The Dickinson press., 1892-05-28

the United States? What do yout think
OF the sermon on the mount? How do
you like the golden rule laid down in
the Scriptures? Are you i'll favor OF
the ten commandments: In your
large and extensive reading have YOU
come across lovelier character than
Jesus Christ.
DO not let us lose ourselves in gen.
eralities. 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 say
ing n Christian word that might have
led a man or woman into Christian
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
it halted. Some hinderingpower lock-
ed the jaws together so that they did
not open. The tongue lay flat and
still in the bottom OF the mouth as
though struck with paralysis. We
We're mute. Though God had given us
the physiological apparatus for
speech, and our lungs were filled with
air which, by the command OF our
will, could have made the laryngeal
muscles move and the vocal organs
vibrate, we We're wicEedly and fatally
silent. For all time and eternity we
missed our chance. Or it was a pray.
er meeting, and the service was thrown
open for praye. and remarks, and
there was dead halt-everything ST.
lent as q graveyard at midnight. In
deed it was agraveyard and midnight.
An embarrassing pause took place
that put n wet blanket on all
the meeting. Men, bold enough on
business exchange or in worldly cir
cles, shut their eyes as though they
We're praying in silence, but they were
not praying ut all. They were busy
hoping somebody else would do his
duty. The women flushed under the
awful pause and made theirfans more
rapidly flutter. Some brother, with
no cold coughed, by that sound try
ing to fill up the time, and the meet
ing was slain. But what killed it?-the
dunno devil. This is the way ac-
count for the fact that the stupidest
place on earth are some prayer meet
ings. do not see how a man keeps
any grace ii he regularly attends
them. They are spiritual refriger-
ators. Religion kept on ice. How
many OF lis have lost occasions oi
usefulness. In Il sculptor's studio
stood the figure OF the god Oppor-
tunity. The sculptor had made hair
fall down over the face OF the statue
so as to completely 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 be.
cause we do not recognize Opportun-
ity when it comes, and the wings on
the feet show that Opportunity is
swift, ly gone
But do not let the world deride the
church because OF all this, for the
dunno 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 eachparty
will be appointed to make the plat
:orln. After proper deliberation the
committee will come i'll with ring
ing report: "Whereas, and "Whereas,"
and "Whcreas." Pronunciamentoe oes
all shaped with the one idea OF getting
the most votes. All expression in re-
gard to the moral evils OF the country
is ignored, No expression about the
liquor traffic, for that would loose the
rum vote. Noexpression i'll regard to
the universal attempt at the demoli.
tion OF the Lords day. No recogni-
tion OF God in the history OF this ma
tion, for that would loose the vote of
atheists. But "Whereas," and
Whereas. Nine cheers will be given
for the platform. The dumb devil of
the text will put one wing over tho
Republican platform and the other
wing over the Democratic platform.
There is nothing involved in the next
election except officers. The great
conventions will be opened with
prayer by their chaplains. Ii they
avoid platitudes and tell the honest
truth in their prayers, they will say:
go Lord, we want to be postmasters
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. 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 pronounc-
ed and aggressive as never before?
Take sides for God and sobriety and
righteousness. "If the Lord be God,
follow him; if Raal, then follow him:
Have you opportunity OF rebuking
q sin? RebuEe it. Have you chance
to cheer q disheartened soul? Cheer it.
Have YOU Il useful word to speak?
Speak it.
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GOOD
which you may consider insignifi.
can't may be tremendous for results,
as when on the sea, Capt. Haldane
swore at the ships crew with an oath
that wished them all in perdi-
ton, and a Scotch sailor touched his
cap and said, Captain! God hears
prayers, and we would be badly off
if your wish were answered." Capt.
Haldane was converted and became
lHo llledIlS vi lllo SitlNdllOll Ol Ills
brother Robert. who had been an in
tidel, and then Robert became min
lister OF the gospel, and under his min
istry the goddess Felix Neff became the
world renowned missionaryo the cross
and the worldly Merle D'Aubigne be-
came the author OF The History of
the Reformation, and will be the
glory OF the church for all ages. Per.
haps you may do rs much as the
Scotch sailor who just tipped his cap
and used one broken sentence by
which the earth and the heayens are
still resounding withpotent inlueces.
DO something for God, and do it right
away, oryou will never do it at all.
Time flies away fast,
The while We never remember:
How soon our lite here
Grows old with the year
That dies with the next December.
DEATH IN FLAMES.
Two Lives Probab y Lost in Fire a,