The Greenville times., 1894-02-24

he helped found Better give up before you
start the measuring OF the phosphorescence
in the wake Of that ship OF the Celestial line.
Who can tell the post mortem influence OF n
Savonarola. Winkelried. Gutenberg,
Marlborough, Decatur, Toussaint. n Boil
var, a Glarkson. Robert Raikes. a Harlan
Page. VINO had 1875 Sabbath scholars, eighty
four of whom became Christians, AMI six OF
them ministers of the gospel.
With gratitude and penitenee aud worship
| mention the grandest life that was ever
lived. That ship Of light was launched from
the heavens nearly 1900 years ago, angelic
hosts chanting. and from the celestial
wharves the ship sprang into the toughest
sea that ever tossed. Its pillows were made
up Of the wrath of men and devils. Herodie
and sanhedrinic prosecutions stirring the
deep with red wrath, and all the hurricanes
of woe smote II until on the rocks OF Golgo-
tina that life struck with a resound Of agony
that appalled, the earth and the heavens.
But in the wake Of that life what phospho-
rescencs OF smiles on the cheeks OF souls
pardoned, and lives reformed, and Nations
redeemed. The millennium itself is only
one roll OF that lradiated wave OF gladness
and benediction. In the sublimest OF all
senses II may be said OF Him, He maKeth u
path to shine after Him."
But cannot look upon that luminosity
that follows ships without realizing how fond
the Lord Is OF life. That fire OF the deep Is
life, myrlads Of creatures all a-swim and a
play and a-romp in parks OF marine beauty
laid out and parterred and roseated aud
blossomed by Omnipotence. What IL the use
OF those creatures called by the naturalists
''crustaceans" and "copepods." not more
than one out of hundreds OF billions OF which
tire ever seen by human eye2 God created
ahem for the same reason that He creates
flowers in places where no human foot ever
makes them tremble, and no human nostril
ever inhales their redolenee. and no human
eye ever sees their charm. In the botanical
world they prove that God loves flowers. as
in the marine world the phosphori prove that
He loves life, and He loves life in play, life In
brillianey OF gladness, life In exuberance.
And so | am led 10 believe that He loves
our life n we fulfill our mission as fully as
the phosphori fulill theirs. The Son OF God
came THAT we might have life and have it
more abundantly." But am glad to tell you
that our God is not the God sometimes de-
scribed US a harsh critic at the head OF the
universe, or an infinite scold, or God that
loves funerals better than weddings, or a
God that prefers tears to laughter, an om-
nipotent Nero ferocious Mana Sahih, but
the loveliest Being in the universe, loving
flowers and life and play, whether OF phos-
| pnOfl IN tue Wdke ot tno Mhlcsttc VI VI tho
human race keeping holiday.
But mark you that the phosphorescence
has glow that the night monopolizes, and
ask you not only what kind OF influence you
are going to leave In the world rs you pass
through IT, but what light are you going to
throw across the worlds night OF sin and
sorrow? People who are sailing on smooth
sea and at noon do not need much sympathy,
but what ara you going to do for people In
! the night OF misfortnne2 viii you drop on
them shadow, or will you kindle for them
, phosphorescence?
At this moment there are more people cry
, ing than laughing, more people on the round
world this moment hungry than well fed,
| more households bereft than homes un-
broken. What are you going to do about II Z
swell," says yonder soul, 81 would like to
do something toward illumining the great
ocean OF human wretchedness. but cannot
, do much
, Can you do as much as one OF the phos-
phori In the middle OF the Atlantic Ocean,
creatures smaller than the point OF u sharp
: pinY Oh. yes" you say. Then do that.
Shine, Stand before the looking glass and
/ experiment to ses II you cannot get that
scowl off your forehead, that peevish look
out OF your lips. Have ut least one bright
, ribbon In your bonnet. Embrolder at least
.
: OF your apparel Do not any longer imper-
! senate a iuneral Shine Do say something
,, cheerful about society and about the world
Put few drops OF heaven into your dispo-
, sition. Once in n while substitute sweet
? orange for "A sour lemon.
!, Remember that pessimism is blasphem,
|, and that optimism Is Christianity. Throw
\ some light on the night ocean. II you can
! not be a lantern swinging In the rigging be
. one OF tho tiny phosphori back OF the keel
' Shine "Let your light so shine before met
n that others seeing your good works MAJ
4 clorify your Father which Is ia heaven.
/ Make one person happy every day, and Dc
a that for twenty years, and you Will hav'
: made 1900 happy. You know man who hai
A lost all his properly by an unfortunate in
J, yestment or BY putting his name on the bacl
a of n friends note. After you have taken
= brief nap, which every man and woman l
q entitled to on n Sunday afternoon, go an'
! cheer up that man. You can, II God help
A YOU. say something that will do him goo
II after both of you have been dead a thousan
q years.
~ Shine You know of family with ba,
. boy who has run away from home. Go be
!, fore night and tell that father and mothe
tho parable OF the prodigal son, and tina
some OF the illustrious and useful men nov
+ In church and state had silly passage Il
n their lives and ran away from home. Shine
y You know OF family that has lost child
u and the silence OF the nursery glooms tn
whole house from cellar to garret. Go be
10 fore night and tell them how much that chill
o has happily escaped, since the most prosper
y Gus life on earth is a struggle.
. Shine. You know OF some invalid who !
n dying for lack OF an appetite. She canno
4 get well because she cannot eat. Broil
,, chicken and take II to her before night an
II cheat her poor appetite into keen relish
y Shine. You know of some one who like
% you. and you like him. and he ought to be
Christian. Go tell him what religion ha
ID done for you, and ask him II you can pra
=. for him.
'e Shine oh, for disposition so charge
Y with sweetness and light that we cannot hel
~ but shine Remember II you cannot be
Is leviathan lashing the ocean into fury yo
at can be one OF the phosphori. doing your pal
ie toward making path OF phosphorcseenci
Then will tell you what impression 80
1T will leave as YOU pass through this life an
after you are gone. will tell you to yot
ie face and not leave II for the minister who
Me' M flciates at your obsequies.
IN The failure In all eulogium OF the departe
SO Il that they cannot hear It. All hear 1t e.
u cent the one most interested. This, in SUI
u stance, IL what or some one else will say
'r, you on such an occasion "We gather *
ai Offices Of respect to this departed one. 1t
:, impossible to tell how many tears he wipe
IL away, how many burdens he lifted, or ho
q many souls he was, under God, instrume
to tai In saving. His influence will never ceas
q! We are all better for having known him.
OF THAT pillow OF flowers on the casket vi
"a presented by his Sabbath school class, all
ng whom he brought to Christ. That cross
ty flowers at the head was presented by Il
ne orphan asylum which he befriended. Tho
Isl tbree single fioyers-one was sent By po