The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-03-14

derstand it. Out of thousand en-
gineers and conductors and switch
men, nine hundred and ninety-nine
are true to their responsible positions.
1t is seldom that people arrive at po-
sitions of responsibility until they
have been tested over and over
again. If the theory of the pessimist
were accurate, society would long
ago have gone to pieces, and civiliza-
tion would have been submerged with
barbarism, and the wheels of the CEN
turies would have turned back to the
Dark Ages. A wrong impression is
made that because two men falsify their
bank accounts, these two wrongdoers
are blazoned before the world, while
nothing is said in praise of the hum
dreds of bank clerks who have stood at
their desks year in and year out until
their health is well nigh gone, taking
not pins worth of that which be-
longs to others for themselves, though
with skillful stroke of pen they might
have enriched themselves, and built
their country seats on the banks
of the Hudson or the Rhine.
1t is mean thing in human nature
that men and women are not praised
for doing well, but only excoriated
when they do wrong. By divine ar
rangement the most of the families of
the earth are at peace, and the most of
these united in marriage have for each
other affinity and affection. They may
have occasional differences, and here
and there a season of pout, but the
vast majority of those in the conjugal
relation chose the most appropriate
companionship and are happy in that
relation. You hear nothing of the
quietude and happiness of such homes,
though nothing but death will them
part.
We need more cheerful front in all
our religious work. People have
enough trouble already, and do not
want to ship another cargo of trouble
in the shape of religiosity. If religion
has been to you a peace, a defense, an
inspiration, and joy, say SO. Say it
by word of mouth; by pen in your right
hand; by face illumined with divine
satisfaction. If this world is ever to
be taken for God, it will not be by
groans, but by hallelujahs. If we
could present the Christian religion as
it really is, in it's true attractiveness,
all the people would accept it, and ac-
cept it right away. The cities, the ma
tions would cry out: "Give us that! Give
it to us in all its holy magnetism and
| gracious power! Put that salve on our
| wounds! Throw back the shutters for
that morning light! Knock off these
| chains with that silver hammer! Give
us Christ-His pardon, His peace, His
comfort, His Heaven! Give us Christ in
song; Christ in sermon; Christ in book
Christ in living example," AS asystem
of didactics, religion has never gained
one inch Of progress. As technical.
ity, it befogs more than it irradi.
ates. As dogmatism, it. is an
awful failure. But as fact,
as a reinforcement, as trans.
fguration, it is the mightiest
thing that ever descended from the
heavens, or touched the earth. Elk.
emplify it in the life of good man OF
a good woman, and no one can helI
but like it. A city missionary visited
house in London and found a sick
and dying boy. There was an orange
| lying on his bed, and the missionary
said: where did you get that or.
ange?" He said: ga man brought it
to me. He comes here often, and reads
the Bible to me, and prays with me,
and brings me nice things to eat.
"What is his name?" said the city
missionary. II forget his name,
said the sick boy, 'but he makes
great speeches over in that great build
ing," pointing to the parliament house
of London. The missionary asked
'sWas his name Mr.. Gladstone?" ooh
yes" said the boy, ''that is his name
Mr.. Gladstone" Do you tell me man
can see religion like that and not like
it? There is an old-fashioned mother
in farm house. Perhaps she is some
where in the seventies; perhaps seventy
five or seventy-six. It is the early
evening hour. Through spectacle.s No
8 she is reading newspaper unit
toward bedtime, when she take.
up a well-worn book, called th,
Bible. know from the illumination
In her face she is reading one of thu
thanksgiving Psalms, Or in Revelation
the story of the twelve pearly gates
After awhile she closes the book, ant
folds her hands, and thinks over th'
past, and. seems whispering the name!
of her children, some of them on eartf
and some of them in Heaven Now ;
smile on her face, and now a tear, ant
sometimes the smile catches the tear
The scenes of a long life COM
back to her. One minute she sees al
the children smiling around her, will
their toys, and sports, and strang
questioning. Then she remember
several of them down sick with in
fantile disorders. Then she sees
short grave, but over it cut in marble
Suffer Them to Come to Me-" The
there is the wedding hour, and tn
neighbors in. and the promise of !"
will" and the departure from the oil
homestead. Then a scene OF har
times, and scant bread and struggle.
Then she thinks of few years wit
gush of sunshine, and fittings OF dar