The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-09-28

CtaChCtt duQ ttiC y aIbS EeoASsss sSe@>% >~~~
ropes thumpcd, the sea took up the
funeral dirge. playing with open
diapason of midnight storm. Be
cause have called and We refused;
have stretched out my hand and no
man regarded: but ye have set at
naught all nay counsel, and would
none of my reproof; also will laugh
at your calamity; I will mock when
your fear cometii."
Now, lest any of you should make
this mistake, address you in the
words of the Mediterranean sea cap
tain: what meaueth thou. 0 sleep.
err? Arise, call upon thy God, II SO be
that God will think upon us. that we
perish not" II you have God, you
had better call upon Him. Do you say:
II have no God?" Then you had bet
ter cali upon your fathers God. When
your father was in trouble, who did he
fly TO? You heard him, in his old days,
tell about some terrible exposure in a
snow storm, or at sea, or in battle, or
among midnight gnrroters, and how ne
escaped. Perhaps twenty years before
you were born, your father made sweet
acquaintance with God. There ~
something in the worn pages OF the
bible he used to- read which makes
you think your father had God. In
the old religious books lying around
the house there are passages marked
with lead pencil-passages that make
you think your father was not goo
less man, but that, on that dark day
when he lay in the back room dying.
he was ready-ali ready. But per.
haps your father was a bad man
prayerless, and a blasphemer, and you
never think of him without shudder
He worshiped the world or his own APP
petites Do not. then, beg OF you,
call upon your fathers God, but call
on your mothers God. think she
was good. You remember when your
father came home drunk on cold
night. how patient your mother was.
You often heard her pray. She used
to sit by the hour meditatinR. Is
though she were thinking OF some
good, warm place where it never
gets cold, aud where the bread does
not fail. and staggering steps never
come. You remember her now, as she
sat. in cap and spectacles, reading her
Bible Sunday afternoons. What good
advice she used to give You! How
black and terrible the hole in the
ground looked TO you when. with two
ropes, they let her down to rest In the
graveyard. Ali / think from your
looks that / am on the right track.
Awake. 0 sleeper, and call upon thy
mothers God.
But perhaps both your father and
mother were depraved. Perhaps your
cradle was rocked by sin and shame,
and it is a wonder that from such
starting you have como to respectable
ity, Then don't call upon the God Of
either of your parents, | beg OF you
But you have children. You know
God kindled those bright eyes, and
rounded those healthy limbs. ane
set beating within their breast al
immortality. Perhaps in the belize
that somehow it would be for the best
you have taught them to say an even
| ing prayer, and when they kneel be
side You and fold their little hands
and look up, their faces all innocenc'
and love, you know that there Is Coz
somewhere about in the room.
think / am on the right track q
last. Awake. o sleeper, and call npoI
the God of thy children May He sc
these little ones to pulling at tn,
| heart until they charm thee to thu
same God to whom tonight they vii
say their little prayers!
| But, aias. alas! some of these mel
and women are unmoved by the fac
| that their father had God. and tina
their mother had God, and their chill
dren have a God, but they have NJ
God. All pious example to them TO
nothing. All warning for nothing
They are sound asleep In the side 0
the ship, though the sea and sky ar
| in mad wrcstle.
Many years ago man, leaving hi.
family in Massachusetts,, sailed from
| Boston to China, to trade there. Oh
| the coast OF China, In the midst of
night of storm, he made shipwreck
| The adveuturer was washed up on tn
beach senseless-ail his money gone
He had to beg in the streets of Cantor
to keep from starving. For two years
there was no communication between
himself and family. They supposed
him dead. He knew not but tina
his family were dead. He ha'
gone out as captain. He was to
proud to come back as a private sailor
But nfter awhile he choked down hi
pride and sailed for Boston. Arriving
there, he took an evening train for tn
center OF the state. where he had LEI
| his family. Taking the stage at tn
depot, and riding score o
miles, he got home. He say
that. going up in front of the cottag
in the bright moonlight. tue plac
looked like Heaven. He raped o.
the window, aud the affrighted servan
let him in. He went to the ROOF
where his wits aad child were sleeF
i ing. lie did not dare to wake Their
up for fear Of the shock. Bendin
/ ovcr to kiss his child's cheek, tea
fell upon the wife's face, and SD
awakened, and he said. Mary" an
she knew his voice, and there was q
indcscribable scene of welcome an
Joy, and Thanksgiving to God.
4 To day know that many of you ar
sea-tossed. and driven by sin in
worse storm than that which cam
down on the coast of China, and yet
pray God that you may, like the sailo
| live to get home. In the honseof man
mansions your friends are waiting
meet you. They are wondering why 20
do not come. Escaped from the shi]