The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1894-03-22

uloTo DrllllaDt page IMAM tnaC WnlCn LeIlS
OF the transformation Ofa nation by ono
book. It did not seem ofmuch import
ance whether tho sailor continued TO
hold tho book in his teeth or let 1t fall ia
the breakers, but upon what small cir
cumstance depended what mighty re-
suits!
Practical Inference: There are no i'll
signiliCances in our lives. The minutest
thing is part of q magnitude. Intinity is
made up Of inliniteslmals. Great things
an aggregation of small things. Bethle.
hem mapger pulling on q star In the
eastern sky. One book IN drenched
SAILORS mouth tho evangelZation of a
multitude. Ono boat OF papYrus on the
| Nile freighted with events for all ages.
Tho fate of Christendom in basket lot
down from a window on the wall. If
you make n rope, make it strong and
true, for you know not how much may
depend on your workmanship. IF you
fashion boat lot 1t be waterproof, for
YOU know not who may sail In it.
y you put Bible in The trunk of your
boy as he goes from home, let it be
heard in your prayers, for it may have a
mission as tarreaching as the book which
the sailor carried in his teeth 10 the Pit.
,airn beach. Tue plainest mans lie Is
an Island between two eternities-etcr.
nlty past ripping against his shoulders,
eternity to come touching his brow. The
casual, the accidental, that which mere.
lY happened 80, are parts Of great
plan, and the ropo that le;s the fugitive
apostle from the Damascus wall is the
cable that holds TO it's mooriug the ship
# f1c ~, in ti,o e{o sc
the centuries.
Again, notice unrecognized and un-
recorded services. Who spun that rope?
Who tied it to tie basket? Who steadied
tho illustrlous preacher as he stepped
into il? Who relaxed not a muscle of
the arm or dismissed an anxious look
from his face until the basket touched
tho ground and discharged its magni(i.
cent cargo9 Not one of theiI names has
come TO us, but there was no work done
that day in Damascus or in all the earth
compared with tho Importance OF their
work. What if they hal IN their agita-
ton tied q knot that could slip? What
it the sound Of the mob at the door had
led them to say, "Paul must take care
Of himself, and we will take caro- Of our.
selves." No, no! They held the rope,
and in dong 80 did moro for the Christ
ian church than any thousand of us will
ever accomplish. But God knows and
has made eternal record Of their under
Lullng. And they know.
How exultant they must have folt
when they read his letters to the Ro-
mans, 10 the Corinthians, TO the Gala.
tnns, to the Epheslans, to the Phillip.
plans, to the Colossians, 10 the Thessa-
lonians, to Timothy, to Titus, to Phile.
mon, to tho Hebrews, and when they
heard how he walked out Of prison, with
the earthquake unlocking The door for
him, and took command Of the AleXan-
drlan cornshlp when tho sailors were
| nearly scared TO Geath, and preached q
scrmon that nearly shook Felix of his
judgment seat! | hear the men and wo.
men who helped him down through the
window and over the wall talkng in pri.
vatcly over the matter and SAYING:
"llow glad [ am that we effected that
rescue! In coming times others may
get the glory OF Paul's work, but no one
shall rob us of the satisfaction of know.
ing that we held the rope."
There are said TO be about 60 900 min
listers of religion in this country. About
80 600, l warrant came from carly
homes which had to struggle tor the no.
Ccssnrles Of life. The sons Of rich bank.
ers and merchants generally become
bankers and merchants. The most of
those who become ministers are the
sons Of those who had terrific struggle
TO get their everyday bread. The cole.
gate and theological education of that
son took every luxury from the parent.
al table for eight years. The other chill
dren were more scantily appareled. The
son ut college every little while got
bundle from hhmc. In it were the socks
that mother had knit, sitting up late at
night, her sight not as good as once it
was. And there also were some delica-
cies from the SISTERS hand for the ora-
cious appetite ola hungry student.
The years go by, the son has been Or
dained and Is preaching the glorious gos.
| souls by scOres aud hundreds accept the
preacher, and father and mother, quite
old now, are visiting the son at the vii.
laec parsonage, and at the close of 8
Sabbath OF mighty blessing father anc
mother retire TO their room, the son
ligrnrg the way and asking ttcm if he
can do anything 10 make them more
comfortable, saying if they want any
thing i'll the night Just knock on the
wall.
And then all alone father and mother
talk over the gracious influences of the
day and say: "Well, it was worth all
wo went through to educate that boy.
Ii was a hard pull, but We held on till
tho work was done. Tha world may
not know it; but, mother, we held the
rope, didn't we?" And the voice trem-
ulous with joyful emotion, responds:
eyes, father; wo held the rope. feel
my work is done. Now, Lord, lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace, for
mine eyes have seen thy salvation. I"
"Pshaw," says the father, " never felt
80 much like living in my life as now!
/ want to see what that fellow 10 going
on to do, he has begun 80 WE'LL"
Oh, men and women here assembled,
you brag sometimes how you have
fought your way in tho world. but
think there have been helpful influences
that YOU have never ftlllv acknoWledoed.