The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-06-05

being helped by the fact that so many
large estates have, Immediately after
the testator's death, gone into iquida-
ton. 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. The 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 a 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: SIN the name of God, amen. l,
being of sound mind, do make this my
last will and testament.
The torn wills, the fraudulent wills,
the broken wills have recently been
made such spectacle to angels and to
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 concert hall?" or, 81 am spe-
cially interested in the incurables,' and
how large building would accommo-
date three hundred of such patients?"
or, 1.-THE church of God has been
great help to me all my life, and l want
you to draw me a plan for church,
commodious, beautiful, well 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 1 am well now,
life is uncertain, and before leave the
world want to see something done that
will be an appropriate acknowledgment
of the goodness of God to me and mine;
now when can hear from you?"
In our own city we have many exam
pies of this. What gran leurof benef-
cence has our fellow-citizen, Mr.. Pratt,
demonstrated, building educational in
situations which will put their hands on
the nineteenth century, and the TWEEN
tieth century, and all the centuries!
All honor to such man. Do not say so
when he is dead, say it now. 1t would
be good thing if some of the eulogies
we chisel on tombstones were writ
ten on paper in time for the phi
lanthropists to read them while yet they
are alive. Less post-mortem praise, and
more ante-mortem.
A poor Scotch lad came to America at
twelve years of age, and went to Pitts
burgh. He looked around for work, and
became an engineer in cellar, then
rose to become telegraph messenger
boy, then rose to position in railroad
office, then rose to a 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 free library
in Allegheny City, and now offers
two million dollars for free
library in Pittsburgh. This example
will be catching until the earth is revo-
lutionized. How majestic such men
in comparison with some l wot of,
who amass wealth and clutch it with
both hands until death begins to feel
for their heartstrings, and they dic-
tate to an attorney last will and
testament, in which they spite some
daughter because she married against
her fathers wish, and fling few crusts
to God and suffering humanity, as much
as to say: 81 have kept this surplus
property, through all these severe win
ters and through all these long years,
from 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 a living
dog than dead lion"
In the great city it will be found that
the last shall be first. Tbere are in the
grog-shops and in the haunts of iniquity
to-day those who will yet be models o.
holiness and preach Christ to the people.
In yonder group of young men who came
here with no useful purpose, there is one
who will yet live for Christ and perhaps
die nfor Him. In pulpit stood a
stranger preaching, and he said: 1.-The
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
cowardice, left the building. One Of
the three was hanged for forgery.
Another is in prison, condemned
to death for murder. / was
the third, but the grace Of
God saved Fme." My hearers, give ne
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 Grace! Living and
dying, be that my theme-free grace
Sound it across the continent, sound il
across the seas-free grace! Spell out
those words in flowers, lift them in
arches, build them in thrones, roll then
| in oratorios-free grace! That will VET