Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-05-16

all They were busy hoping somebody
else world DO his duty. The women
flushed under the awful pause and made
their fans more rapidly flutter. Some
brother with no cold coughed, by that
sound trying to fill up the time, and the
meeting was slain. But what killed it2
the dumb devil
This is the way account for the fact
that the stupidest places on earth are
some prayer meetings. do not see how
a man keeps any grace if he regularly
attends them. They are spiritual re-
frigerators, Religion kept on ice. How
many of us have lost occasions of use
fulness? In sculptor's studio stood
figure of the god Opportunity. The
sculptor had made the hair fall down
over the face of the statue so as to COM
pletely cover it, and there were wings to
the feet. When asked why he so repre-
sented Opportunity, the sculptor an
swered, 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 Opportunity
is swiftly gone"
lhb DOmb DEVIL In fOLlIlCS.
But do not let the world deride 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 pres
idential candidates to stand on. A com
mittee of each party will be appointed
to make the platform. After proper de-
liberation the committees will come in
with a ringing report, "Whoreas" and
Whereas and Whereas" Pronun-
ciamentoes all shaped with the one idea
of getting the most votes. All express
sion in regard 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 re-
gard to the universal attempt at the
demolition OF the Lords day. No recog-
milton of God in the history of this nation
for that would lose the vote of atheists.
But Whereas" and Whereas" and
Whereas" Nine cheers viii be given
for the platform. The dumb devil of
the text will put one wing over the Re-
publican platform and the other wing
over the Democratic platform. There is
nothing involved in the next election ex-
cept offices. The great conventions will
be opened with prayer by their chap
lains. If they avoid platitudes and tell
the honest truth in their prayers they
will say: go Lord, we want to be post
masters and consuls and foreign minis
ters and United States district attorneys.
For that we are here, and for that we
will strive till the election next Novem-
ber. Give us Office or we die, forever
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 and aggressive as never be-
fore? Take sides for God and sobriety
and Righteousness. "If the Lord be God,
follow him; if Baal, then follow him" {"
Have you opportunity of rebuking sin?
Rebuke it. Have you chance to cheer
disheartened soul? Cheer it. Have
you useful word to speak? Speak it.
Be out and out, up and down for
righteousness. If your ship is afoat on
the Pacific ocean of Gods mercy, hang
out your colors from masthead, Show
your passport if you have one. Do not
smuggle your soul into the harbor Of
heaven. Speak out for God! This morn
ing close up the chapter of lost oppor-
tunities, 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 a
two wheeled 'sulky" with room only for
one, and that yourself, but get the big
gest 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, ana we will
do you good, for the Lord hath promised
good concerning Israel"
The opportunity for good which you
may consider insignificant may be tre-
mendous for results, as when on sea
| Captain Holdane swore at the ships
crew with an oath that wished them all
in perdition, and Scotch sailor touched
his cap and said, Captain, God hears
prayer, and we would be badly off il
|
Holdane was convicted by the sailors
remark and converted, and became the
means of the salvation of his brother
Robert, who had been an infdel, and
then Robert became a minister of the
Gospel, and under his ministry the god
less Felix Neff became tie world re-
nowned missionary of the Cross, and the
worldly Merle LAubigne became the
author of The History Of the Reforma
tion," 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 caI
and used one broken sentence, by which
the earth and the heavens are still re-
sounding with potent influences. Dc
something for God, and do it right away
or you will never do il at all.
Time flies away fast,
The while we never remember;
How soon our life hore
Grows old with the year
That dies with the next December.