Democratic messenger., 1892-12-10

year, and wolf and cormorant by her
God strengthened arm were hurled down
the rocks.
You pass day by day along streets
where there are heroines greater than
Joan of Are. Upon that cellar floor
there are conflicts as fierce as Sedan,
and heaven and hell rningle in the fight.
Lifted in that garrct there are tribunals
where more fortitude is demanded than
was exhibited by Lady Jane Grey OF
Mary. queen of Scots.
Now | ask. if mere natural courage
can dssso much. what may we not expect
of women who have gazed ON the great
sacrifice. and who are urged forward by
all the voices Of grace that sound from
the Bible and all the notes Of victory
that speak from the sky? Many years
ago the Forfarshire steamer started from
Hull bound for Dundee. After the YES
sci had been out little while the winds
began to rave and pillows rise until a
tempest was upon them. The vessel
leaked. and the fires went ont, and though
the sails were hoisted fore and aft she
went speeding toward the breakers. She
struck with her bows foremost on the
rock. The vessel parted. Amid the
whirlwind and the darkness all were lost
but nine. These clung to the wreck on
the beach.
Sleeping that night in Longstone
lighthouse was girl of gentle spirit
and comely countenai.ce. AS the morn
ing dawns | see that girl standing
amid the spray and tumult of contend
upon the wreck and the nine wretched
sufferers. She proposes to her father to
take boat and put ont across the wild
sea To rescue them. The father SAYS:
1T cannot be done! Just look at the
tumbling surf But she persisted, and
with her father bounds into the boat.
Though never accustomed to plying the
oar, she takes one and her father the
other. Steady now! Pull away! Pull
away!
The sea tossed mp the boat as though
il were bubble, but amid the foam and
the wrath OF the sea the wreck was
reached. the exhausted people picked up
their thanks. Wealth poured into the
lap of the poor girl. Visitors from all
lands came to look ON her sweet face,
and when soon after she launched forth
ON dark sea. and Death was the oars
man, dukes and duchesses and mighty
men sat down in tears in Alnwick castle
to think they never again might see the
face of Grace Darling.
TIE BATTLE WITH SIN.
No such deeds of daring will probably
be asked of you. but hear You not the
howl of that awful storm of trouble and
sin that hath tossed ten thousand shiv-
cred hulks into the breakers: Know
You not that the whole earth is strewn
with the shipwrecked-that there are
wounds to be healed and broken hearts
to he bound and drowning souls to lie
rescued? Some have gone down. and
YOU come too late. but others are cling.
ing TO the wreck. are shivering with the
cold, are s,rangling in the wave. are
CRYING to- You for deliverance. Will
You not. oar in hand, put out today
from the lighthouse:
When the last ships timber shall have
been rent. and the last Longstone bea.
con shall have been thundered down in
the hurricane. and the last tempest shall
have folded its wings. and the sea itself
shall have been licked up by the tongue
of all consuming fire. the crowns of eter.
nal reward shall be kindling into bright.
er glory on the brow of the faithful
And Christ pointing 10 the inebriatt
that you reformed. and the dying sinner
whom you taught to pray, and the ont
cast whom you pointed 10 God for shell
ter, will say: "You did it to them
You did il Ia met
Again, the scene Of the text impresses
upon rs the strength of maternal attach
ment. Not many men would have had
courage or endurance for the awfu
mission of Rizpah. To dare the rage oi
wild beasts. and sit from May to Octo
Der unsheltered and 10 watch the corpse'
of unburied children. was work that
nothing but the maternal heart could
have accomplished. Ii needed NOR,
strength than 10 stand before openct
batteries or to walk in calmneSs the dech
/ of foundering steamer.
/ There is no emotion 81 completely un
selfish as maternal affection. Conjuga
/ love expects the return Of many kind
nesses and attentions. Filial love ex
poets paternal care or is helped by the
memory of past watchfulness. But th'
strength of mothers love is entirely
independent of the past and the future
and is, of all emotions. the purest. TIL,
child has done nothing in the past 4
earn kindness. and in the future it may
grow up to maltreat its parent. but still
from the mothers heart there goes forii
inconsumable affection.
4 Abuse cannot offend it: neglect can
not chill it; time cannot efface it: deatl
cannot destroy it. For harsh words j
has gentle chiding: for the blow it ha
beneficent ministry; for neglect it ha
increasing watchfulness. 1t weeps a
the prison door over the incarcerate'
prodigal. and pleads for pardon at TN
governors feet, and is forced away b,
compassionate friends from witnessin.
the struggles of the gallows. Othe
lights go ont. but this burns ON withou
extinguishment. rs in gloom strucl
night you may see a single star, one o
Gods picketS. with cleaning b:yonet o
light guarding the outpo>ts of heaven.
The Marchioness of Spadara. whel
the earthquake at MeSsina occurred
WIS carried ont insensible from tn
falling houses. On coming to he
senses she found that her infant ha
not been rescued She went back an
perished i'll the ruins. Illustration q
ten thousand mothers who in as man
different ways have sacrificed themselve
for their children.
BE KIND To THE AGED PARENT.
Oh. despise not a mothers love!
heretofore you have been negligent q
such one. and you have still oppoi
tunify for reparation. make haste.
you could only just look i'll for an hour
visit to her, Won would rouse up in th
aged one whole world of blissful mem
orieS. What if she does sit withou
talking much2 She watched YOU fo