The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-04-14
MIDNIGHT In CITIES.
DIR. TALMAGE breaches ON THOSE
WHO ARE AWAKE AT NIGHT.


mage chose for his sermon today theme
Of universal interest-the dark side Of
rocial life in our great cities. The text
chosen as the basis of most graphic dis
course was Genesis j, 8, "And the dark
hess he called night"
Two grand divisions of time. Theone
Of sunlight, the other of shadow; the one
for work, the other for rest; the one a
type Of everything glad and beautiful,
the other used in all languages as type
of sadness and affection and sin. These
two divisions were made by the Lord
himself. Other divisions of time may
lave nomenclature of human invention,
hut the darkness held up its dusky brow
10 the Lord, and he baptized it. the dew
dripping from his fingers as he gave it
name, "And the darkness he called
night"
Mysubject 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-
gestive. my friends-midnight in townl
ANGELS OF THE NIGHT.
There are honest men passing up and
down the street Here is city mission
ary who has been carrying a scuttle Of
coal to that poor family in that dark
place. Here is an undertaken going up
the steps of a building from which there
comes bitter cry which indicates that
the destroying angel has smitten the
firstborn. Here is minister of religion
who has been giving the sacrament to a
dying Christian. Here is physician
passing along In great haste, the mes
senger a few steps ahead hurrying on to
the household Nearly all the lights
have 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 the ice
must be kept on the hot temples, and
the perpetual prayer must go up from
hearts soon to be broken. Oh, the mid
night in town! What a stupendous
thought whole city at rest!
Weary arm preparing for tomorrow's
toll. Hot brain being cooled off. Rigid
muscles relaxed. Excited nerves soothed
The white hair of the octogenarian in
thin drifts across the pillow, fresh fall
of flakes on snow already fallen. Child
hood with its dimpled hands thrown out
on the pillow, and with every breath
taking in 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-
ment 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 PROSTATE
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
can see. You say, Nothing" Then
listen. What is it? "God help us!" No
footlights, but tragedy ghastlier and
mightier than Ristori or Edwin Booth
ever enacted. Nolight, no fire, no bread,
no hope. Shivering in the cold, they
have had no food for "a hours. You
say, why don't they beg?" They do,
but they get nothing. You say, why
don't they deliver themselves over to
the almshouse?' All, you would not ask
that if you ever heard the bitter cry
Of man or child when told he must
60 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? Sc
much more 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 the crystals
of heaven, bat the vicious poor, they are
more to be pitied. Their last light has
gone ont. You excuse yourself from
helping them by saying they are SO bad
they brought this trouble on themselves.
] reply, where give 10 prayers for the
innocent who are suffering ! will give q
prayers for the guilty who are suffering
The fisherman, when he sees a vessel
dashing into the breakers, comes out
from his hut and wraps the warmest
fannels around those who are mos
chilled and most bruised and most bat
tered in the wreck. And / want you tt
know that these vicious poor have hat
/ two shipwrecks-shipwreck of the body
Bhipwreck of the soul-shipwreck fo1
time, shipwreck for eternity. Pity, b,
all means, the innocent who are suffer
ing, but pity more the guilty.
Pass on through the alley. Open thu
door. oh" you say, sit is locked.
No, it is not locked; it has never beer
locked. No burglar would be tempted
to go in there to steal anything. The
door is never locked. Only broker
rhair stands against the door. Shove il
back. Go in Strike match. Nov
look Besstliness and rags. See thos.
| glaring eyeballs. Be careful now wha
you say. Do not utter any insult, do no
utter any suspicion. if you value you
life
What is that red mark on the wall? L
is the mark of a murderer's hand! Loci
at those two eyes rising up out of tn,
darkness and out from the straw in til,
corner coming toward you, and as the.
iome near you your light goes out
l;trike another match. All! this is ,
,abe, not like the beautiful children o
-FOUR household, or the beautiful childre,
sniling around these affairs on baptisma
t!sy. This little one never smiled; ]
never will smile. A flower flung on al
awfully barren beach. o Heavenl.
Shepherd, fold that little one in tn.
armsl Wrap around you your shawl o
coat tighter, for the cold night VIM
sweeps through.
! Strike another match. All! is it pos
sible that that young woman's .scarre'
and bruised face was ever looked int
by maternal tenderness? Utter no scorn
Utter no harsh word. No ray of hop