Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-05-21
Bow To-nipht?o is a song that has savo0

1nab hymn O1Or LuOuSduu tongues
to sing" was suggested to Charles
Wesley by Peter Boiler, who after his
conversion said, II had better keep
silent about it." ''No," said Wesley,
'if you had ten thousand tongues you
had better use them for Christ" And
then that angel Of hymnology penned
the word:
o for thousand tongues.to sing
My dear Redeemer's praise.
The glories OF my God and King,
The triumphs OF his grace
Jesus, the name that Gains our fearA
That bids our sorrows cease;
IT'S music In the sinners ears,
IT'S life and health and peace.
Do not, however, let us lose ourselves
in generalities Not one of us but has
had our lives sometimes touched by the
evil spirit of the text-this awful dumb
devil. We had just one opportunity OF
saying q Christian word that might
have led man or woman into Chris
tan life. The opportunity was fairly
put before us. The word OF invitation
or consolation or warning came to the
inside gate of the mouth, but there 1t
halted. Some hindering power locked
the jaws together 80 that they did not
open. The tongue lay fat and still in
the bottom of the mouth as though
struck with paralysis. We were mute.
Though God had given us the physio-
logical apparatus for speech, and our
lungs were filed with air which, by the
command of our will, could have
made the laryugeal muscles move and
the vocal organs vibrate, we were
wickedly and fatally silent. For all
time and eternity we missed our chance
Or it was prayer meeting, and the
service was thrown open for prayer and
remarks and there was dead halt
everything silent rs n graveyard at
midnight. Indeed it was n 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 Us though they
were praying in silence, but they were
not praying Mt all. They were busy
hoping somebody else would 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 it?-the dumb
devil.
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 committee will come in
with aringing report: Whereas" and
"Whereas," and Whereas" Pronun-
all shaped with the idea of
getting the most votes. All expression
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 regard to the universal at
tempt at the demolition of the
Lords day. No recognition in the his
tory of this nation for that would lose
the vote of atheists But whereas"
and "Whereas," and Whereas" Nine
cheers will be given for the platform.
The dumb devil of the text will put one
wing over the republican platform and
the other wing over the democratic plat
form. There is nothing involved in the
next election except offices. The great
will be opened with prayer
by their chaplains. If they avoid
platitudes and tell the honest truth in
their prayers they will say: 30, Lord,
we want to be postmasters and con-
suls 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. 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 before? Take sides
for God and sobriety and righteousness.
IF the Lord be God, follow Him; II
Baal, then follow him" Have you OPP
portunity of rebuking sin? Rebuke
it. Have you a chance to cheer dis
heartened soul? Cheer 1t. Have you q
useful word to speak? Speak it.
Be out and out, up and down for
If your ship is a1oat 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
morning close up the chapter Of lost
opportunities, 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
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