The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-01-31
Address by BERTHE A. Hearst at Cam
den In an Epworth League En-
tertainment.

JAN'Y, 22nd. 1885,
Ladies, gentlemen & brethren of the
e. IN, As tonight has been set apart
for an entertainment in the Epworth
League. and have been invited to make
an address, / consider it an honor con-
fered upon me, and also feel that it il
NV duty to accept the invitation, while
| | feel nay inability and weakness, will
do the best can, and then feel that
have done my duty. In preparing this
speech had two objects in view; first
the good that might derive from the
preparation, and second, the good that
| might do some one by the delivery.
have selected as subject:
TIME GONE.
Gone! What dreadful word it is;
it sends shudder through The soul, it
has an unearthly sepulchral sound;
awakening sad and melancholy associ-
atiops. How often have we stood in
the evening twilight and watch the
sun sink behind the Western hills, till
the light of day has faded into dark
ness. Another day is gone, gone forev-
er. Another sealed book, with the in
delible register of days life has gone
to be filed away in the archivers of eter
nifty, there to await the great day of
accounts, when each one of us will have
to give an account of every deed that
we have done. Again, we have retired
from the cares and business of the clos
ing week, and the dreadful: thought has
RI turned to us with sevenfold empha-
sis; and the week is gone, seven sealed
books, with their impartial records of
good and evil have passed into the re-
cording angels hands, to be opened up
against Us ON that awful day of judge
ment when the world shall be judged
and every man known, judged and re-
warded according to his own deeds.
Once more have we heard the mid
night clock as it tolls the knell Of the
dying year, and the reflection has come
back to us with augmented impressive
ness. Another year has gone, gone
forever. The many volumned book has
been sealed for eternity. The years
history is indelibly written, every deed,
thought and word are stereotyped for
ever. o. if there could be somethir &
left out the deeds done in darkness;
y .in and malicious thoughts that we
have cherished; words spoken in haste,
or unadvisedly uttered, OF II some
thing could be omitted, If the least Of
these idle words and sinful thoughts
could be omitted! But not so, for ev.
cry idle word that we speak we are to
give an account and for every secret
thing, whether it be good or evil shall
appear at that awful day of judgment.
This old year is gone, it is gone forev-
erl Its precious time, its sacred hours
and its golden moments have all gone,
and its neglected opportunities for do
ng good for yourself and ito mankind
ire all gone. Its misspent Sabbath's,
rs UNDECIDED sermons, and its unutter
ID prayers have all gone and even our
sinful thoughts and idle words have
rome and have been sealed for eternity |
md they can never be recalled. The |
past cannot be altered. ON nipatence it.
'elf cannot alter the past. What 10 !,
written, is W :itten, and tears OF sorrow |
Ind floods of tears cannot wash it out.
But what q great consolation, and what
joyful thought It's, that while we
'aanot alter the past. that we can with
iods help characterize the future,
ind TO do this let us begin to-day. be-
ore this precious time has gone, and
ct us put our determination on q solid |
Rock, which will be invincible 10 sin |
md we can make our lives spotless and |
sublime In Jesus name. So let us
'rasp the little opportunities for doing
rood aud not wait for the opportunity
or doing something great and grand. !
or il is the little deeds that character
ze our lives. and as we 20 through life
st as remember: 1.-THE least ron do
or Jesus IL precious in His sight" !