Democratic messenger., 1894-02-24

and the heavens But III the wake Of
that life what II phoslhorcscence of
smiles On the checks Of souls par,ioncd,
and lives reformed. and nations re-
deemed. The millennium itself is only
one roll Of that irradiatcd wave of glad
neSs and henediction. In the sublimcst
of all senses it may bc said of him. He
maketh path to shine after him"
But cannot look upon that luminosi-
" that follows ships without realizing
how fond the Lord is of life. That fire
of the deep is life. myriads of creatures
all a-swim and a-play and a-romp in
parks of marine beauty laid ont and par
TERED and rusrattd and bloSsomed by
Omnipotence. What is the use of those
creatures called 10y the najuralists ''crus-
taceans and "copepOds." not more than
one out Of hundreds of billions of which
are ever seen by human eye? God ere
aicd them for the same reason that he
creates flowers i'll places where no hr-
man foot ever makes them tremble. and
no human nostril ever inhales their redo
lcnce, and no human eve ever sees their
charm. In the botanical world they
Z
marine world the phosphori prove that
he loves life. and he loves life in play,
life i'll brilliancy of gladness. life in ex-
uberance.
And SO ! am led to believe that he
loves our life if we fulfill our mission as
fully as the phosphori fulfill theirs. The
son of God came that we might have
life and have il more abundantly." But
am glad 10 tell you that our God is not
the God sometimes described as a harsh
critic at the head of the universe or an
infinite scold. or God that loves funer-
ais better than weddings. or God that
prefers tears 10 laughter. an ommpotent
Nero. f,rocious Mana Sahib. hut the
loveiiest Being III the universe. loving
flowers and life and play, whether of
phosphori in the wake of the Majestic or
of the human race keeping holiday.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE.
But mark You that tine phosphorescence
has glow that the night monololizes.
and ask you not only what kind of IN
fluence YOU are going to leave in the
world as you pass through it, but what
light are You going 10 throw across the
worlds night Of sin and sorrow! People
whoare sailing on smooth sea and at noon
do not need much sympathy. but what
are you going to do for people in the
night of misfortune? Will you drop ON
them shadow, or will you kindle for
them phosphorescence:
At this moment there are more people
CRYING than laughing, more people on
et. .,
than we'll fed. more households bereft
than homes unbroken. What are You
going 10 do about it: Well" saws yon-
der soul. Il would like 10 do something
toward illumininS the great ocean of
human wretchednesS. but | cannot do
much."
Can you do as much as one of the
phosphori in the middle of the Atlantic
ocean. creatures smaller than the point
of sharp pin? oh. yes" you say.
Then do that Shine! Stand before the
looking glass and experiment 10 see if
You cannot get that scowl off your fore
head. that peevish look out of your lips
Have at least one bright ribbon i'll your
bonnet. Embroider at least one white
cord somewhere III the midnight Of Your
apparel. Do not any longer impersonate
funeral. Shine! Do say something
cheerful about society and about the
world. Put few drops Of heaven into
your disposition. Once in awhile sub
stitute sweet orange for a sour lemon.
Remember that pessimisrn is blasphe-
my and that optimism is Christianity.
Throw some light ON the night ocean.
If vou cannot bc IA lantern swinging in
the rigging, be one Of the tiny phosphori
back of the keel. Shine. Let your
light 81 shine before men that others see
ing your good works may glorify Your
Father which is in heaven
Make one person happy every day. and
do that for 20 years. and you will have
made 1900 happy. You know man
who has lost all his property by an un-
fortunate investment or by putting his
name on the back of n friend 'snote. Aft
er you have taken brief nap. which every
man and woman is entitled To ON a Sun
day afternoon, 20 and cheer up that man.
You can, If God helps You. say some
thing that will do him good after both
of YOU have been dead thousand years.
Shine, You know Of Il family with bad
boy who has run away from home. Go
before night and tell that father and
moihcr the parable of the prolisal son,
and that some of the illustrious and use
/ ful men now in church and state had a
silly passage in their lives and ran away
from home Shine. Nou know of fam
ily that has lost child, and the silence
I Of sbn ,Tlnnps fh.a txl.,l.a h,t
| from cellar to sarret. Go before night
and tell them how much that child has
happily escaped, since the most prosper
ous life on earth Is a struggle.
Shine! You know of some invalid who
is dying for lack of an appetite. She
cannot get we'll because she cannot eat.
Broil chicken and take it to her before
night and cheat her poor appetite into
keen relish Shine. You know of some
one who likes you. and you like him. and
he ought To be a Christian. Go tell him
what religion has done for you. and ask
him if You can pray for him.
TIE FAILURE OF ErIoGY.
Shine, Oh for disposition So charged
with sweetness and light that we cannot
help but shine! Remember if You cannot
he IA lcviaihan lashing the ocean into
fury yuu can he one of the phosphori.
doing your part toward making Il path of
phosphorcscence. Then will tell You
what impression you will leave as you
pass through this life and after you are
gone. will tell You to your face and
not leave it for the minister who offici-
ates at your obsequies.
The failure i'll all euloSium of the de-
parted is that they cannot hear it. All
hear it except the one most interested.
This, in substance. is what or some one
else will say Of you on such an occasion:
We gather for offices of respect to this
departed one. 1t is impossible TO tell
how many tears he wiped away. how
many burdens he lifted. or how many
souls he was. under God. instrumental i'll