Heaven
with nations redeemed. Free grace!
salvationi o. the joyful sound.
'Tis pleasure to our ears,
Asoyereign balm for every wound,
cordial for our fears.