The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-03-17

again, HOJlCe PulZeu anu uUre-
corded services. Who spun that rope?
Who tied it to the basket? Who
steadied the illustrious preacher as he
stepped into it? Who relaxed not a
muscle of tho arm or dismissed an
anxious look from his face until the
basket touched the ground and dis
charged its magnificent cargo? Not
one of their names has come to us, but
there was no work done that day in
Damascus nor in all the earth com
pared with the Importance of their
work. What if they had in their agi-
tation tied n knot hat could slip?
What il the sound of the mob at the
door had led them to say: Paul nus
take care of himself, and we will
take care of ourselves" No, no!
They held the rope, and in do
ing so did more for the Christian
church than any thousand of us will
ever accomplish. But God knows and
has made eternal record of their under
taking. And they know. How exult-
ant they must have felt when they
read his letters to the Romans, to the
Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the
Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the
Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to
Timothy. to Titus, to Philemon. to the
Hebrews, and when they heard how he
walked out of prison with the earth
quake unlocking the door for him, and
took command of the AleXandrian corn
ship when the sailors were nearly
scared TO death, and preached a sermon
that nearly shook Felix off his judy
ment seat. hear men and women who
helped him down through the window
and over the wall talking in private
owe the matter, and saying: "How
glad l am that we effected hat rescue!
In coming times others may get the
glory of Paul's work, but no one shall
rob us of the satisfaction of knowing
that we held the rope"
There are said to be about go, 900 min
listers of religion in this country.
About so, 600 l warrant came from early
homes which had to struggle for the
accessories of life. The IONS of rich
bankers and merchants generally be-
come bankers and merchants. The
most of those who become ministers
are the sons Of those who had terrific
struggle to get their daily bread. The
collegiate and theological education of
hat son tool every luxury from the
parental table for eight years. The
other children were more scantily APP
parelled. The son at college every
little while got a bundle from home.
In 1t were the locks that mother had
knit, sitting up late at night, her sight
not as good as once 1t was. And there
also were some delicacies from the sis
ter's hand for the voracious appetite of
a hungry student.
o, men and women here assembled,
you brag sometimes how you have
fought your way in the world, but |
think there have been helpful infu-
ences that you have eve fully
acknowledged. Has there not been
some influence in your early or present
home hat the world cannot see? Does
there not reach to you from among the
New England hills or from western
prairies, or from southern plantation,
or from English or Scottish or Irish
home, a cord of influence that has kept
you right when you would have gone
astray, and which, after you have
made a crooked track, recalled you?
II AoDC may VIC oS Aohk no thiibN
years, or 500 miles long or 5000 miles
long, but hands that went out of NOR
tai sight long ago still hold the rope.
You want a very swift horse. and
you need to rowel him with the sharp
est spurs, and to let the reins lie loose
upon the neck, and to give a shout to
a racer, il you are going to ride ont of
reach of your mothers prayers. Why,
a ship crossing the Atlantic in even
days CAM sail away from them! A
sailor finds them on the lookout as he
takes his place, and finds them on the
mast as he climbs the ratlines to dis
entangle a rope in the tempest. and
finds them swinging on the hammock
when he turns in. Why not be frank
and acknowledge 1.-THE most of us
would long ago have been dashed to
pieces had not gracious and loving
hands steadily and lovingly and might
lily held the rope.
But there must come a time when
we shall find out who these Damascenes
were who lowered Paul in the basket,
and greet them and all those who have
rendered to God and the world unrecog-
nized and u~nrecorded services. That
is going to be one Of the glad excite
ments of Heaven-the hunting up and
picking out of those who did great
good on earth and got nc credit for it.
Once for thirty-six hours we expected
every moment to go to the bottom of
the ocean. The wave struck through
the skylights and rushed down into
the hold of the ship and Kissed against
the boilers. 1t was an awful time; but
by the blessing of God and the faith
fulness of the men In charge we came
out of the cyclone and we arrived at
home. Each one before leaving the
ship thanked Capt Andrews. l do not
think there was a man or woman ven
off that ship without thanking Capt.
Andrews, and when. years after, l
heard of his death, l was impelled to
write a letter of coincidence to his
family in Liverpool. Everybody recog-
nized the goodness, the courage, the
kindness of Capt. Andrews, but it oc-
ours to me o hat we never thanked
the engineer. He stood away down in
the darkness amid the kissing furnaces
doing his whole duty. Nobody thanked
the engineer, but God recognized his
heroism and his continuance and his
fidelity, and there will be just as high
reward for the engineer who worked
out of sight, as the captain who stood
on the bridge Of the ship in the midst
of the bowling tempest.
A Christian woman was seen going
along the edge of q wood every even
tide, and the neighbors in the country
did not understand how a mother with
SO many cares and anxities should
waste SO much time as to be idly saun.
tering out, evening by evening. 1t was
found out afterward hat she went
there to pray for her household, and
while there one evening she wrote that
beautiful hymn, famous in all ages fol
cheering Christian hearts:
love to steal = while away
From every cum beriny care,
And spend the hours of setting day.
In humble, grateful prayer.
Shall there be- no reward for such
unpretending. yet everlasting servicei
We go into long ermon to prove
that we will be able to recognize PEG
pie in Heaven, when there is ono reason
we fail to present, and that is better
than an-God will introduce us. We
shall have them all pointed out. Yor
would not be guilty of the impolite
ness of having friends in your parloI
not introduced, and celestial polite.
ness will demand that we be
made acquainted with all the