The Banner-Democrat., 1892-12-03

OF the earth" and he feit himself
called by God to carry Christianity to
the lends of the earth" Then the adj
ministration of the Last Supper before
they left the gulf of Cadiz, and the
evening prayers during the voyage,
and the devout ascription as soon as
they saw the new world, and the dox-
ologies with which they landed confirm
me in saying that the discov-
cry of America was q re-
ligious discovery. Atheism has no
right here: infidelity has no
right here; vagabondism has no right
here. And as God is not apt to fail in
any of His undertakings (at any rate, I
have never heard of His having any
thing to do with failure), America is
going to be gospelized, and from the
Golden Gate of California 70 the Mar
the top of North America to Che foot of
South America, from Behring straits
to Cape Horn, this is going to be I'm
manuel's Land. All the forms Of ir-
religion and abomipation that have
cursed other parts of the world will
land here-yes, they have already
landed-and they will wranglo for the
possession of this hemisphere. and they
will make great headway and feel
themselves almost established. But
God will not forget the prophesies
which encouraged Columbus about the
lends of the earth seeing the salvation
OF God,' nor the Christian anthem
which Columb bus led on the morning of
the 12th of October, 1492, on the coast
of San Salvador. Like that flock of
land birds which met the Santa Maria
and the Pinta and the Nina far out at
sea, indicating to the commanders of
that feet that they were approaching
some country, so q whole flock Of prom
ises and hopes, golden-winged and
songful. this morning alight around us,
assuring us that we are approaching
the glorious period of American evan
gelization. A Divine influence will yet
sweep the continent that will make in-
iquity drop like slack lime, and make
the most blatant infideiity declare it
was only joking when it said the Bible
said it was not true. and the worst
atheism announce that it always did
believe in the God of nations. Let
others call for requiem and dead
march, call for George Frederick
Handel's hallelujah chorus. There
has been much talk of late about COM
munication with other worlds. Mars
has come SO near we can
see its canals, and it has been
hoped that by signals after a while
we may communicate with other
stars. All. that will not be possible un-
til our world has been reformed and
evangelical. 1t would not do for our
world in its long and ruined state to
have communication with other worlds
1t would spoil their morals. But wait
until this world is fully redeemed, as it
will be, and then perhaps interstellar
correspondence may be opened. Till
then, this smitten and sickened world
Of ours must be quarantined from COM
ing too near the unfallen worlds But,
thank God, the prophecies which
cheered Columbus in his great under
taking cheer us. America for Gcd!
Yea. the ronnd world for God! There
can be no doubt about it!
And. now, while ] am thinking Of
this illustrious ship captain of Genoa,
let me bespeak higher appreciation for
the ship captains now in service, many
of them this moment on the sea, the
lives of tens of thousands of passen-
gers in their keeping. What an awful
responsibility is their! They go out
through the Narrows, or start from
Queenstown or Southampton or Glas-
gov. not knowing what cyclone
or collisions or midnight perils
are waiting for them. 1t requires
bravery to face an army of men, but
far more bravery to face an army of At
lantic surges led on by hurricanes. A
more stupendous scene is not to be wit
messed than that of a ship captain
walking the bridge of steamer in the
midst of cyclone. Remember those
heroes in your prayers, and when
worn out in the service, and
they have to command inferior
craft or return to the land and 60
out to service, do them full honor
for what they once were. Let the ship
companies award them pensions worthy
of what they endured until they start
on their last voyage from this world to
the next Aye, that voyage we must
all take. landsmen as well as seafarers.
Let us be sure that we have the right
pilot, and the right chart. and the right
captain, and that we start in the right
direction. 1t will be to each of Us
who love the Lord a voyage moro
wonderful for discovery than that
which Columbus took, for, after all we
have heard about that other world,
we know not where it is or how it
looks, and it will be as new as San Sal
vador was to the glorious captain of
the Santa Maria. Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered in
to the heart of man. May the light
from that golden beach fash on the
darkness, and we be able to
step ashore amid groves and orchards
and aromas such rs this worlds
atmosphere never ripered or breathed.
Aye, fellow-mariners, over the rough
seas of this life, through the fogs
and mists of earth, see you not already
the outline of the better country? Land
ahead! Land ahead! Nearer and near.
er we come to heavenly wharfage
Throw out the planks and step ashore
into the arms of your kindred, who
have been waiting and watching for
the hour of your disembarkation.
Through the rich grace of Christ, our