Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-06-04

WORD that might nave led a man or woman
into a Christian life. The opportunity was
fairly put before us. The word Of invita-
ton or consolation or warning came to the
inside gate OF the mouth, but there it halted.
Some hinderinc power locked the jaws to-
getner 50 that they did not open. The
tongue lay fat and still in the bottom of the
mouth as though struck with paralysis We
were mute. Though God had given US the
physiological apparatus for speech. and our
lungs were filled with air which, by the
command OF orlr will, could have made thed
laryngeal muscles move and the vocal
organs %vibrate. we were wickedly and
fatally silent. For all time and eternity we
missed our chance. |
Or It was a prayer meeting. AMI the ser.
vice was thrown open for prayer and re-
marks, and there was q dead halt-eve-y-
thing silent as q graveyard at midnight. |
Indeed it was a graveyard and midnight /!
An embarrassing pause took placexhat put a
wet blanket On all the meeting. Men. boh
enough on business exchange or in worldly
circles, shut their eyes as though they were
praying in silence, but they were not pray
ing at all They were busy hoping sure
body else would do his duty. The women
flushed unier the awful pause and made
their fans more rapidly hutter. Some
brother with no cold coughed, by that sound
trying to fill up the time. and the meeting
was slain. But what killed 18th, dumb
devil.
This is the way l account for the fact that
the stupidest places on earth are some
prayer meetings. do not see how a man
keeps any grace il he regularly attends
them. They are spiritual refrigeratocs
Religion kept on Ice. How many of US have
lost occasions Of usefulness? In a scuiptor's
studio stool q figure of the goi Opportunity.
The sculptor had made the hair fall down
over the face Of the statue 80 as to complete
~ cover it, and there were wings to the feet.
When asked why he SO represented Oppor-
tunity, the sculptor answered, 1.-THE face of
the statue Is thus covered up because we do
not recognize Opportunity when it comes.
and the wings to the feet show that Cppor-
tunity is swiftly gone"
. But do not let the world deride the church
because of all this, for the dumb devil is just
as conspicuous in the world. The two great
political parties will soon assemble to build
platforms for the presidential candidates to
stand on. "A committee Of each party will
be appointed to make the platform. After
proper deliberation the committees will come
in with a ringing report, Whereas and
"Whereas'' and Whereas" Pronuncia-
mentoes all shaped with the one idea of get
ting the most votes. All EXPRESSION in re-
gard to the great moral evils Of the country
ignored. No expression about the liquor
traffic, for that would lose the rum vote.
No expression in regard to the universal at
I0ulDt AZ IQ0 ucIlOllC1OH u II LOEu = uby
No recognition Of God in the history Of this
nation for that would lose the vote of athe-
lists. But "Whereas'' and Whereas and
Whereas" Nine cheers will be given for
the platform. The dumb devil of the text
will put one wing over the Republican plat
cratic platform. There is nothing involved
in the next election except Offices. The. great
conventions will be opened with prayer by
their chaplains. If they avoid p%latitudes
and tell the honest truth in their prayers
they will say: 10 Lord, We want to be post
masters and consuls and foreign ministers
and United States district attorneys. For
that we are here. and for that We will strive
till the election next November. Give Us
office or we die, for ever and ever. Amen"
The world, to say the least, is no better
than the church on this subject OF silence al
the wrong time. In other words. is it not
time for Christianity to become pronounced
and aggressive AS never before9 Take sides
for God and sobriety and righteousness. 'If
the Lord be God, follow Him: If Baal. then
follow him" Have you opportunity Of re-
buking u sin? Rebuke it. Have you g
chance to cheer a disheartened soul? Cheer
it. Have you a useful word to speak:
Speak it.
Be out and out, up and down for righte-
business. If your ship is afloat on the Pa
cific Ocean of Gods mercy, hang out your
colors from masthead. Show your passpor:
if you have one. Do notisnuggle, your SOU
God! This morning close up the chapter of
lost opportunities, and pitch it into the Eas,
River and open q new chapter. Before you
get to the door on your. way out this
morning shake hands with some one,
and ask him to join you on the road t6
heaven. Do not drive up to heaven in q two
wheeled 'sulky'' with room only for one
and that yourself, but get the biggest Gospe
wagon you can find and pile it full OF friend
and ~neighbors, and shout till they hear yor
all up and down the skies, Come with Us
and we will do you good, for the Lord haiti
promised good concerning Israel"
The opportunity for gool whica you may
consider insignificant may be tremendous
for results, as when on sea Captain Holdane
swore at the ships crew with an oath tina,
wished them all in perdition, and a Scotch
sailor touched his cap, and said. Captain
God hears prayer, and we would be badly of
If you're wish were answered." Captain
Holdane was convicted by the sailor
remark and converted, and became th
means Of the salvation of his. brothe
Robert, who had been an intidel. and ther
Robert became a minister of the Gospel, ans
under his ministry the goddess Felix NefP be
came the world renowned missionary of the
Cross. and the worldly Merle L'Aubigne be
came the author OF "fhe History of tn
Reformation" and will be the glory Of tn
church for all ages.
Perhaps you may do as much as tn
Scotch sailor who just tipped his cap an
used one broken sentence. by which tn
earth and the heavens are still r~esoundin;
with potent influences. Do something TO
God, and do it right aWay,or you will neve
do it atall.