National Baptist world., 1894-10-12

face a benedictiOn. AS grandmother
passes through the room the grand
children pull at her dress, and she al
most falls in her weakness; but she
has nothing but candy or cake or
kind word for the little darlings.
Oh, there is beauty in old age.
God says so. 1.-The hoary head is a
crown of glory" Why should people
decline to get old? The best things,
the greatest things | know of are aged.
Old mountains old seas, old stars and
old eternity. But if there is anything |
distressful, it is to see an old woman
ashamed of the fact that she is old.
What with all the artificial appliances, |
she is too much for my gravity
laugh even in church when see her
coming. The worst looking bird on
earth is peacock when it has lost Its
feathers. I would not give one lock OF
my old mothers gray hair for 5o,0oO
such caricatures Of humanity. And II
the life of a wording, if the life of
disciple given to the world is sad, the
close of such life is simply tragedy.
Let me tell you that the dissipatlons
of social life are despoiling the useful
ness of a vast multitude Of people.
| What do those people care about the
fact that there are whole nations IN
sorrow and suffering and agony, when
they have for consideration the more
important question about, the size OF
a Glove or the tie of cravat? Whlch
Of them ever bound up the wounds OF
the hospital? Which one of them ever
| nOOrc
of them do you find in the haunts OF
sin distributing tracts? They live on
themselves, and it is very poor pasture
Sybaris was great city, and 1T once
sent 800 horsemen in battle. They
had a minstrel who had taught the
horses of the army great trick, and
when the old minstrel played certain
tune the horses would rear, and with
ther front feet seem to beat time TO
the music. Well, the old minstrel was
offended with his country, and he went
over to the enemy, and he said to the
enemy: You give me the mastershlE
: of the army and I will destroy their
troops when those hOrsemen come from
Svbaris.'' So they gave the old mlnsUrel
the management, and he taught all
the other minstrels certain tune.
Then when the cavalry troop came NJ
, the old minstrel and all the Othe1
i minstrels played a certain tune, ana a
t the most critical moment IN the battle
S when the horsemen wanted to rush u
= the conflict, the horses reared ana oea
= time to the music with their fOrefeet
C and in disgrace and rout the enem.
e fed. All, nv friends, | have seen l
o aoain and again-the MINISTRIES
t pleasure, the minstrels of dissipation
: the minstrels of goddess association
e have defeated people IN the haroes
V fight of life. Frivolity has lost tn
d battle for ten thousand folk.
IS You know as we'll as I do that tn
r destinations of social life are destroy
inD thousands and tens of thousands Q
S neOple, and it is time that the pulpit
II lifted their voices against them, for
'. now prophesy the eternal misfortun
d of ali those who enter the rivalry.
IS wish from my heart that | coul
l. marshal all the young people In Tn
a land to an appreciation of the fact tina
d Won have an earnest work in life, an
II vour amusements and recreatlons al
onlv to help you along in that worl
,r At the time of religious awakening
,e Christian young woman spoke TO a ma
$: in regard to his souls salvation. 1
et foated out into the world. AIT
So awhile she became worldly in her Chr
le tian profession. The man said one da
" .'Wen. am as sd fe as she is. was
10 Christian, she said she was Chrlstla
n She talked with me about my soul;
in she is safe I am safe" Then sudd
accident took him off without an oppC
of tnnitv to utter one word OF prayer.
+ DO vOu not realize, have you not Z
is ticed. Young men and old-have y
ne not noticed that the dissipations OF
nv cial life are blasting and destroying
ia1 vast multitude? With many life is
aw masquerade ball, and as at such ent'
on tainments gentlemen and ladies put
he the garb of kings and queens
we mountebanks Or clowns, and at I
in close put off the disguise, so gr6
,a+ MANY PASS their whole life in ma
COS talxinr off the mask of death. Wh
Ird the masquerade ball of life goes
oes thev trip merrily over the no
Al pemmed hand is stretched
erv gemmed hand, and cleaning or
bends to cleaning brow. On with
NV dance! Flush and rustic and lau
can ter of unreasonable merry MAXI
+ of Rut after awhile the languor
all death comes on the limbs and blurs
he evesight. Lights lower. Floor hol
tod with sepulchral echo. Music sadde1
into a wall. Lights lower. Now
rom maskers are only seen in the dim liz
1on- Now the fragrance Of the flowers
are like the sickening odor that co
, IF from parlands that have lain Ions
dis. the vaults of cemeteries. Lights lov
nee Mists gather in the room Gla
,her shake as though quaked by su
the thunder. Sigh caught in the curt
the Scarf drops from the shou
in Of beauty, a shroud. Lights 10y
are Over the slippery boards
nm dance of death glide jealousies, en-
dino revenges, lust, despair and de
time Stencil the lamp-wicks almost ea
guished. Torn garlands will not
have cover the liberated feet. Choi
a in damps. Chilliness. Feet still. ii;
ities closed. Voices hushed. Eyes
,ther Lights out.
cul- Oh, how many of you have fioate'
ome away from God through social dis:
n the tions, and it is time you turned.
. his 7 remember that there were two
-