Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-07-12

that gave peace, rest. infinite quiet. 80 that
you could take out the photograph of the
departed one and look into the eyes and face
of the dear one and say: 1T is all right;
she is better of; ! would not call her back.
Lord, thank Thee that Thou hast comfortei
my poor heart
Again, remark that we are witnesses Of
the fact that religion has the power to give
composure in the last moment never shall
forget the first time confronted death. We
went across the cornfields in the country.
was led BY my fathers hand, and we came to
the farm house where the bereavement had
come. and we saw the crowd of wagons and
carriages but there was one carriage that es-
pecially attracted my Doyish attention,
and 1t had black plumes | said:
'sWhat's that. What's that Why
those black tassels on the topy
and after it was explained to me l was lifted
up to look upon the bright face Of an aged
Christian woman who three days before had
departed in triumph; tho whole scene made
an impression Inever forgot.
In our sermons and in our lay exhortations
we are very apt, when we want TO bring il
Illustrations of dying triumph, to go back to
some distinguished personage-to John
Knox or Harriet Newell. But want You
for witnesses. want to know il you have
ever seen anything to make you believe that
the religion Of Christ can give composure in
the final hour. Now in the courts attorney
Jury and Judge will never Admit marc hear
say. They demand that the witness must
have seen with his own eyes or heard with
his own ears, and so arm critical in my ex-
animation OF you now; and want to know
whether you have seen or heard anything
that makes you believe that the religion OF
Christ gives composure in the final hour.
sob, yes,n you say Il saw my father and
mother depart. There was great difference
in their deathbeis. Standing by the one we
felt more veneration. By tho other. there
was more tenderness" Before the one you
bowed perhaps 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 want
to give it ups "Oh. no." you say. mo.
remember as though it were yesterday; she
had kind word for us all, and there were
few mementoss distributed among the
children and then she told us how kind we
must be to our father in his lonliness, and
then she kissed US good-by and went asleep
as calmly as a child in a CRADLE"
What male her so composed Natural
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, then, gave
her eomposure? Was it because she did not
care much for you, and the pang OF parting
was not greats "0h,n you say, s'shs show
cred upon us wealth of affection; no mother
ever loved her children more than mother
loved US; she shovel &, by the way she
nursed US when we were sick, and she toiled
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, lit was because
she was so good; she made the Lord her por-
H.. l. fntk hat 1t,,
straight to glory and that we SHOULD all meet
her at last at the foot of the throne
Here are people who say, Il saw a Chris
tian brother die and he triumphe1." And
some one else, II saw Christian sister die
and she triumphei." Some one else will
say, ~ saw Christian daughter die AMI sha
triumphedn Come all We who have seen
the last moments of a Christian, and give
testimony in this cause on trial. Uncover
your heads, put your hand on the old family
Bible from which they usel to read the prom
Uses, 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
Dyes, and from what you have heard with
your own ears, is there power in this Gospel
TO give calmnesS and triumph in the last ext
gencyf The response comes from all sides,
from young and old and middle and aged.
"We are Witnesses
You see, my friends have not put before
you to-day an abstraction, or chimera, or
anything like guess work. | present yoI
affidavitS of the best men and women living
and dead. Two witnesses in court will es-
tablish fact. Here are not two witnes es,
but thousands of witnesses-on earth mill
ions of witnesses, and in heaven q great
multitude of witnesses that no man can num-
Der, testifying that there is power in this re-
ligion to convert the soul, to give comfort in
10 fI,al
hour. Ii ten men should come TO you when
you are sick with appalling sickness, and
say they had the SAME sickness, and took a
certain medicine and it cured Them you
would probably take it.
Now, suppose ten other men should como
up and say, I'VE don't believe there is any
thing in that medicine well" | say.
'have you ever tried itF' mo. l never
tried it, but l don't believe there is any
thing in it." OF course you discredt their
testimony. The skeptic may como and say,
There is no power in your religion"
'Have you ever tried it2' mo, no."
"rhen, avauntr Let me take the testimony
of the millions of souls that have been con
verted to God, and comforted in trial and
solacel in the last hour. We will take
their testimony as they cry, 1--WE are wit
nessesw
Some time ago Professor Henry, Of Wash
ington, discovered new star, and the titlings
sped by submarine telegraph and all the OBJ
servatories of Europe were watching for that
new star. Oh, hearer, looking out through
the darkness of thy soul to-day, canst thou
see a bright star beaming on thee? 'Wherey'
you ay where? How can find itg' Look
along " tho line Of the cross of the Son of
God. Do you not see it trembling with all
tenderness and beaming with all hope? 1t is
the Star of Bethlehem.
Deep horror the my vitals froze,
Death struck. | ceased the tide to stem,
When su ldenlv a star arose
1t was the tar of Bethlehem.
Oh, hearer, get your eye on it. Ii is easier
now for you to become a Christian than it
is to stay away from Christ and heaven.
When Madame Sontag began her musical
career she was Kissed off the stage at Vienna
by the friends of her rival, Amelia Steinin-
ger, who had already begun to decline
through her dissipation. Years passed on,
and one day Madame Sontag, in her glory,
was riding through the streets of Berlin,
when she saw little child leading blind
! woman, and she said, "Come here, my little
child come here Who is that YOU are lead
ing by the handy And the little child re-
piled, That's my mother; that's Amelia
Steininger. She used to be great singer
but she lost her voice. an she erie 50 much
about it that she lost her eyesight." ''Giva
my love to her." said Madame Sontag, ''and
tell her an oil acquaintance will call on her
this afternoon"
The next week in Berlin vast assomblage
gathere at benefit for that poor woman.
an it was sid thai NJ tlAms Sontag sang
that night as sh9 hal never sung before.
And she took sxiile oculist, who tried In
vain to give eyesigat to tn, poor blind wo-
man. Until the day OF Amelia Stsininger's
death Malams Sontlg took care Of her and
her daughter after her. That was what the
queen OF sony di for her enemy. But oh,
hear more thrilling story still Blind i'm
mortal, poor and lost thou who when the
world an Christ wcrs rivals for thy heart,
didst hiss tay Lord away-Cirist comes now
to give thee sight, to give thes home, to
give thee heaven. With more than Som
tag generosity He comes to meet yonr need.
With more than n Sontays music He comes
to plead for thy deliverlnce.