The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-09-11

to bring illustrations of dying triumph,
to go back to some distinguished per-
sonage-to John Knox or Harriet
Newell. But want you for witnesses.
l want to know if you have ever seen
any thing to make you believe that
the religion of Christ can give you COM
posture in the final hour. Now, in the
courts, attorney, jury and judge will
never admit mere hearsay. They de-
mand that the witness must have seen
with his own eyes, or heard with his
own ears, and so am critical in my ex-
animation of you now; and l want to
know whether you have seen or heard
any thing that makes you believe that
the religion of Christ gives you com
posture in the final hour.
"Oh, yes," you say, Il saw my father
and mother depart. There was great
difference in their death beds. Stand
ing by the one we felt more veneration.
By the other, there was more tender
ness" Before the one, you bowed per-
haps in awe. In the other case you
felt as if you would like to go along
with her. How did they feel in that last
hour? How did they seem to act? Were
they very much frightened? Did they
take hold of this world with both hands
as though they did not not want to
give it up? "Oh, no." you say; mo,
remember as though it were yesterday;
she had kind word for US all, and
there were few mementoes distributed
among the children, and then she told
US how kind we must be to our father
in his loneliness, and then she kissed
US goodbye and went asleep as calmly
as a child in CRADLE"
What made her so composed? Nat
ural courage? mo" you say, mother
was very nervous; when the carriage
inclined to the side of the road she
would cry out; she was always rather
weakly" What Thea, gave her COM
posture? Was it because she did not
care much for you, and the pang of
parting was not great? "Oh," you
say, ''she showered upon US a
wealth of affection; no mother
ever loved her children more than
mother loved US; she showed it by the
way she nursed US when we were sick,
and she toiled for rs until her strength
gave out" What, then. was it that
gave her composure in The last hour?
Do not hide it. Be frank and let me
know. ''Oh," you say, sit was because
she was so good; she made the Lord her
portion, and she had faith that she
would go straight to glory, and that we
would all meet her at last at the foot of
the throne"
Here are people who say: II saw =
Christian brother die, and he TIL
umphed." And some one else: 81 saw a
Christian sister die, and she triumphed."
Some one else will saw: 81 saw Chris
tian daughter die, and she triumphed. :"
Come, all ye who have seen the last
moments of Christian, and give tes-
timony in this cause on trial. I'm
cover your heads, put your hand on the
old family Bible from which they used
to read the promises, and promise in
the presence of high Heaven that you
will tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth. With what you
have seen with your own eyes, and
from what you have heard with your
own ears, is there power in this Cos
pei to give calmness and triumph in
the last exigency? The response
comes from all sides, from young, and
old, and middle-aged: 'We are wit
nesses!''
Some time ago Prof. Henry, of Wash
ington, discovered new star, and the
tidings sped by submarine telegraph,
and all the observatories of Europe were
watching for that new star. Oh, hearer,
looking out through the darkness of thy
soul to-day, canst thou not see a bright
| light beaming on thee? 'Where?" you
say; where? How can / find it?" Look
along by the line of the Son of God. Dc
you not see it trembling with all ten
derness and beaming with all hope? 1t
is the Star of Bethlehem.
Deep horror then my vitals froze,
Death struck, ceased the tide to stem,
| When suddenly star arose
| was the star of Bethlehem.
Oh, nearer, get your eye on it. 1t is
easier for you now to become Christians
than it is to stay away from Christ and
Heaven.
When Nine. Sontag began her musical
career she was Missed Of the stage at
Vienna by the friends of her rival,
Amelia Steininger, who had already
begun to decline through her dis
sipation. Years passed on, and
one day Nine. Sontag, in her glory,
was riding through the streets of Ber-
lin, when she saw little child leading
blind woman, and she said: ''Come
here, my little child, come here.
Who is that you are leading by
the hand?" and the little child
replied: That's my mother, that's
Amelia Steininger. She used to be q
great singer, but she lost he1
voice, and she cried so much about
it that she lost her eyesight." ''Give
my love to her." said Nine. Son.
tag, land tell her an old acquaintance
will call on her this afternoon" The
next week in Berlin a vast assent lage
gathered at benefit for that poor, blind
woman, and it was said that Nine. Son.
tag sang that night as she had never sung
before. And she took skilled oculist
who in vain tried to give eyesight t.
the poor blind woman. Until the day