Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-12-04

| fingers IN Handel 8 concerto In Is + lat
or Guilmant's "Sonata In d Minor. Z"
Thanks to you, o century, before you die,
for the asylums Of mercy that you have
founded-the blind seeing with their
fingers, the deaf hearing by the motion
of your lips, the born imbecile by skill
ful object lesson lifted to tolerable in
telligence Thanks to this century for
the improved condition Of most nations.
The reason that Napoleon made such
a successful sweep across Europe at the
beginning Of the century was that most
of the thrones of Europe were occupied
either by imbeciles or prohigates. But
most of the thrones Of Europe are today
occupied by kings and queens compe-
tent. France a republic, Switzerland a
republic, and about 80 free constitutions,
am told, in Europe Twenty million
serfs Of Russia manumitted On this
western continent can call the roll Of
many epublics-Mexico. Guatemala,
San Salvador, Costa Rioa, Paraguay,
Uruguay, Honduras, New Granada,
Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia,
Chile, Argentine Republic, Brazil. The
once struggling village Of Washington
to which the United States government
moved, its entire baggage and equip
ment packed up in seven boxes which
got lost in the woods near this place.
now the architectural glory Of the con-
tinent and admiration of the world.
Good Word For Newspapers.
The money power, 30 much denounced
and often justly criticised, has covered
this continent with universities and
free Libraries and asylums Of mercy.
The newspaper press, which at the be-
ginning Of the century was an ink roller,
by hand moved over one sheet Of paper
at time, has become the miraculous
manufacturer Of four or five or six hum
dred thousand sheets for one daily news
papers issue. Within your memory, o
dying century, has been the genesis OF
nearly all the great institutions evangel-
istic! At London tavern, March Z, 1909,
British and Foreign Bible society was
born. In 1915 American Bible society
was born. In 1924 American Sunday
School union was born. In 1910 Ameri-
can board Of commissioners for foreign
missions, which has put its saving hand
on every nation Of the round earth, was
born at a haystack in Massachusetts,
The National Temperance society, the
Woman's Temperance society and all
the other temperance movements born
in this century. Africa, hidden to other
centuries, by exploration In this century
has been put at the feet Of civilization,
10 be occupied by commerce and Chris
tianity.
The Chinese wall, once an impossible
barrier, now Is useless pile OF stone
and brick. Our American nation at the
opening Of this century only slice OF
land along the Atlantic coast, now the
whole continent in possession OF our
schools and churches and missionary
stations. Sermons and religious intelli-
Rence which in other times, II noticed
at all by the newspaper press, were al
lowed only paragraph Of three or four
lines, now find the columns OF the secu-
lar press in all the cities thrown wide
open. and every week for 26 years, with
out the omission Of a single week. !
have been permitted to preach one entire
gospel sermon through the newspaper
press. thank God for this great oppor-
tunity!
Glorious old century, You shall not
be entombed until we have, face to face,
extolled you. You were rocked in
rough cradle, and the inheritance you
received was for the most part poverty
and struggle and hardship and poorly
covered graves Of heroes and heroines,
of whom the world had not been worthy,
and atheism and military despotism and
the wreck Of the French revolution
You inherited the influences that result
ed In Aaron Burr's treason, and another
war with England, and battle OF Lake
Erie. and Indian savagery, and Lundy :
Lane, and DartmOor massacre, and dis
sension bitter and wild beyond meas
urement, and African slavery, which
was vet to cost a national hemorrhage
Of four awful years and a million pre-
cious lives. Yes, dear old century, you
had an awful start. and you have done
more than well, considering your psren'
taee and your early environment. 1t u
a wonder you did not turn out TO be th'
yapabond century Of all time. You ha'
a bad mother and a bad grandmother.
Some of the preceding centuries wer'
not fit to live in-their morals were 81
bad, their fashions were so outrageous
their ignorance was so dense, their in
humanity so terrific.
Years OF Progress.
| o diving nineteenth century, before
Won 90 we take this opportunity OF tell
ing YOU that you are the best and the
miehtiest Of all the centuries OF the
Christian era except the first, which
gave us the Christ, and you rival thai
century in the fact that you, more thar
all the other centuries put together. ar'
giving the Christ to all the world. One
hundred and twelve thousand dollars 81
one meeting a few days ago contributed
for the worlds evangelization. Look a
what you have done. o thou abused anc
deprecated century. All the Paoin
isles. barred and bolted against the gos
pei when you began 70 reign, now al
omen. and some OF them more Christian
ized than America No more. as ono
written over the church doors In Cap
Colony, Dogs and Hottentots not ad
mitted." The late Mr.. Darwin con
tributing S26 to the Southern Am
sionary society. oannibalism driven 81
the face of the earth. The gates OF al
nations wide open for the gospel entranc
when the church shall give up It's intel
| leotual dandyism and quit foolins wis
higher criticism and plunge into u
work as at life saving station she cre'
! pull out with the lifeboat to take q
sailors of . ship going 30 pieces In "a
skerries. thank you, old and dyin
, century; all heaven thanks you. an
surely all the nations Of the earth ousl
TO thank you. put before your eye
Q soon TO be dim for the last sleep u
!, facts tremendous take your wrinkle
= old hand and shake IL In congratuli
a tion. bathe your fevered brow an
Q freshen your parched lips from the foul