The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-04-08

Will see SICK man passing aloIR.
"Ah,' you say, what can do to make
this man happy? He certainly does not
want money; he is not poor, but he Is
sick.' Give him one Of those 1900
cheerful looks that you have garnered
up for the whole year. Look JOY and
hopefulncss into lis soul. 1t will thrill
him through, and there will be reac-
tion upon your own soul. Going on lit
tie farther, you will come to the store
of a friend who is embarrassed in bust
ness matters. You will go in and say:
"What fine store you have! / think
business will brighten up, and you will
have more custom after awhile. think
there is coming great prosperity to all
the country. Good morning" Iou pass
ont. You have helped that young man,
and you have helped yourself.
A Thought to Carry.
Colonel Gardiner, who sat with his
elbow on table, spread with all extrav-
agant viands, looking off at dog on
the rug, saying, "How would like to
change places with him, l be the dog
and ho be Colonel Gardiner" or those
two Moravian missionaries who wanted
to 90 into the lazaretto for the sake Of
attending tho sick. and they were told:
If you go il there, you will never
come oct. We never allow any one to
come out, for he would bring the conta-
gion." Then they made their wills an'
went in, first to help the sick ard then
to die. Which was the happier-Colo-
mel Gardiner or the Moravian mission
aries dying for others? Was it all sacri-
fee when the missionaries wanted to
bring the gospel TO the negroes at the
Barbados, and, being denied the privi-
lese, sold themselves into slavery, stand
ing side by side and lying side by side
down in the very ditch Of suffering, in
order that they might bring those men
up to life and God and heaven? Oh,
there is Il thrill in the JOY of doing good
1t is the most magnificent recreation to
which man ever put his hand or his
head or his heart.
But before closing ! want to impress
upon you that mere secular entertain
ments are not q fit foundation for your
soul to build on. l was reading Of
woman who had gone all the rounds Of
sinful amusement, and she came to die.
She said, II will die tonight at 6
o'clock" "Oh," they said, Il guess
not; you don't seem to be sick. " Il
shall die at O'Clock, ard my soul will
be lost. know it will be lost. I have
sinned away my day Of grace. " The
noon came. They desired her to seek re-
ligious counsel "Oh," she said, "it is
of no use My day is gone. have been
all the rounds Of worldly pleasure, and
it is too late. I shall die tonight at 6
o'clock. The day woro away, and it
came to o'clock and to o'clock, and
she cried out at 8 o'clock: destroying
spirits, yc shall not have me yet; it is
not 6, it is not 6 - The moments went
by, and the shadows began to gather,
and the CLOCK struck 6, and while 1t
was striking her soul went. What hour
God will call for Us l do not know
whether o'clock tonight, or 3 o'clock
this afternoon, or at o'clock, or at this
moment. Sitting where you are, falling
forward, Or Grcop!ug down, where will
you so to?
The last hour of cur life will soon be
here, and frC!H that hour we will review
this days proceedings. twill be a SOL
emn hour. II from our death pillow we
have to look l;:.2k and see life spent IN
einful amusement, there will be dart
that will strike through our soul sharp
er than the dagger with which Virgin
ius slew his Child. The memory OF the
past will make Us quake like Macbeth.
The iniCuities and rioting through
which we have passed will come upon
US, weird end skeleton as Meg Mcrri-
lies. Death, the old Shylcck, will de-
mand and take the remaining pound OF
flesh and the remaining drop Of blood,
ard upon our last opportunity for re-
peutarce and our last chance for heaven
the curtain will forever drop.