Connecticut western news., 1893-04-13
MIDNIGHT IN CITIES.
DR TALMAGE BREACHES ON THOSE
 WHO ARE AWAKE AT NIGHT.


 pR TALMAGE BREACHES ON THOSE WHO ARE AWAKE AT NIGHT. Tsw lndssd Arc They Who Need He Out
 Till Midnight. but the Criminal and vi
 cfous Find That Their Hour--Practical
 Christian Work Needed.
 !3RooKLYN, April 9.-Rev.> Dr. Tal- mage chose for his sermon today theme pf universal interest-the dark side of social life in our great cities. The text chosen as the basis of a most graphic dis course was Genesis i, B And the dark ness he called night.
 Two grand divisions of time. The one of sunlight. the other of shadow; the one for work. the other for rest; the one type.of everything glad and beautiful the other used in all languages as type of sadness and afaiction and sin. These two divisions were made by the Lord himself Other divisions of time may have nomenclature of human invention but the darkness held up it's dusky brow to the Lord, and he baptized it, the dew dripping from his fingers as he gave it name, And the darkness he called night
 My subject is midnight in town The thunder of the city has rolled out of the air The slightest sounds cut the night with such distinctness as to attract your attention. The tinkling of the bell of the street car in the distance and the baying of the dog. The stamp of a horse in the next street. The slamming of . saloon door. The hiccough of the drunkard The shrieks of the steam whistle five miles away Oh. how sug gsstive. my friends ds-n,idnight in town
 ANGELS OF THE NIGHT
 There gre honest men passing up and down the street Here is city mission ary who has been carrying 8 scuttle of coal to that poor family in that dark place Here is an undertaken going. up the steps of building from which there comes . bitter cry which indicates that tho destroying angel has smitten the 6rstborn. Here is minister of religion who has been giving the sacrament to dying Christian Here is physician .passing along in great haste, the mes ssnger . few steps ahead hurrying on to tho household Nearly all the lights hsve gone out in the dwellings That light in the window is the light of the watcher, for the medicines must be ad ministered, and the fever must be watched. and the restless tossing off of the coverlid must be resisted, and theice muse be kept on the hot temples, and the perpetual prayer must go up from hsaxts coon to be broken Oh, the mid night in towni What stupendous thought whole city at restl
 Weary arm preparing for tomorrow's Sbdl. Hot brain being cooled off. Rigid .Inuscles relaxed Excited nerves soothed Tho white hair of the octogenarian in thdp drifts across the pillow, fresh fall of flakes on snow already fallen Child hood with it's dimpled hands thrown out eu the pillow. and with every breath taking in a new store of fun and frolic Gods slumberless eye will look Let one great wave of refreshing slumber roll over the heart of the great town submerging care and anxiety and worri- me0t and pain
 Let the city sleep; but, my friends be not deceived. There will be thousands tonight who will not sleep at all Go up that dark alley and be cautious where you tread lest you fall over the prostrate form of drunkard lying on his own doorstep Look about you lest you feel the garroter's hug Look through the broken window pane and see what you ean zee. You say. Nothing" Then hsten. What is its God help usr' No footlights, but tragedy ghastlier and mightier than Ristori or Edwin Booth ever enacted. No light, no fire, no bread, no hope. Shivering in the cold. they have had no food for "A hours You say. Why don't they begY They do, but they get nothing. You say. "Why don't they deliver themselves over to the slmshouseY An, you would not ask that if you ever heard the bitter cry of man or child when told he must 20 to the almshouse.
 THE HONEST POOR
 Oh you say, they are the vicious poor. and therefore they do not demand our sympathy" Are they vicious? So much moro need they your pity The Christian poor, God helps them. Through their night there wrinkles the round merry star of hope, and through the broken window pane they see hecrystals of heaven. but the vicious poor, they are moro to be pitied Their last light has gone out. You excuse yourself from helping them by saying they are so bad they brought this trouble on themselves. reply. where 1 give 10 prayers for the innocent who are suffering will give 20 prayers for the guilty who are suffering
 The fisherman, when he sees vessel dashing into the breakers, comes out from his hut and wraps the warmest Aannels around those who are most chilled and most bruised and most bat tered in the wreck. And want you to know that these vicious poor have had two shipwrecks shipwreck of the body, shipwreck of the soul-shipwreck for time. shipwreck for eternity. Pity, by all means, the innocent who are suffer ing, but pity more the guilty.
 Pass on through the alley. Open the door. Oh you say, "it is locked" No, it is not locked; it has never been looked. No burglar would be tempted to go in there to steal anything. The door is never locked. Only broken chair stands against the door. Shove it back Go in Strike a match Now look Beastliness and rags See those olaxing eyeballs Be careful now what you say. Do not utter any insult. do not utter any suspicion, if you value youl life.
 What is that red mark on the wall? It is the mark of g murderer's handl Look ct those two eyes rising up out of the darkness and out from the straw in the corner coming toward you, and as they come near you your light goes out. Strike another match. An! this is a babe, not like the beautiful children of your household, or the beautiful childrer, smiling around these altars on baptismal day. This little one never smiled; it never will smile. A flower flung on an swfully barren beach. O Heavenly 0hov,bor1 fo11 fbof E+flo opo iy, fbv