Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-10
AT The TABERNACLE.
Or. TALMAGE ON THE DARK FeA.
TuREs OF LIFE IN THE CITY
The Vicious and Criminal Flock 10 the CITY
From Az Sections They Are Awake
When Oiher People slsop-slreet
Scenes al HidnishL

BRooKLYN, April e--Rev. DR.. Tnlmaee
chose Tor his sermon today a theme OF uni.
vcrsu intorest--the dark side of social life
IN our great cities The text chosen as the
basis OF a most graphic discourse was Gene.
SIS l. D. And the darkness he called night. y
Two grand divisions OF time The one OF
sunlight, tho other Of shadow, the one for
work, the other for rest, the one type OF
everything glad and beautiful, the other
uSeu IN al languages as a type OF sadness
and aliiiction and sin These two divisions
were made by the Lord himself. Other d.
visions OF time may have nomenclature OF
human Invention, but the darkness held up
its dusky brow 10 the Lord, and he bap.
TIED IL, the dew dripping from his fingers
AS be gave 1t name, And the darkness
he called night"
Ny subject Is midnight I'm town. The
thunder Of the city has rolled out OF the
air The slightest sounds cut tho night
with such distinotness as TO attract yout
attention. The tinkling Of the bell of The
street chr In the distance and the bayinr of
d the dog. The stamp Of horse in the next
street. The slamming OF a saloon door
The hiccouRh Of the druukarl. The shriets
OF the steam whistle five miles away OH
.'N' ~ -ffNt'Na'Nt my AAAtANlts Nlluulknb IN
town
There arc honest men passing up and
down the street. Here is city missionary
who has been carrying scuttle OF coal tc
that poor family In that dark place Here
IN an undertaken going up the steps OF a
building from which there comes a bitter
cry, which indicates that the destroying
angel has smitten the ilrstborn Here Is a
minister OF religion who has been giving
the sacrament TO dying Christian Here
Is n physician passing along IN great haste
the messenger few stops ahead hurryina
on 70 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 administered,
and the fever must be watched. and the
restless tossing on Of the coycrlid must be
resisted. and the ice must be kept on the
hot temples, and the perpetual prayer must
90 up from hearts soon TO be broken Oh,
the midnight In town. Whata stupendous
thought--a whole city at restI
sLEEP OF THE HONEST AND WARY.
Weary arm preparing for tomorrow's toll.
Hot brain being cooled off Rigid muscles
relaxed. Excited nerves soothed. The white
hair OF the octogenariRu In thin drifts
across the pillow, fresh fall Of flakes on
snow already fallen Childhood with its
dimpled hands thrown out on 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 refresh.
ing slumber roll over the heart Of the great
town, submorging care and anxiety and
worriment and pain.
Let the city sleep But, my friends, be
not deceived There will be thousands TO.
night who will not sleepHt all. Coup that
dark alley and be cautious where you
tread. lest you fall over the PROSTATE form
OF n drunkRrd lying on his own doorstep
Look about you, lest you feel the gRrroter's
hug Look through the broken window
pane aud see what you can see. You say,
Nothing" Then listen What IN itl God
help usW No footlighta but tragedy
ghastlier and migbtier than Ristor or Ed
win 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 bcBY" They do, but
they get nothing. You say, "Why don't
they deliver themselves over 20 the aims.
houseW All. you would not ask that il you
ever heard the bittor cry Of man or child
when told he must go 10 the almshouse.
"Oh," you say they are the vicious
poor, and therefore they do not demand our
sympathy" Are they vicious' So 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 SEQ the crystals Of heaven, but the
vicious poor, they are more TO be pitied.
Their last light has gone out. You excuse
yourself from helping them by saying they
are 30 bad they brought this trouble on
themselves / reply, where give 10 prayers
for tho innocent who are suffering / will
give 70 prayers for the guilty who are suf-
fering.
The fisherman, when he sees vessel dash
ing into the breakers, comes out from his
hut and wraps the warmeat 1Rnnels around
those who are most chilled and most
bruised aud most battered Ia tho wreck,
and want you TO know TINT these vicious
poor have had two shipwrecks-shipwreck
OF the body, shipwreok OF the soul--ship-
wreck for time, shipwreck for eternity
Pity, by all means, the innocent who are
suffering but pity more tho guilty.
TIlK VILE ALLEY.
Pass on through the alley. Open the
door "Oh," you say, 'it is locked" NO
II is not locked; Il has never been locked.
Noburglar would be tempted to 20 in there
20 steal anything. The Is never locked.
Only broken chair stands against the
door. Shove 1t back. Go in. Strike a
match. Now look. Beastliness and rags
See those glaring eyeballs Be careful now
what you say Do not utter any insult, do
not utter any suspicion, II you value your
life.
What "a that red mark on the WALTZ II Is
the mark OF a murderer's handl Look at
those two eyes rising up out Of the dark
ness and out from the straw In the corner,
coming toward you, and az they come near
YOU your light goes out. Strike another
match. Ali this IS a babe; not like the
beautiful children your household or the
beautiful children smiling around these al
tars on baptismal day. This little some never
smiled, il never will smile. Ahower dung
on an awfully barren beach. o Heavenly
Shepherd, fold that little one In thy arms
Wrap around you your shawl or your coat
tighter, for the cool night wind sweeps
through.
Strike another match. Ali is It possible
that that young woman's Scared and
bruised face was ever looked into by ma"
teinAl teadernessf Utter no soorn. utter
no harsh weird. No ray Of hope has dawned
On that brow for many a year NO ray OF
A that brow But