The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-11-30

Iethe the fountain OF 1orgeliuille99' are d
healthful draft The history we nave OF the
world in ages past is always one sided and
cannot be depended on. History IS netlon
illustrated by a few struggling facts In AL
the Pantheon the weakest goddess is Clio
the goddess of history, and instead OF beng
represented by sculptors as holding scroll
might better be represented as llmplng on
crutches.
Faithful history is the saving OF a few
things out of more things lost. The immor-
talitv that comes from pOmp OF obseques, or
granite shaft, or building named after its
founder, or page OF recognition in some en-
eycloDedia is an immortality unworthy OF
ones ambition, for it will cease and is no i'm
mortality at all. Oblivion hundred
wears. But while I recognize this universal
submergence Of things earthly who wants to
be forgotten? Not one of us.
Absent for few weeks or months from
home. it cheers us to know that we are re-
membered there. 1t is phrase we have all
pronounced, al hope you missed me-. Meet
inc some friends from whom we have been
parted many years, we inquire, "Did you
ever see me before?" and they say, YES,
and call rs by name. and we feel delight
full sensation thrilling through their hand
into our hand, and running up from elbow
to shoulder. and then parting, the one cur
rert of delight ascending TO the brow and
the other descending to the foot, moving
round and round in concentric circles until
every nerve aud muscle and capacity ofbody
and mind and soul is permeated with de-
light.
A few DAYS ago. visiting the place of my
boyhood, met one whom | had not seen
since we played together at ten years OF age,
and had peculiar pleasure in pulling him
a little as to who | was, and | can hardly de
scribe the sensation as after awhile he mum
bled ont "Let me see. Yes, You are De
Witt" We all like to be remembered.
Now. have to tell you that this oblivion
Of which [ have spoken has its defeats, and
that there is no more reason why we should
not be distinctly and wildly and gloriously
remembered five hundred million billion
trillion quadrilion quintillion years from
now than that we should be remembered six
weeks. [ am going to tell you how thethins
can be done and will be done.
We may build this Everlasting remem-
brance," as my text styles it, into the super
nal existence of those to whom VIC --..---,
nesses in this world. You must remember
that this infirm and treacherous faculty
which we now call memory is in NC .S;E7z-a
state to be complete and perfect. SEVER
lasting remembrancer' Nothing will slip
the stout grip of that celestial faculty. Did
you help widow pay her rent? Did yon
find for that man released from prison
place to get honest work? Did you pick up
a child fallen on the curbstone, and by a
stick of candy put in his hand stop the hurt
on his scratched knee? Did you assure Il
business man. swamped by the stringency OF
the money market, that times would after
awhile be better
Did YOU lead a Maglalen OF the street into
a midnight mission, where the Lord said to
her "Neither do [ condemn thee go and sin
no more?" Did you tell man, clear dis
couraged in his waywardness and hopeless
and plotting suicide, that for him was near
by laver in which he might wash, and
coronet of eternal blessednesS he might
wear?
What are eptaphs in graveyards. what are
eulogiums in presence ofthose whose breath
is in their nostrils, what are unread biogra-
phies in the alcoves of city library, com
pared with the imperishable records you
have made in the illumined memories OF
those to whom you did such kindu esses?
Forget them? They cannot forget them.
Notwithstanding all their might and splen-
dor, there are some things the gloriiied OF
heaven cannot do, and this is one OF them.
They cannot forget an earthly kindness
done. They have no cutlass to part that
cable. They have no strength to hurl into
oblivion that benelaction.
Has Paul forgotten the inhabitants OF
Malta, who extended the island hospitality
when he and others with him had felt, added
to a shipwrack. the drenching rain and tine
sharp cold? Has the victim of the highway
man on the road to Jericho forgotten the
Good Samaritan with a medicament Of oil
and wine and free ride to the hostelry?
Have the English soldiers who went up to
God from the Crimean battellelds forgotten
Florence Nightingale?
Through all eternity will the Northern and
Southern soldiers forget the Northern and
Southern women who administered to the
dying boys in blue and gray after the awful
fights in Tennessee and Pennsylvania and
Virginia and Georgia, which turned every
house and barn and shed into hospital, and
incarnadined the Susquehanna, and the
James. and the Chattahoochee, and the Sa-
vannah with brave blood? The kindnesses
you do to others will stand as long in the APP
probation of others as the gates Of heaven
will stand, as the blouse of Many Mansions"
will stand, as long as the throne OF God will
stand
Another defeat Of oblivion will be found
in the character Of those whom We rescue,
uplift or save. Character is eternal. Sup
pose by right influence we aid in trans
forming a bad man into a good man, a dol
orous man into happy man, disheartened
man into a courageous man-every stroke OF
that work done will be immortaized There
may never be so much as one line in news
paper regarding it, or no mortal tongue may
ever whisper it into human ear. but where
ever that soul shall go your work upon it
shall go, wherever that soul rises your work
upon 1t shall rise. and so long as that soul
will last your WORK on it will last.
Do you suppose there will ever come such
an idiotic lapse in the history OF that soul in
heaven that it shall forget that you invited
him to Christ that you, by prayer or gospe
word. turned him round from the wrong way
to the right way? No such insanity will even
smite a heavenly citizen. 1t is not half "a
well on earth known that Christopher Wren
planned and built st. Paul's as it will BE-
known in all heaven that you were the in
strumentality of building temple for the
| sky.
| We teach "a Sabbath class, or put Chris
tiin tract in the hand Of a passerby, or ties
tify for Christ in prayer meeting, or preach
sermon, and go homo discouraged, a!
though nothing had been accomplished, whel
we had been character, building with a ma
terlal that no frost or earthquake or rollins
of the centuries can damage or bring down
There is no sublimer art in the world thai
architecture. With pencil and rule and com
pass the architect sits down alone and in 81
ience. and evolves from his own brain ca
thedral. or a National capitol, or massiy
home before he leaves that table, and then HI
goes out and unrolls his plans, and calls car
penters and masons and artisans OF all sort
to execute his design, and whenit is linishe