Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-02-15

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SlOo0 to get collegiate education That
money soon gone, his father said, "Now YOU
must nght your own way" and he did, un-
ul gubernatorial chair and United States
Sehatoral chair were his, with right to the
Presidential chair if the meanness Of Amert-
can politics had not swindled him out of it
The day when his father told him to fight his
own way was William H. Stewards oppor-
tunIry. Jonn i1enry newman, pecalned a
whole week In an orange boat in the Strait of
Bonifacio, 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 boat by
lantern on stormy night as he was sailing
along rocky coast. That was Kirk Whites
opportunity.
The importance or making the most or op-
portunities as they present themselves is ac-
kn0Wledged in all fOther directions. Why
not in the matter of usefuless? The differ
enco of usefulness of good men and women
is not SO much the difference in brain or So
cjGl 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, A merchant selling
goods over the cOuner to a willy customer
VINO would like to get them at .ess than cost
the railroad conductor while taking up the
tickets from passengers who want to work off
last year s free pass get through at half
rate a child fully grown, q hOuSekeeper trv-
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 rus up to
man III the busiest part of the day and when
half dozen people are waiting for him and
ask, How is your sOul2''
But there are plenty of fit occasions. 1t 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-
trnities to do good, and the game is some
thing to gladden. earth and heaven. l will
point out some OF the opportunities. When
a soul is in bereavement is the best time to
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. When
ore is sick is the best time to talk to him
about the supernatural latitude in which un.
health is an impOssihility. When the Holy
Spirit is moving on a community is the best
time to tell a man be ought to be saved. By
a word, by a smile, by look, by a prayer,
the work may be thoroughly done that ali
eternity cannot undo it. AS the harp was
invented from hearing the twanS of bow
string, as the law Of gravtation was sug
gested by the fall of an apple as the order
in India for the use of a creased cartridge
started the mutiny of 1857, which appalled,
open the door for great results. Be on the
watch. 1t may be a gladness1 it may be
horror, but it will be an opportunity.
A city missionary in the lower parts of the
city found young woman in wretchedness
and sin. He said, "Why do you not &c
homeT' She said, "They would not receive
me at home" He said What is you1
fathers name, and where does he live?'
Having obtained the address and written to
the father, the city missionary got a reply,
the outside n 10 latt ha
diate" InderscOred. 1t was the heartiest
possible invitation for the Wanderer to come
home. That was the city missionary's op-
portunity. And there are opportunities all
about you, and on them, written by the hand
of the God who will bless you and bless
those whom you help, in capitals Of light the
word "1mmediate."
A military officer very profane in his hab-
its was going down into mine at Cornwall,
England, with Christian miner, for many
of those miners are Christians The officer
used prOfane language while in the cage 60
ing down. AS they were coming up out of
the mine the profane officer said, "If it be so
far down to your work, how much farther
would it be to the bOttomless pit?' The
Christian miner responded, 81 do not know
how far it is down to that place, but if this
rope should break you would be there in a
minute" 1t was the Christian miners op-
portunity. Many years ago clergyman was
on a slOOp on our Hudson River, and hearing
a man utter bIasphemy the clergyman said,
''Yon have spoken against my best friend,
Jesus Christ" Seven years after this same
clergyman was on his way to the general as
sembly of the Presbyterian Church at Phia-
delphia, when young minister addressed
him and asked him II he was not on a sloop
on the Hudson Rivor seven years before?
The reply was in the affirmative. "Well,"
said the young minister, Il was the man
whom you corrected for uttering that oath.
1t led me 10 think and repent, and I am try
ing to atone somewhat for my early behavior.
am preacher of the gospel and a delegate
to the general assembly," Seven years be-
fore on that Hudson River sloop was the
clergymanS opportunity.
stand this minute in the presence of many
heads OF families | wonder if they all real
ize that the opportunity for influencing the
household for Christ and heaven is very brief
and will soon be gone? For awhile the house
is full of the voices and footsteps of children.
You sometimes feel that you can hardly stand
the racket. You say "Do be quiet 1t seems
as if my head would split with all this noise"
And things get broken and ruined, and it is,
"Where's my hat "Who took my books?''
''WhO has been busy with my playthings?"
And it is a-rushing this way, and a-rushing
that. until father and mother are we'll nigh
beside themselves.
It is aston' shing how much noise five or six
children make and not half try. But the
years & swiftly away. After awhile the
voiL, -.re not so many, and those which stay
are more sedate. First this room gets Iuiet.
and then that room. Death takes some.
aud marriage take others, until after awhile
the house is awfully still. That man yonder
would give all he is worth to have that boy
who is gone away forever rush into the room
once more with the shout that was once
thought too bOisterOus.
That mother who was once tried because
her little girl, now gone forever, with care
less scissors cut up something really valuable
would like to have the child come back,
willing to put in her hands the most valu-
able wardrobe to cut as she pleases. Yes, yes.
The house noisy now will soon be still
enough, I warrant you, and as when you be-
gan housekeeping there were just two ofyou,
there will be just two again. Oh, the alarm
ing brevity of infancy and childhood! ! The
opportunity is glorious, but it soon passes.
Parents may say at the close of life, ''What
pity we did not do more for the religious
welfare of our children while we had them with
usr But the lamentatiOn will be of no avail.
The opportunity had wings, and it vanished.
When your child gets out of the cradle, let it
climb into the outstretched arms of the beau
tiful Christ. Come thou and all thy house
into the ark.
But there is Ole opportunity so much
brighter than any other. SO much more invit-
ing, and so superior to all others that there
are innumerable fingers pointing to it, and it
is haloed with glory all its own. 1t is yours.
1t is mine! 1t is the present hour. 1t is the
now. We shall never have it again. While
1 speak and you listen the opportunity is rest
less as if to be gone. You cannot chain 1t
down. You cannot imprison it. You cannot
make it stay. All its pulses are throboing
with haste that cannot be Kindred or con-
trolled. 1t is the opportunity of invitation
on my part and acceptance on your part The
door of the palace of Gods mercy is wide
open. Go in. Sit down and be kings and
queens unto God forever. "Well." you say,
IT am not ready" You are ready. Are
YOU a sinner?'' Yes" do you want to
be saved now and forever" Yes" :"
''Do you believe that Christ is able and will
ing to do the work?'' Yes" Then you are
saved. You are inside the palace door Of
Gods mercy already. You look changed:
You are changed. "Halleuiah. it's done"