Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-10-21

"Why notg' Then a morning paper wa
shown me- saying that in st. Petersburg
there were two thousand cases Of virulen
cholera; the city had been divided into hos
pital districts aud th9 doctors were at the
wits end what to do with the number o
patients. The population was flying In ter
ror. 1t was almost as bad In Moscow.
While rejecting on these accounts tw
messages arrived from other friends protest
ing against the foolhardiness Of my rushing
into the presence Of two thousand cases o
cholera In one city. or course / halted.
haltei for four days. Meanwhile a Telegram
from st. Petersburg encouraged me 10 go.
went. There was not single case OF cholers
in st. Petersburg or Moscow, and there wa
not single case in either city until foul
weeks after left those cities,
must tell you OF a picture Of patbos and
moral power impressed upon my mind. 50
that neither time nor eternity may efface
it. The snip Lso swung to the docks a few
miles below ST. Petersburg loaded with
-four from America. The sailors on board
huzzied as they came to the wharf. From
yacht on waicl we hal descen1ei the
river to the sea the prominent citizens Of
st. Petersburg disembarke1. The bank was
crowded by prosperous citizens, who stood
on the wharf, AMI back Of them by poor
laborers, who hal come down to offer their
services free OF all charge for the removal
OF the breadstuffs from the ship to
the imperial freight train that took the -four
to the interior free OF charge. While we
stood there thu long freight train rdmblel
down to the docks, the locomotive and each
car decorated with a fag-the American
flag and the Russian flag alternating
Though a flag to some eyes is only
floating rag, You ought TO see how the
American flag looks five thousand miles from
home. 1t looked that day like a section OF
heaven let down 10 cheer mortal vision.
Addresses OF welcome aul responses were
made, AMI then the work began the only
contest being who should lift the
hardest and be most expeditions. From
ship to rail train. From rail train TO kneed.
ing board. From kueeding board to oven.
From oven to the white and quivering lips
OF the dying. Upon all who, whether by
contribution small or large, helped make
that scene possible may there come the bene-
diction Of Him who declared, " 1 was hungry
and ye fed Me-"
But must also give a word OF report con-
corning my other errand-the preaching OF
the Gospel In Great Britain last summer. 1t
was a tour l had for many years antici-
pated. With the themes OF the Gospel
confronted more people than ever before
in the same length Of time multi
tudes after multitudes, and beyond any
thing | can describe. The throngs in all
the cities were so great that they could be
controlled only by platoons of police, so
that none should be hurt by the pressure,
each service indoors followed by service
for the waiting throngs outdoors. aud both
by hsndshakings to the last point OF physi-
cal endurance.
In every city and town l had messages
- g. g. 10
Ga, sons Of Scotchmen, Englishmen, Welsh
men and Irishmeu, there are hearts on the
other side Of the sea beating 10 affection for
you and praying for your present AMI
eternal welfare. By the memories
Of the old Scotch kirk, where you
were baptized. and of the Eng
lish fireside, by which you played, and Of
the Welsh hills and valleys, among which
you roamed, and the old homes on the banks
OF the Tweed and the Shannon and the
Clyde. l charge you be honorable and true
and Christian. You have good ancestral
blood in your veins. Prove yourself worthy.
II seems to me that the Gospel Is making
mighty strides over there.
What is the use OF controversy abont any
thing except how we shall keep close to the
cross and do the most for helping people for
this world and the next? May there come
in England more cordiality between the
National church and the dissenters. Al
though | would be called a dissenter
there, almost my first step in England was
into banqueting hall-the Lord Mayors
banquet, given to the bishops and high Of
ficiais Of the National church, the great and
coed and genial Archbishop OF Canterbury
at their head, and more magnificent group
of folks intellectually aud spiritually,
] never got among, and | found that though
~ ha r,hkfgbap
aud myself were Did friends. But all up and
down Great Britain ] found a multitude
that no man can number enlisted for God
and eternity. and l tell you the kingdom Is
coming
Il the pessimists would get out Of the
way-the people who SWIVEL and groau and
think everything has gone to the dogs or IS
about to go--I say il these pessmists would
only get out OF the way the world would
soon see the salvation Of God Chris
tianity is only another name for ele-
waited optimism. Was Isaiah au optimlst:
See his deserts incarna1inet with red roses
and showed under with white lilies AMI his
lamb asleep between the paws OF lion.
The greatest thing | can think OF would
be TO have q triple alliance OF America,
England and Russia, in complete harmoni-
zltion, and then TO have uOon all OF them
come deluge o; the Holy Ghost. Let the
defamation of other nations cease. Peace
and good will to men For that glorious
which may be nearer than
we think, let us pray remembering that
God eau do more in five minutes than man
can do in five centuries. II this consumma-
ton is not effected in our day shall ask the
of coming out from heaven little
while 70 look at this Old world when II shalt
have put on its milennial beauty. l think
God will let US come out to see it at least
once in its perfected state before it is
burned up.
should not wonder if all heaven would
adjourn for an excursion to this world to
see how a shipwreckei plane; was got OH
the breakers and set ahoat again amid the
eternal harmonies Meanwhile let us do
all we can TO make it better, and it will
somehow tell in the final result though /
II be only a childs sob hushed, or |
a trickling tear wiped from pale face, or a |
thorn extracts from a tired foot, or a sinful /
soul washed white as the wool. May God |
help us to help others And so these lessons (
of gratitude and sympathy and helptulness
and vindicatiou have brought you on the |
wings of this morning.