Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-07-11

hills. It was q weird spectacle, those
campfires, an I stood and watched
them. and the soldiers who were gather
ed around them were. no doubt, talking
of their homes and Of the long march
they had taken and Of the battles they
We're to fight. But after awhile saw
these campfres begin to lower, and they
continued to lower until they were all
gone out and the army slept. 1t was
imposing when / saw the campfres; it
was imposing in the darkness when
thought of that great host asleep.
Well, God looks down from heaven
and he sees the firesides of Christendom
and the loved ones gathered around
these firesides These are the campfires
where we warm ourselves at the close
of the day and talk over the battles of
life we have fought and the battles that
are yet to come. God grant that when
at last these fires begin to go ont and
continue to lower, until finally they are
extinguished and the ashes of consumed
hopes strew the hearth of the old home-
stead. it may be, because we have
1one TO sleep that last long sleep
From which none ever wake to weep.
Now we are an army ON the march
OF life. Then we will be an army biv-
ouacked In the tent Of the grave.
Waiting.
Once more I want you to look at
Vashti the silent You do not hear any
outcry from this woman as she goes
forth from the palace gate. From the
very dignity of her nature, you know
there will be no vociferarion. Some
times In life it is necessary to make a
retort; sometimes i'll life it is necessary
to resist. but there are crises when the
most triumphant thing to do is to keep
silence. The philosopher, confident in
his newly discovered principle, waiting
for the coming of more intelligent gem
erations, willing that men should laugh
at the lightning rod and cotton gin and
steamboat waiting for long years
through the soothing of philosophical
schools, in grand and magnificent ST.
lence. Galilei, condemned by mathe-
maticians and scientists, caricatured
everywhere, yet waiting and watching
with his telescope to see the coming up
of stellar re-enforcements, when the
stars in their courses would fight for
the Copernican system, then sitting
down in complete blindness and deaf
ness to wait for the coming ON of the
generations who would build his mon
ument and bow at his grave.
The reformer, execrated by his con-
temporaries, fastened in a pillory, the
slow fires of public contempt burning
under him, ground under the cylinders
of the printing press, yet calmly wait
ing for the day when purity of soul and
heroism of character will get the sane
ton of earth and the plaudits of heaven.
Affection, enduring without any COM
plant the sharpness of the pang, and
the violence of the storm, and the heft
of the chain, and of the darkness of
night. Waiting, until a divine hand
shall be put forth to soothe the pang
and hush the storm and release the cap
tive. A wife, abused, prosecuted and O
perpetual exile from every earthly COM
fort-waiting, waiting, until the Lord
shall gather all his dear children in a
heavenly home, and no poor Vashti will
ever be thrust out from the palace gate
Jesus, in silence and answering not a
word, drinking the gall, bearing the
cross, in prospect of the rapturous con-
summation when
Angels thronged his chariot wheel
And bore him to his throne,
Then swept their golden harps and sung
The glorious work is done.
Oh, woman! Does not this story of
Vashti the queen, Vashti the yelled,
Vashti the sacrifice, Vashti the silent,
move your soul? My sermon converges
into the one absorbing hope that none
of you may be shut out of the palace
gate of heaven. You can endure the
hardships, and the privations, and the
cruelties, and the misfortunes of this
life if you can only gain admission
there. Through the blood of the ever
lasting covenant you go through these
gates or never go at all. God forbid
that you should at last be banished from
the society of angels and banished from
the companionship of your glorified
kindred and banished forever. Through
the rich grace of our Lord. Jesus Christ,
may you be enabled to initiate the ex-
ample of Rachel, and Hannah, and Abb
gail, and Deborah, and Mary, and Es-
ther, and Vashti. Amen.