The Forrest City times., 1891-07-17
you are not fighting

not fretful, you are not lighting against God.
 "Oh, yes," you say, "I saw my father and mother depart. There was n great difference in their death beds. Standing by the one we felt more vene- ration. 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 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 up? "Oh, mo-" you say; mo; I remember as though it were yesterday; she hau q klno word for us all, and there were few me mentoes distributed among the chil- dren, and then she told us how kind ness, and then she kissed us good by aud went asleep as child in era dle." 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 al- ways rather weakly" What gave her composure? Was it because she did not care much for you, and the pang of parting was not great? "Oh," you say, 'she showered upon us wealth of affection; 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 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, ''it 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 at the foot of the thro-le."
 Professor Henry, of Washington. dis covered new star, and the tidings sped by submarine telegraph, and all the observatories of Europe were watch ing for that new star. Oh, nearer, looking out through the darkness of thy soul, canst thou see bright light beaming on thee? "H here?" you say, where? How can I find it?' Look along by the line of the Cross of the Son of God. Do you not see it trembling with all tenderness and beaming with all hope? It is the Star of Bethlehem.
 Deep horror then my vitals froze,
 Death-struck l ceased the tide to stem,
 When suddenly a star arose.
 It was the Star of Bethlehem.
 Oh, hearers, get your eye on it. It 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 hissed off the stage in 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 Sontag, in her glory was riding through the streets of Berlin when she saw a little child leading blind woman, and she said: "Come here, my little child, come here. Who is that you are leading by the hano?" 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, and she cried so much about it that she lost her eyesight." Give my love to her." said Madame Sontag, "and tell her an old acquaintance will call on her this afternoon" The next week in Berlin vast assemblage gathered ab Dtueut TOT thdV poor Oluu Wom2n, and it was said that Sontag sang that night as she had never sung before. And she took skilled oculist, who in vain tried to give eyesight to the poor blind woman. Until the day of Amelia Stein inger's death, Madame Sontag took care of her and her daughter after her. That was what the queen of song did for an enemy. But oh, hear a more thrill ing story still. Blind, immortal, poor and lost, thou who, when the world and Christ were rivals for thy heart, didst hiss thy Lord away-Christ comes now to give thee sight, to give thee a home, to give thee heaven, With more than a Sontag generosity he comes now to meet your need. With more than Sontag's music, he comes to plead for thy delivcrance.