Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-05-27


by Peter Boiler, who after his conversion.
said. Il had better keep silent about It"
No" said Wesley, IF you had ten thousand
tongues you had better use them for Christ"
And then that angel Of hymnology penned
the words:
Oh for a thousand tongues to sing
My dear Redeemer's praise,
The glu7ies of my God and King,
The triumphS OF His grace
Jesus, the name that Gains our fears.
That bids sorrows cease.
TITS music in the sinners ears,
FTis nfe and health and peace.
While much of the modern music Is
religious doggerel, a consecrated nonsense,
sacred tomfooIerv, | would like to see some
great musician of our time lift the baton and
marshal Luther's Judgment Hymn, Var
mouth, Dundee. Ariel Brattle Street, Tx
bridge, Pleyers Hymn, Harwell. Antioch,
Mount Pisgah and Coronation, with few
regiments of mighty tunes made in our time,
and storm Asia, Africa and America for the
kingdom OF God. But the first thing to do
is to drive out the dumb devil OF the text
from all our churches.
Do not, however. let US lose ourselves In
generalities Not one of US but has had our
lives sometimes touched by the evil spirit o.
the te8t-this awful dumb devil. We had
just one opportunity of saying Christian
word that might have led man or woman
into Christian life. The opportunity was
ton or consolation or warning came to the
inside gate of the mouth, but there it halted.
Some hindering power locked the Jaws to-
gether so 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 orr 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 a prayer meeting, and the SER
vice was thrown open for prayer and re-
marks, and there was dead halt-every-
thing silent as graveyard at midnight.
Indeed it was a graveyard and midnight.
An embarrassing pause took place that put a
wet blanket on ali the meeting. Men, bold
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 ali. They were busy hoping some
body 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 dunno
devil.
This is the way I 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 refrigerators.
Religion kept on ice. How many of US have
lost occasions of usefulness? In sculptor's
studio stood figure of the god Opportunity.
The sculptor had ma 7e the hair fall down
over the face of the statue SO as to complete
ly 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
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 elaboration the committees will come
in with 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
tempt at the demolition of the Lords day.
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
form and the other wing over the Demo-
cratic platform. There is nothing involved
in the next election except offices. TheIgreat
conventions will be opened with prayer by
their chaplains. If they avoid platitudes
and tell the honest truth in their prayers
they will say: 20 Lord we want to be post
masters and consuls and foreign ministers
and United States district attorneys. For
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 at
the wrong time. In other words. is it not
time for Christianity to become pronounced
for God and sobriety and righteousness. 'If
the Lord be God, follow Him; if Baal, then
follow him." Have you opportunity of re-
buking a sin? Rebuke it. Have you a
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 afoat on the Pa
cific Ocean of Gods mercy, hang out your
colors from masthead. Show your passport
if you have one. Do not snuggIe your soul
into the harbor Of heaven. Speak out for
God! This morning close up the chapter of
lost opportunities, and pitch it into the East
River and open 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 to
heaven. Do not drive up to heaven in two
wheeled ''sulky" with room only for one,
and that yourself, but get the biggest Gospel
wagon you can find and pile it full of friends
and neighbors, and shout till they hear you
all up and down the skies, Come with us,
and we will do you good, for the Lord hath
promised good concerning Israel"
The opportunity for good which you may