Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-02-01

Shcchcm be filled with the tossing JOY.
Good news, This bonfire of the gospel
shall consume the last temple of sin and
will illuininc the sky with apocalyptic joy,
that Jesus Christ came into the world 10
save sinners. Any new plan that makes
IA man quit his sin and that prostratcs n
wrong am us much in favor of as though
all the doctors, and the bishops, and the
archbishnps, and the synods, and the
acadcmical gownsmcn of Christianity
sanctioned II. The temple of Berth must
come down, and | do not care how IL
comes.
Power of Example.
Still further. learn from this subject
the power of example. II Abimclech had
sat down on the grass and told his men to
go and get the boughs and go out to the
battle. they would never have gone at all,
or II they had, il would have been without
anys spirit or effective result, but when
Abimelech goes with his own AK and news
down branch, and with Abimelech's
arm puts IL ON Abimclcch's shoulder, and
marches ON. then, my text says, all the
people did the same. How natural that
was What made Garibaldi and Stonewall
jackson the most magnetic commanders
of this century: They always rode ahead.
Hero Is a father on the wrong road. All his
boys go on the wrong road. Here is a fa-
thcr who cnlists for Christ His children
enlist saw in SOME of the picture gal
lcrics of Europe that before many Of tho
great works Of the mastcrs-thc old mas
tcrs-therc would be sometimes four or
five artists taking copies of the pictures.
These copies they were going to carry with
them, perhaps to distant lands, and have
thought that your life and character are a
masterpiece, and 1t Is being copied, and
long after you are gone il will bloom or
blast In the homes Of those who knew
you. and be n Gorgon or Madonna. Look
ont what you say. Look out what you do
Eternity will hear the echo. Tho best ser
mon ever preached is holy life. The best
music ever chantcd Is u consistent walk.
II you want others 10 serve God. serve him
yourself. IL you want others to shoulder
their duty, shoulder yours. Where Abim-
elcch goes his troops 20. Oh, start out
for heaven today, and your family will
come after YOU and your business associ-
atcs will come after you, and your social
friends will join you. With one branch Of
the tree of life for n baton, marshal just
as many rs you can gather Oh, the in
finite. the scmiomnipotcnt power of good
or bad examplel
i saw last summer, near the beach, a
wrcckcr's machine. II was cylinder,
with some holes at the side, made for the
thrusting in Of some long poles with
strong leverage, and when there is any
vessel in trouble or going TO pieces in the
ofeinR the wreckcrs shoot a rope out to the
suffering men. They grasp it, and the
wreckcrs turn the cylinder, and the rope
winds around the cylinder, and those who
are shipwrcckcd are saved so at your
feet today there is an influence with tire
mcndous leverage. The rope attached to
II swings far out into the billowy future.
Your children, your children's children,
and all the generations that are to follow
will grip that influence and feel the long
reaching pull long after the figures ON your
tombstone are so near worn out that the
visitor cannot tell whether ii was 1896 or
1896 or 1896 that you died.
Concerted Action.
Still further, learn from this subject
the advantage of concerted action. II
Abimclcch Lad merely gone out with u
tree branch, the work would rot have been
accomplished or IL 10, 20 or 30 men had
gone, but when all the axes are lifted, and
all the sharp edges fall, and all these men
carry each his tree branch down and throw
1t about the temple. the victory is gained
the temple falls. My friends where there
r. one man In the church Of God Mt this
day shouldering his whole duty there are
q great many who never lift an AK or
swing n bough. II seems to me rs II there
were 10 drones In every hiveto busy bee,
as though there were 20 sailors sound
ASLEEP I'm the ships hammocks 10 men
on the stormy deck II seems rs il there
We're 80. 900 men belonging TO the reserve
corps, and only 1000 active combatants.
oh, we all want our boats to get over TO
the golden sands. but the most of us are
seated either IN the PROV or In the stern,
wrapped In our striped shawl, holding n