The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-07-17

COeS QlStf1Duted among the children,
and then she told us how kind we
must be to our father in his loneli-
ness, and then she kissed us goodby
and went asleep as calmly as child
in cradle"
What made her SO composed? Natu-
raj courage? "No," you say, mother
was very nervous; when the carriage
inclined to the side of the road, she
cried out; she was always very week
ly:" What, then, gave her composure?
Was it because she did not care
much for you, and the parG of part
ing was not great? "Oh," SC! say,
"she showered upon us a wealth ii
affection. No mother ever loved her
children more than mother loved
us. She showed it by the way she
nursed us when 1--WE got sick, and she
tolled for us 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, cit 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 should all meet her at last ut the
foot of the throne"
Here ale people who say, "I saw a
Christian brother die,and he triumph
ed" And some one else, II saw a
Christian sister die, and she trium-
phed." Some the else will cay, "I
saw Christian daughter die, and
she triumphed." Come all ye who
have seen the last moments of a
Christian, and give testimony in this
case Oh trial. Uncover your heads,
put your hand on the old family Bi-
bic 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 gospel to
give calmness end triumph in the
last exigency? The response comes
from all sides, from young, and
old,and middle aged: "Where are the
witnesses"
You see, my friend, I have not put
before you to-day an abstraction, or
chimera, or anything like guess-work.
l present you affidavits of the best
men and women, living and dead
Two witnesses in court will establish
fact. Here are not two witnesses,
but thousands of witnesses-on earth
millions of witnesses, and in heaven
asgreat multitude of flwitnesses thatno
man can number-testifying that
| there is power in religion to convert
| the soul, to give comfort in trouble.
and to afford composure in the last
hour. If ten men should come to
you when you are sick with appall
ing sickness, and say they had the
| same sickness, and took a certain
medicine, and it cured them, you
would probably take it. Now, sup
pose ten other men should come up
and say, owe don't believe there is
anything in that medicine" "Well,"
l say, ''Have you ever tried it?"
mo, 1 never tried it, but don't be-
lieve there is anything in it," Of
course you discredit their testimony.
The sceptic may come and say, "Thero
| is no power i'll your religion" Have
you ever tried it," "No, no." "Then,
avaunt!" Let me take the testimony
of the millions of souls that have
been converted to God, and comfort
ed In trial, and solaced in the last
hour. We will take their testimony
as they cry, eve are witncsses!"
Some time ago Professor Henry,
| of Washington, discovered q new
star, and the tidings, sped by sub
marine telegraph, and all the obser.
vatories of Europe were watching for
that new star. Oh, hearcr, looking
out through the darkness of thy soul
to-day, canst thou see bright light
beaming on thee? "Where?" you
say; "where? How can I find it,"
Look along by the line of the cross of
the Son of God. DO you see it tremb-
ling with all tenderness and beaming
with all hope? It is the Star of Beth
lehem.
Deep horror then my vitals froze.
Death struck ceased the tide to stem,
When suddenly n star arose
1t was the Star Of Bethlehem.
On, hearer, set your eyes on it. 1t
is easier for you now to become q
Christian than it is to stay away from
Christ and heaven.
When Madame Sonntag began her
| musical career she was Kissed off
the stage at Vienna by the friends of
her rival Amelia Steininger, who had
already begun to decline through her
dissipation. Years passed on, and
one day Madame Sonntag, in her
glory, was riding through the streets
of Berlin, when she saw little child
leading n blind woman, and she said,
''Come here, my little child, come
here: Who is that you nIe leading
by the hand?" And the little child
rephed, "Ihat's my mother; that's
Amelia Steininger. She used to be n
great singer, but she lost her voice
and she cried so much about it that
she lost her eyesight." Give INV love
to her." said Madame Sonntag, "and
tell her an old acquaintance will call
on her this afternoon" The next
week in Berlin vast assemblaoe
gathered at benefit for that poor
blind woman, and it was said that
Madame Sonntag sang that night as