The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-07-09

nOur. Now III Jne COURTS, hDVorhoJ, J3AJt
u I'd Judge will never admitmere hearsay.
They demand that the witness must
have seen with his own eyes, or heard
with his own ears, and so am critical
in my examination of you now; and
want to know whether you have seen or
heard any thing that makes you believe
that the religion of Christ gives COM
posure in the final hour.
30, yes," you say, 81 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 II you would like to go along with
her. How did they feel in that last
hourP How did they seem to act? We're
they very much frightened? Did they
take hold Of this world with both hands
as though they did not want to give II
up? 30, no." you say; mo, | remem-
ber as though 1t were yesterday; she
had kind word for us all, and there
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
child in cradle"
What made her so composed? Natural
courage? NO." You say, mother was
very nervous; when the carriage in
clined to the side of the road, she would
cry out; she was always rather weakly"
What, then, gave her conposure9 Was
it because she did not care much for
you, and the pang Of parting was not
great? "o," you say, "she showered
upon us a wealth of affection; no mother
ever loved her children more than
mother loved us; she showed 1t by the
way she nursed us when we were sick,
and she toiled for us until her strength
gave out" What, then, was 1t that gave
her composure in the last hour? Do
not hide it? BE frank and let me know.
80" you say, 'it was because she was
80 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 at the foot OF the
throne"
Here are people who say: 81 saw a
Christian brother die, and he tri-
umphed." And some one else, ~ saw q
Christian sister die, and she triumphed." !"
Some one else will say, 81 saw Chris
tian daughter die, and she triumphed."
Come, all ye who have seen the last mo-
ments OF a Christian, and give testi-
mony in this cause on trial. Uncover
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 gospel to
give calmness and triumph in the last
exigency? The response comes from all
sides, from young, and old and middle
aged: eve are witnesses"
You see, my friends, have not put be-
fore you to-day an abstraction, rchimera,
or any thing like guess-work. present
you affidavits OF tho best men and
women, living and dead. Two witnesses
in court will establish fact. Here are
not two witnesses, but thousands oi
witnesses-on earth millions OF wit.
nesses, and in Heaven great multi
tude OF witnesses that 10 man can num-
ber, testifying that there is power in
this religion to convert the soul, TO give
comfort in trouble, and to afford compos-
ure in the last hour. II ten men should
come TO you when you are sick with
appalling sickness, and say they had
the same sickness, and took q certain
medicine, and IL cured them, you would
probably take It. Now, suppose ten
other men should come up and say, "We
don't believe there Is any thing In that
medicine" "Well,"I say, "Have you
ever tried itp' mo. | never tried It.
but don't believe there is any thing In
it." or course you discredit their testi
mony. The sceptic may come and say
There Is no power in your religion.
'Haye YOU ever tried itP" "No' no. >
"rhen, avauntm Let me take the testi
| HlOuy Vi but ulllllOnS VI bOuiS budb udNt
been converted to God, and comforted
in trial, and solaced in the last hour
We will take their testimony as they
cry, I'VE are witnessesr'
Some time ago Professor Henry. oI
Washington, discovered new star, and
the tidings sped by submarine telegraph
and all the observatories OF Europe were
watching for that new star. o, hearer
looking out through the darkness Of thy
soul to-day, canst thou see bright
light beaming on thee2 "Wherep" yor
say; "whereP How can find It," Lool
along by the line OF the cross Of the Sor
OF God. Do you not see 1t trembling
with all tenderness and beaming with
all hope2 It is the star OF bethlehem
Deep horror then my yltals froze.
Death.strucl. ceased tho tide TO stem,
When suddenly star arose.
II was the star OF Bethlehem
o, hearer, get your eye on 1t. II Il
easier for you now TO become Christians
than 1t is TO stay away from Christ ant
Heaven.
When Madame Sontag began her musi
cal career she was hissed of the stage a
Vienna by the friends OF her rival
Amelia Steininger, who had already be
gun TO decline through her dissipation
Years passed on, and one day the Madame
Sontag, in her glory, was riding through
the streets OF Berlin, when she saw 1T
tie 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
"rhat's my mother, that's Amelia Stein
niger She used to be great singer
but she lost her voice. and she cried
30 much about II that she lost hei
eyedght." "Give my love 10 her." said