The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-11

as the Rev DR.. Talmage preached today
be 50 appropriate as in the Brooklyn
tabernacle. where it is estimated that
10000 strangers attend every year. II
was a sermon that had for them a spe-
cial interest. The text selected was
Matthew XIV. So, Il was a stranger, and
ye took me in
It is moral disaster that jOcosity has
despoied SO many passages Of scripture.
and my text is one that has suffered
from irreverent and misapplied quota
ton. It shows great poverty Of wit and
humor when people take the sword of
divine truth for a game at fencing or
chip off from the Kohinoor diamond of
inspiration "A sparkle to decorate a FOOLS
cap Ny text is the salutation in the
last judgment to be given 10 those who
have shown hospitality and kindness
and Christian helpfulness TO strangers.
BY railroad and steamboat the popula-
fion of the earth are all the time in mo-
tion, and from one years end TO another
our cities are crowded with visitors.
Every morning on the tracks of the
Hudson river. the Pennsylvania. the
Erie. the Long Island railroads there
come passenger trains more than 1 can
number. SO that all the depots and the
wharves are d rumble and a-clang with
the coming in Of a great immigration Of
strangers. Some Of them come for pur-
poses of barter, some for mechanism,
some for artistic qualification. some for
sightseeing. a great many of them go
out on the evening trains. and conse-
quently the city makes but little impress
sion upon them. but there are multitudes
who. in the hotels and boarding houses,
make temporary residence. They tarry
here for three or four days CT as many
weeks. They spend the days in the
stores and the evenings in sightseeing.
Their temporary stay viii make or break
fhem not only financially. but morally.
Tor this world and the world that is To
come. Multitudes of them come into our
morning and evening services am con-
scious that 1 stand i'm the presence OF
many this moment. j desire IN re es-
pecially 70 speak to them. May God
give me the right word and help me TO
utter it in the right way.
More awful Than Wintry Midnight.
There have glided into this house those
unknown to- others, whose history. if
told. would be more thrilling than the
deepest tragedy. more exciting than
PATHS song. more bright than a spring
morning. more awful than a wintry
midnight If they could stand up here
and tell the story of their escapes. and
their temptations. and their bereave-
ments. and their disasters and their
victories and their defeats, there would
be in this house such a cOmminglng of
grOans and acclamations as would make
the place uncomfortable.
There is a man who, i'm infancy. lay in
IL
man who was picked up. founding.
on Boston common. Here is a man who
IS cOolly observing this religious service.
expecting no advantage and caring for
no advantage for himself, while yOnder
IS "A man who has been for ten VesrS
in an awful condagratior Of evil habits.
and he IS a mere cinder of a destroyed
nature. and he is wondering If there
shall be in this service any escape or
help for his immortal soul. Meeting
you only once perhaps face to face, ]
strike hands with YOU i'm an earnest talk
about your present condition and your
eternal well being ST. PauIs ship at
Melita went TO pieces where two seas
meet. but We stand today al a point
where a thousand seas converge. and
eternity alone can tell the issue of the
hour
The hotels If this country for beauty
and elegance arc NOT SURPASSED by the
hotels in any other land, but those that
are most celebrated for brilliancy of
tapestry and mirror cannot give to the
guest any costly apartment unless he
can afford a parlOr in addition 10 his
lodging. The stranger. therefore will
generally find assigned To- him a room
without any pictures and perhaps any
rocking chair He will find a box Of
matches OF a bureau. and old news
paper left by the previous occupant. and
that viii be about all the ornameutation
Al o'clock in the evening. after hay
ing taken his repast he VIII look over
his memorandum book Of the days
work. ne will write a letter TO his home,
and then a desperation will seize upon
him to get Out You hear the great city
laundering under Your windows. and
you say. 4 must join that procession
and In ten minutes YOU have Joined IT,
Where are you GOING "Cn." YOU say.
Il haven't made up MY u.ll yet"' Set
ter make up your mind before you start
Perhaps the very way You go now YOU
Will always 60. Twenty years ago there
We're two young men who came down
the Ast0r house steps and started out
in a wrong direction, where they have
been going ever since.
The Hectic Flush of Death
''Weu. where are you going?" says one
man. II am going to the academy 10
hear some music" Good. / would ike
10 join YOU at the door. At the tap OF
Ailc 0IEtleSLidA DttLIn an the gates OF
harmony and beauty viii open before
your soul. I congratulate YOU. Where
are YOU going? We'll" YOU say. Il am
going up to see some advertised pict-
ures.' Good. I should like TO go along
with you and look over the same cata-
logue and study with you Kensett and
Bierstadt and Church and Moran Moth
ing more elevating than good pictures.
Where are you going2 We'll" you
say. Il am going up TO the Young Mems
Christian association rooms" Good You
will find there gymnastics 20 strengthen
the muscles, and books TO improve the
mind, and Christian influence to save
the soul. wish every city i'm the United
States had as fine palace for its Young
Mems Christian association as New York
has. Where are YOU going? Well"
You say, Il am going To take a long
walk up Broadway. and so turn around
into the BOwery. L am going to study
human life" Good.
A walk through Broadway at O'Clock
at night Is interesting, educating. fasci-
mating, appalling, exhiliarating to the
last degree. Stop in front Of that theater
and see who goes in. Stop at that sa-
loon and see who comes out. See the
great tides Of life surging backward and
forward and beating against the marble
Of the curbstone and eddying down into
the saloons. What is that mark on the
face OF that debauchee? II Is the hectic
flush OF eternal death What is that
woman's laughter? 1t is the Shrek of
lost soul