The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-10-24
fattsry o. the world did not blight her hui.


sparkle in the eye, and majesty In the fore
head, and symmetry into the form, and
gracefulness into the gait, but many,
through the very charm OF their personal
appearance, have been destroyed. What
simperings and affectations and impert-
inences have often been the result
OF that which God has sent as
blessingl Japonicas. anemones and he'll
iotropes never swageer at the beauty
which God planted In their very leaf, sepal,
axil and stamen. There are many flowers
that bow down so modestly you cannot see
the color In their cheek until you lift up
their head, putting your hand under their
round chin. Indeed any kind Of personal
attractions, whether they be those OF the
body, the mind or the heart, may become
temptations to pride and arbitrariness and
foolish assumption. The NEUROLOGICAL story
Of q mon who, seeing himself mirrored in
stream, became so enamored OF his appear
ance that he died of the effects illustrates
the fatalities under which thousands of both
sexes have fallen by the view of their own
superiority. Extraordinary capacities cause
extraordinary temptations. Men who have
good moral health down In the valley on the
top Of the mountain are seized Of consump-
tion.
Monimia, the wife Of Mithridates, was
etrangled with her own diadem. While the
most OF Us will not have the same kind Of
temptation. that Hadassah must have felt
from her attractiveness OF personal appear
ance, there may be some to whom 1t will be
an advantage to hold up the character ofthe
beautiful captive who sacrificed not her hu-
mility and esrnestness Of disposition to the
worlds admiration and fattery. The chief
secret of the beauty OF the violet is that,
away down In the grass, from one weeks
end to another, 1t never mistrusts that It is
q violet.
Again, our subject exhibits what religion
may be under bad domestic influences.
Hadassah was sna.ched from the godly
home into which she hsd been adopted and
Introduced into the abomiaable associations
Of which wicked Ahasuerus was the center.
What whirl Of blasphemy and drunken
ness and licentiousness No altar, no pray
er, no Sabbath, no God! Itthis captive girl
can be Christian there, then It Is possible
10 be Christian anywhere. There are
obliged to contend with the most adverse
domestic influences, children who have
grown up into the love OF God under the
frown of parents, and undor the discourage.
ment OF bad example. Some sister OF the
family having professed the faith Of Jesus
Is the subject Of unbounded satire inflicted
by brothers and sisters. Yea, Hadassah
was not the only Christian who had queer
| husbandl It Is no easy matter to maintain
correct Christian principles when there Is a
companion disposed to scof at them and to
ascribe every imperfection Of character to
| hypocrisy. What hard thing for one MEM
when others are disposed to make 1t day Of
revelry, or to inculcate propriety of speech
| In the minds Of children when there are
others to Offset the instructions byloose or
profane utterances, or to be regularly In at
tendance upon church when there Is more
| household work demanded for the Lords
day than for any secular day. Do speak to
any laboring under these bli9hting disad-
vantages? My subject Is full Of encourage
ment. Vast responsibilities rest upon you.
Be faithful, though you stand as much
alone as did Lot In Sodom, or Jeremiah In
Jerusalem, or Jonah In Nineveh, or Hadas-
trees which grow the best when their roots
clutch among the jagged rocks, and you ver-
lily have but poor soil IN which to develop,
but grace Is a thorough husbandman and
can raise a crop anywhere. Glassware Is
| nodded over the fire, and In the same way
you are to be fitted as vessel Of mercy. The
| best timber must have on It saw and gouge
and beetle. The foundation stone Of yours
| and every other house came out only under
crowbar and blast. Files and wrenches and
hammers belong to the church. The Chris
tian victory will be bright Just in proportion
| as the battle Is hot. Never despair being
| thorough Christian In any household which
Is not worse than the court Of Ahasuerus.
Finally our subject illustrates what re-
ligion may be In high worldly position.
| The last we see In the Bible Of Hadassah Is
that she has become the queen Of Persia.
| Prepare now to see the departure Of her
humility and self-sacriflce and religious
/ principle. As she goes up you may expect
grace to go down. It Is easier to be humble
| In the obscure house OF her adopted father
than on q throne Of dominion. But you
misjudge this noble woman. What she was
for her beauty and her crown, she forgets
not the cause Of her suffering people, and
with all simplicity Of heart still remains
worshiper of the God OF heaven!
Noble example followed only by q very
few. I address some who, through the good
ness OF God, have risen to positions of in.
huence in the community where you live IN
law, In merchandise, In medicine, in me-
:hanics and In other useful occupations and
professions. You hold an influence for good
or for evil. Let US see whether, Ike Hadas-
sah, you can stand elevation. Have you as
much simplicity OF character as once you
evldencedp Do you feel as much depend
ence upon God, as much your own weak
ness, as much your accountability for talents
lntrusted, or are you proud and overde.
handing and ungrateful and unsympa-
thetic and worldly and sensual and dew
llish? Then you have been spoiled by
your success, and you shall not sit on
this throne with the heroine Of my text In
| the day when Hadassah shall come to the
grander coronation. In the presence OF
Christ and the hammered hosts OF the re-
deemed, you will be poor indeed. On, there
are thousands of men who can easily endure
| to be knocked down OF misfortune who are
utterly destroyed II lifted up OF success.
Satan takes them to the top OF the pinnacle
of the temple and shoyes them of. Their
head begins to whirl. and they lose their
balance and down they 60.
While last autumn all through the forests
there were luxuriant trees, with moderate
out branch and moderate height pretending
but little, there were foliage shafts that shot
far up, looking down with contempt on the
whole forest, clapping their hands IN the
breeze and shouting, "Aha, do you not wish
you were rs high up as we are?" But last
week blast let loose from the north came
rushing along, and graphing the boasting
oaks hurled them to the ground, and as they
went down an old tree that had
been singing psalms with the thun-
der hundred summers cried out, "Pride
gceth before distinction and naughty spirit
before fall" And humble hickory and
pine and chestnut that had never said their
prayers before bowed their heads as much as
to say, "Amen!
My friends, "Good reslsteth the proud,
but eiyeth grace to humble" Take from
my subject encouragement. Attempt the
service OF God whatever your disadvantages,
and whatever our lot let us seek that grace
which outshone all the splendors OF the PAL
aces of Shusham.
Remarkable Surgical Experiment
wonderful surgical experiment has luN