Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-04-27

brought JairuS' daughter To life: he
brought the young man Of Main to life,
and these are three proofs anyhow that he
can bring YOU To life
When the Philistines came down ON the
field, they stepped between the corps,-.
and they rolled over the dead and they
took away everything that was valuable,
and so 1t was with the people that follow
cd after the armies at Characteristic.
and at Pittsburg Landing, and at Stone
River, and at Atlanta, stripping the slain,
but the northern and southern women
God bless them l-camc on the field with
basins and pads and towels and lint and
cordials and Christian encouragement.
and the poor fellows that lay there lifted
up their arms and said, "Oh, how good
that does feel since you dressed il - and
others looked up and said, "Oh, how you
make mo think of my mothcrl" and 9TH
ers said Tell the folks at home died
thinking about thcm,' and another look
cd up and said. Miss, won't you sing mo
verse of Home, Sweet Home, before |
dics" And then the tattoo was sounded,
and the hats were off, and the service was
read, II am the resurrection and the life. "
and in honor Of the departed the muskcts
were loaded and the command given:
present! fircl
And there was n shinglc set up Mt the
head Of tho grave, with the cpitaph of
Lieutenant - In the Fourteenth Mas
sachusctts regulars, 'or Captain - in
the Fifteenth regiment of South Carolina
volunteers. And So now across this
great field Of moral and spiritual battle
the angels Of God come walking among
the slain. and there are voices of comfort,
and voices Of hope, and voices Of rcsurrcc-
tion. and voices Of heaven.
A Dilemma.
Ono night saw tragedy on the corner
Of Broadway and Houston street \ young
man, evidently doubling rs To which dircc-
tion he had better take. his hat lifted high
enough so that you could see he had an
intelligent forehead, stout chest; he had
robust development. Splendid young
man. Cultured young man. Honorcd
young man. Why did he stop there while
so many We're going up and down? The
fact * that every man has "a good angel
and bad angel contcnding for the mas
terry Of his spirit, and there was n good an
gel and bad angel struggling with that
young mans soul mt the corner Of Broad
way and Houston street.
Come with me, - said the good angel
81 will take you home. will spread my
wings over your pillow. will lovingly
escort you all through life under supcrnnt-
ural protection. will bless every cup You
drink out of every couch you rest on, cy-
cry doorway you enter. will consccratc
your tears when you weep, your sweat
when you toll, and at the last will hand
over your grave into the hand Of the bright
angel of Christian resurrection. In an
swcr to your fathers petition and your
mothers prayer have been sent II the
Lord out of heaven 10 he your guardian
spirit. Come with me, /" said the good
angel In u voice Of uncarthly symphony. II
was music like that which drops from
lutte Of heaven when u scraph brcathcs on
IL. "No, no, said the bad angel Come
with me. have something better to offer.
The wines pour are from chaliccs Of be-
witching carousal. The dance / lead is
over floor tcsscllatcd with unrcstraincd in
dulgcnccs. There Is no God 90 frown ON
the temples Of sin where l worship. The
skies are Italian. The paths | tread are
through meadows daisicd and primroScd
Come with me- The young man hest
tatcd nj n time when hesitation was ruin,
and the bad angel snOte the good angel
until IL departed, spreading wings through
~
door flashed open in the sky. and forever
the wings vanished. That was the turn
ing point in that young mans history,
for, the good angel flown, he hcsitatcd no
longer, hut started on pathway which Is
beautiful at the opening but blasted at
the last.
Eject OF the Choice.
The bad angel leading the way. opened
~ nff m fl l.. a
became roughcr and the sky more lurid,
and what was peculiar as the gate slam
med shut II came to- with a jar that indi-
Gated that IL would never open Passed
each portal, there was grinding Of locks
and n showing of bolts and the scenery
on either side of the road changed from
gardens to deserts, and the June air he
came u cutting December blast and the
bright wings Of the bad angel turned tc
sackcloth, and the eyes of light became
hollow with hopeless grief, and the foun-
tains that nj the start had tossed with
wine poured forth bubbling tears and
foaming blood, and on the right side of
the road there was n serpent, and the man
said to the bad angel, what Is that ser
pent!' and the answer was. THAT Is the
serpent OF stingng rcmorsc." On the left
side the road there was n lion, and the
man asked the bad angel, "What Is that
lion?" and the answer was, That Is the
lion OF all dcvouring despair" a vulturc
flew through the sky, and the man asked
the bad angel, What Is that vulturc:''
and tho answer was, THAT Is the vulturc
waiting for the carcasscS Of the slain.
And then the man began TO try TO pull off
him the folds Of something that had
wound him round and round. and he said
to the bad angel, "what Is 1t that twists
me In this awful convolution:" and the
answer was, THAT is the worm that new
or dies" And then the man said To the
bad angel: "What does all this mean? /
trusted In what you said at the corner Of
Broadway and Houston street trusted
II all, and why have you thus deceived
mef" Then the last deception fell of the
charmcr, and IL said: II was sent forth
from the pit To destroy your soul watch
cd my chance for many long year When
you hcsitatcd that night ON Broadway. l
gained my triumph. Now you arc here.
Ha, ha. You are here Come, now let
us I'LL these two chaliccs of fire and drink
together To darkness and woe and death
Hail! HailI' Oh. young man, will the
good angel sent forth by Christ or the bad
angel sent forth by sin get the victory over
your soul? Their wings are intcrlockcd
your destiny, as above the Apcnnines
eagle and condor fight mid-sky This hour
may decide your destiny.
The Old Oaken Bucket.
"Thc Old Oakcn Bucket" was written
by Woodwork, a printer Of New York