The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1895-03-01


once or twice I'm q whole year there had been
an entertainment In school-housa or church.
That D. the opportunity Start that innocent
young man Am the right direction. Six weeks
after viii be- too late. Toll me- what such q
young man does with his ilrst siy Weesai In the
great city. and viii tell You what he Will he
throughout bic liie ON oarth and whore he
will spend the ages Of eternity. Oppor-
tunity
We all recognize that commercial and liter
AIRY and political successes depend upon taxi
ing advantage OF opportunity. The great
surgeons Of England feared to touch the
tumor OF King George ~. Sir Ashley Cooper
looked az n and eaid ~ the king 81 will cut
your majesty NJ though you we're a piow-
man" That was Sir Astleys opportunity.
Lord Olive was his fathers dlsmay, climbing
church Bteeples and doing reckless things.
His father sent him 10 Madras, India. as n
clerk IN the service Of an English officer.
Give watched his time, and when war broke
out came 10 be the chief Of the host that
saved India for England. That was Lord
Gives opportunity. Pauline Lucca, the
almost matehless singer. was but little recog-
nlzed until I'm the absence Of the soloiBt In
the German choir she took her place and be-
gan the enehantment Of the world That day
was Lucca's opportunity. John Scott who
aftprward became Lord Eldon. had stumbled
HIS way along In the practice OF law until the
case Of AckrOyd versus Smith3on was to be
tried, and his speech that day opened all ave
nues Of success. That was Lord Eldon's OPP
portunity
William H. Seward was given by his father
$1,000 TO get % collegiate education. That
money soon gone, his father said. Now you
must fight your own way. and he did. un-
til gubernatOrial chair and United States
GapnNRHfoI atf ca, fIts
Presidential chair if the meanness OF Ameri-
can politics had not swinded him out Of it.
Tho day when his father told him TO iichthg
own way was William IL. Stewards oDDor-
tunity. John Henry Newman, becalmed a
whole week I'm an orange boat I'm the Strait Of
B0nifacio, wrote his immortal hymn. "Lead,
Kindly Light That was John Henry New
mans opportunity. You know Kirk Whites
immortal hymn, when Marshaled on the
Nightly Plain" He wrote it in q boat by q
lantern on a stormy night as he was sailing
along a rocky coast. That was Kirk Whites
opportunity.
The importance of making the most Of OPP
portunities as they present themselves is ac-
lnowledged in all IOther directions. Why
not in the matter of usefuless? The differ
| enee OF usefulness Of good men and women
| is not 50 much the difference in brain or so
cial position or wealth, but In equipment of
| Christian common sense-to know Just the
| time when to say the right word or do the
| right thing. There are good people who can
always be depended on to say the right
| thing at the wrong time, merchant selling
| goods over the couner to a willy customer
who would like to get them at less than cost,
! the railroad conductor while taking up the
| tickets from passengers who want to work of
last years free pass or get through at half
rate a child fully grown, a housekeeper try
| ing to get the table ready in time for guests,
| although the oven has neglected TO fulfill the
| order given him-those are not opportuni-
ties for religious address. Do not rush up to
a man in the busiest part of the day and when
half dozen people are waiting for him and
ask, How is your souli"
But there are plenty of flt occasions. It Is
interesting to see the sportsman, gun in
hand and pouch at side and accompanied by
the hounds yelping down the road, off on
! hunting expedition, but the best hunters in
this world are those who hunt for oppor-
tunities 10 do good, and the game is some
thing to gladden. earth and heaven. / will
| point out some Of the opportunities. When
a soul is in Bereavement is the best time tC
talk of gospel consolation and heavenly re-
union. When man has lost his property Is
the best time to talk to him Of heavenly in.
heritance that can never be levied on. Wher
one is sick is the best time to talk to hin
about the supernatural latitude in which UNI
health is an impossibility. When the HOLY
| Spirit is moving on q community is the best
time to tell man he ought to be saved. BY
a word, by smile, by look, by q prayer
the work may be thoroughly done that al
eternity cannot undo it. AS the harp wa
invented from hearing the tWang of a bow
string, as the law Of gravitation was sug
gested by the fall of an apple, as the orde
in India for the use of creased cartridg,
started the mutiny of 1857, which appalled,
the Nations, so something insignificant ma,
open the door for great results. Be on tn
watch. 1t may be gladness, it may be
horror, but 1t will be an opportunity.
A city missionary in the lower parts Of tn
city found young woman in wretchednes
and sin. He said, "Why do you not g
homer" She said, "They would not receiv
me at home" He said, "What is YOU
fathers name, and where does he live2
Having obtained the address and written t.
the father, the city missionary got a reply
on the outside Of the letter the word Gimme
diate" underscored. 1t was the hearties
possible invitation for the wanderer to com
home. That was the city missionary's op
portunity. And there are opportunities al
about you, and on them, written by the han,
of the God who will bless you and bles
those whom you help, in capitals Of light tn
word Immediate"
a military officer very profane in his hab
its was going down into a mine at Cornwall
England, with Christian miner for man
Of those miners are Christians. The office
used profane language while in the cage &c
ing down. AS they were coming up out 0
the mine the profane officer said, III It be s
far down to your work, how much farthe
would 1t be to the bottomless pitt" Tn
Christian miner responded, II do not kno1
how far it is down to that place, but If thi
rope should break you would be there in
minute" 1t was the Christian miners OF
portunity. Many years ago clergyman we
on a sloop on our Hudson River, and hearin
a man utter blasphemy the clergyman sale
''You have spoken against my best frienC
Jesus Christ" Seven years after this sam
clergyman was on his way to the general as
sembly of the Presbyterian Church at Philt
| le!nhia when q MnIn. rniniatnr aaaraaaa