The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-05-20

lOS!N,l apparatus lOT SptcCu, anu our
lungs were filled with air which, by the
command of our will, could have made
the 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 prayer meeting, and the
service was thrown open for prayer and
remarks, and there was d dead halt-ev-
erything silent as graveyard at mid
hight. Indeed it was graveyard and
might An embarrassing pause took
that put a wet blanket on all the
ling. Men, bold enough on business
mango or in worldly circles, shut
cir eyes as though they were praying
silence, but they were not praying at
all. They were busy hoping somebody
else would do his duty. The women
flushed under the awful pause and made
their fans more rapidly futter. Some
brother with no cold coughed. by that
sound trying to fill up the time, and the
meeting was slain. But what killed it?
the dumb devil.
This is the way account for the fact
that the stupidest places on earth are
some prayer meetings. | do not see how
man keeps any grace if he regularly
attends them. They are spiritual re-
frigerators. Religion kept on ice. How
many of us have lost occasions of use
fulness? In a sculptors studio stood a
figure of the god Opportunity. The
sculptor had made the hair fall down
over the face of the statue SO as to com
pletely cover it, and there were wings to
the feet. When asked why he SO repre-
sented Opportunity, the sculptor an
swered, 1.-The face of the statue is thus
covered up because we do not recognize
Opportunity when it comes, and the
: to the feet show that Opportunity
fly gone"
THE DUMB DEVIL IN POLITICS.
do not let the world deride the
h because of all this, for the dumb
is just as conspicuous in the world.
wo great political parties will soon
-. liable to build platforms for the pres
idential candidates to stand on. A com
mittee of each party will be appointed
to make the platform. After proper de-
liberation the committees will come in
with ringing report, Whereas" and
"Whereas' and Whereas" Pronun-
ciamentoes all shaped with the one idea
of getting the most votes. All express
sion in regard to the great moral evils
the country ignored. No expression
pout the liquor traffic, for that would
,se the rum vote. No expression in re-
ard to the universal attempt at the
emolition OF the Lords day. No recog-
ition of God in the history of this nation
,or that would lose the vote of atheists.
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 Re-
publican platform and the other wing
over the Democratic platform. There is
nothing involved in the next election ex.
cept offices. The great conventions will
be opened with prayer by their chap.
If they avoid platitudes and tell
onest truth in their prayers they
say: 80 Lord, we want to be post
Z
.ers and consuls and foreign minis
! and United States district attorneys
: that we are here, and for that we
IL strive till the election next Novem
Jer. Give us Office or we die, forever
and ever Amen"
The world, to say the least, is no better
than the church on this subject of silence
at the wrong time. In other words, il
cot time for Christianity to become
ounced and aggressive as never be
Take sides for God and sobriety
righteousness. IF the Lord be God
low him: if Baal, then follow him.
dave you opportunity of rebuking sin
Rebuke it. Have you chance to chez
disheartened soul? Cheer it. Hav,
you useful word to speak? Speak it.
Be out and out, up and down fo
righteousness. If your ship is afoat OIL
the Pacific ocean of Gods mercy, hang
out your colors from masthead. Show
your passport if you have one. Do no
smuggle your soul into the harbor o
heaven. Speak out for Godl This morn
ing close up the chapter of lost oppor
tunities, and pitch it into the East rive