Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-03-28

risiOn OF what IS called muHculhr
Christianity" but in the latter day OF
the worlds prosperity think that the
Christian will be muscular. We have
n right TO expect of those stalwart men
OF toll the highest integrity. Many OF
them answer our highest expectations
and stand at the front of religious and
philanthropic enterprises.
But this class, like the others that |
have named, has in it those who lack
in the element Of vcracity. They can
not all be trusted. In times when the
demand for labor is great 1t is impossi-
BILE to meet the demands OF the public
or To do work with that promptness and
perfection that would at other times be
possible. But there are mechanics
whose word cannot be trusted at any
time. No man has right 10 promise
more work than he can do. There are
mechanics who say that they will come
on Monday, but they do not come until
Wednesday. You put work in their
hands that they tell you shall be COM
pleted in ten days. but IT. is thirty.
There have been houses built OF which
it might be said that every nail driven,
every foot Of plastering put on, every
yard OF pipe laid, every single ham
mered. every brick mortared, could tell
of falsehood connected Herewith.
There are men attempting to do ten or
fifteen pieces of work who have not the
time or strength TO do more than five or
six pieces; but by promises never full
filled keep all the undertakings within
their own grasp. This is what they
call nursing" the job.
next notice ecclesiastical lies; that
is, falschoods told for the purpose OF ad-
vancing churches and sects, or Tor the
purpose of depicting them. There is
no use in asking many Calvinist what
an Armenian believes, for he will be apt
to tell you that the Armenian believes
that man can convert himself: or to
ask the Armenian what the Calvinist
believes, for he will tell you that the
Calvinist believes that God made some
men just to damn them. There is no
need OF asking pado-Baptist what a
Baptist believes, for he will be apt to
say that Baptist believes immersion
to be positively necessary to salvation.
1t is almost impossible for one denomi-
nation Of Christians, without prejudice
or misrepresentation, to state the senti-
ment OF an opposing sect. II man hates
Presbyterians, and you ask him what
Presbyterians believe, he will tell you
that they believe that there are infants
in hell span long!
Compare the life and death of such
one with that OF some Christian aunt
who was once blessing to your house
hold. do not know that she was ever
offered the hand in marriage. She
lived single, that untrammeled she
might be everybody's blessing. When
ever the sick were to be visited, or the
poor to be provided with bread, she
went with blessing. She could pray,
or sing Rock of Ages" for any sick
pauper who asked her. AS she got old
er, there were days when she was little
sharp, but for the most part auntie was
a sunbeam-just the one for Christmas
eve. She knew better than anyone else
how to fix things. Her every prayer,as
God heard it, was full Of everybody who
had trouble.
The brightest things in all the house
dropped from her fingers. She had
peculiar notions. but the grandest no
ton she ever had was to make you hap
py. She dressed well-auntie always
dressed we'll: but her highest adornment
was that of a meek and quiet spirit,
which in the sight of God is OF great
price. When she died you all gathered
lovingly about her, and as you carried
her out to rest the Sunday school class
almost covered the coffin with japonicas
and the poor people stood at the end of
the alley with their aprons to their
eyes, sobbing bitterly, and the man OF
the world said with Solomon, ''Her
price was above rubies;" and Jesus, as
unto the maiden OF Judea commanded,
II say unto thee, arise!"
What a round OF insincerities many
people run in order TO win the favor OF
the world. Their life is q sham and
their death is an unspeakable sadness.
Alas for the poor butterflies when the
frost strikes them!
But to many through insincerity this
life is masquerade ball. AS at such
entertainments gentlemen and ladies
appear in the dress of kings or queens,
mountain bandits or clowns, and at the
close Of the dance throw of their dis
guises, SO, in this dissipated life, all I'M
clean passions move in mask. Across
the floor they trip merrily. The lights
sparkle along the wall or drop from the |
ceiling-a cOhort Of fire! The music |
charms. The diamonds glitter. The
feet bound. Gemmed hands stretched
out, clasp gemmed hands. Dancing feet
respond to dancing feet Cleaning
brow bends to cleaning brow. On with |
the dance! Flash and rustic and laugh
ter and Unreasonable merrymaking!
But the languor Of death comes over
the limbs and blurs the sight. Lights
lower. Floor hollow with sepulchral
echo. Music saddens into wall. Lights
lower! The maskers can hardly now be
seen. Flowers exchange their frag-
rance for sickening odor, such as
comes from garlands that have lain in
vaults OF cemeteries. Lights lower!
Mists FILL the room. Glasses rattle as
though shaken by sullen thunder.