The southern argus. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kan.) 1891-1???, 1891-07-16

that the witness must have seen with
his own eyes, or heard with his own
ears and so | am critical in my exam
nation 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 composure in
the final hour. 80, yes" you say, 81
saw my father and mother depart
There was great difference in their
death beds. Standing by the one we
felt more veneration. BY the 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 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 it up?
80, no." you say; mo; l 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 loneli-
and went to sleep as a child in era
de-" What made her so composed?
Natural courage? NO" you say;
mother was very nervous; when the
carriage inclined to the side of the road
she would cry out; she was always rath-
err weakly" What gave her compos-
ure? Was it because she did not care
much for you, and the pang of parting
was not great? 60" you say, 'she
showered upon us a wealth of affection;
and 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 us I'M
til 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?
Here are people who say: 81 saw a
Christian brother die, and he tri-
umphed." And some one else: II saw
a Christian daughter die, and she tri-
umphed." Come, all We who have seen
the last moments of a Christian, and
give testimony in this cause on trial
Uncover y our 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 mid
die aged: 1--WE are witnesses!!'
You see, my friends, | have not put
before you 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 estab lish fact. Here are
not two witnesses, but millions of wit
nesses on earth and in Heaven testify
ing that there is power in this 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 arc sick with appalling sickness
and say they had the same sickness and
them you would pro badly take it. Now,
suppose ten other men should come up
and say: eve don't believe that there
is anything in that medicine" ''Well,"
say, ''have you tried it?" ''No, I
have never tried it, but don't believe
there is anything in it." OF course you
discredit their testimony. The skeptic
may come and say: There is no power
in your religion" ''Have you ever
tried it?" mo, no" Then avaunt!"
Let me take the testimony of the mill
lions of souls that have been converted
to God, and comforted in trial, and
solaced in the last hour. We will take
their testimony as they cry: 1--WE are
Prof Henry, of Washington, dis
covered a new star, and the tidings
sped by submarine telegraph, and all
the observatories of Europe were
looking out through the darkness of
thy soul, canst thou see bright light
beeming on thee? "Where?" you say,
where? How can | find it?' Look
along the 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 then my vitals frozc,
Death struck ceased The tide to stem,
when suddenly star arose
1t was the star of Bethlehem.
o, hearers, 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 Madame Sontag 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
Years passed on and one
day Madame Sontag. in her glory, was
riding through the streets of Berlin
when she saw a little child lead
ing a blind woman and she said:
Come here, my little child, come
here. Who is that you are lead
ing by the hand?" And the little
child replied: That's my mother; that's
Amelia Steininger. She used to be
great singer, but she lost her voice and
she cried so much about it that she lost
her eyesight." Give my love to her"
said Madame Sontag, and tell her an