The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-06-02

word that might have led a man or woman
! into Christian life The opportunity was
fairly nut before us. The word Of invita-
| ton Or consolation or warning came 10 bne
| inside gate Of the niodthi but there 1t haiteo:
| Some hiridering power locked the Jaws TO-
sFether so that they did not ooen! Ihe
| tongue Law fat and still in the bottom OF the
| ,tiottth Is though struck with paralys1s. we
were mite, Though Col Had given t1s the
physiological apparatus for speech, and our
| lungs were filed with air when, by the
command of onr will, could have made the
| laryngeai muscles move and the Vocat
Dreams yibrate. we were wickedly and
fatally silent For all time and eternity we
missed our chance.
Or it was a prayer meeting, ana uhe SER
vice was thrown open for prayer and re-
marks and there was dead halt-everY-
thing silent as a graveyard at midnight.
Indeed it was a graveyard and midnight.
An EMBARRASSING pause took place that put =
wet blanket on all the meeting. Men, bold
enough on business exchange or in worldly
circles shut their eyes as though they "ers
PRAYING id silence but they wers not pray"
ing at all. They wer5 busy hoping some;
body else would do his duty. The Tomen
flushed under the awful pause and made
their fans more rapidly fiutter. Some
brother with no cold coughsd 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
keeps any grace il be regularly attends
them. They are spiritual refrigeratorS
Religion kept on ice. How many of us have
Inst occasions of usefulness? IN a sculptors
studio stood figure of the god Opportunity
The sculptor had made the hair fall down
over the face of the statue SO as to complete
" cover it, and there were wings to the feet.
When asked why he SO represented Oppor-;
tunity, the sculptor answered, 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 derlde the church
because OF all this, for the dumb devil is just
as conspicuous in the world. The two great
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 committe es 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-
card to the great moral evils of the country
ignored. No expression about the liquor
traffic, for that would loss the run 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
where's" 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 The great
conventions will be opened with prayer by
their chaplains. If they avoid platitudes
and tell the honest truth i'll their prayers
they will say: 10 Lord, We want to be post
masters and consuls and foreign ministers
and United States district attorneys. For
that we are here and for that we Will strive
till the election next November. Give us
office or we die, for ever and ever. Amen
The word, TO say the least, Is no better
than the church on this subject OF silence at
the wroog tune. In other words is 1t not
time for Christianity IT, become pronounced
and aggressive as never before? Take sides
for God and sobriety and righteousness. '1f
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 disheartened soul? Cheer
it, Have you useful word to speak,
Speak it.
Be out and out, up and down for righte-
business. If your ship is afloat on the Pa
ctic Ocean OF Gods mercy, hang out your
coors from masthead Show your passport
il YOU have one. Do not smuggle your soul
into the harbor of heaven. Speak out for
Godl This morning close up the chapter of
lost opportunities, and pitch it into the East
River and open q 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 i'll 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 whicn you may
consider insignificant may be tremendous
for results, as when on sea Captain Ho!dane
swore at the ships crew with an oath that
wished them all in perditiop, and a Scotch
SAILOR touched his cap, and said, Captain
God hears prayer, and we would be badly off
il you're wish were answered" Captain
Heldane was convicted by the sailor
remark and converted, and became the
means of the salvation OF his brother
Robert, who had been an inhdel, and then
Robert became minister OF the Gospel, AMI
under his ministry the goddess Felix Netf be-
came the world renowned missionary OF the
Cross, and the worldly Merle LAuoigne be.
came the author of "fhe History OF the
Reformation, and will be the glory of the
church for all ages.
Perhaps you may do as much as the
Scotch sailor who just tipped his cap and
used one broken sentence, by which the
earth and the heavens ara still resounding
with potent influences. Do something for
God, and do it right away, or you will never
do il at jail.
Time ties away fast,
The while we never remember;
How soon our life here