The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-07-17

CndHRc ~ was lIOtA Vs. Pr..~~--.~F~ M
wayfarer's crustl A little while ago,
approved and sought for; now, none
SO poor as to acknowledge her ac-
aintanceship Vashti the sacrifice!
All! you and I have seen it many
time. Here is home empalaced
with beauty. All that refine
| ment and books and wealth can
do for that home has been
done; but Ahasueras, the husband
and the father, is taking hold on paths
of sin. He is gradually going down.
After awhile he will struggle ana
founder like wild beast in hunters
net-further away from God. further
away from the right. Soon the bright
apparel of the children will turn to
rags; soon the household song will be-
come the sobbing CT broken heart.
The old story over again. Brutal Cen
taurs breaking up the marriage feast
of Dapithae. The house full of outrage
and cruelty and abomination, while
trudging forth from the palace gate
are Vashti and her children. There
are homes that are in danger or such
breaking up. Oh, Ahasuerusl that you
should stand in home, by dis
sipated life destroying the peace and
comfort of that home. God forbid that
your children should ever have to
wiring their hands, and have people
point their finger at them as they pass
down the street. and say: "There goes
drunkard's child" God forbid that
the lirtle feet should ever have to
TRUCE the path of poverty and wretch
edness! God forbid that any evil spirit
born of the wine-cup or the brandy
glass should come forth and uproot
that garden, and with lasting, bis
tering, all-consuming curse, shut for
ever the palace gate against Vashti
and the children
Once more: / want you to look at
Vashti the silent. You do not hear
any cutlery from this woman as she
goes forth from the palace gate. From
the very dignity of her nature you
know that there will be no vocifera-
ton. Sometimes in life it is necessary
to make retort; sometimes in life it
is necessary to resist; but there are
crises when the most triumphant
thing to do is to keep silent. The
philosopher, confident in his newly
discovered principle, waiting for the
coming of more intelligent generations,
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
81 Galslao hu th.
ematicians and scientists, caricatured
everywhere, yet waiting and watching
with his telescope to see the coming of
stellar reinforcements, when the stars
in their courses would fight for the
Copernican system; then sitting down
in complete blindness and deafness
to wait for the coming on of the gen.
erations who would build his monu-
ment and bow at his grave. The re-
former, execrated by his contempora-
ries, fastened in pillory, the fires OF
public contempt burning under him,
ground under the cylinders of the
printing press, yet calmly waiting for
the day when purity of soul and hero
ism of character will get the sanction
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 left of the chain and of the
darkness of night. Waiting until a
divine hand shall be put forth to
soothe pang and hush the storm and re-
lease the captive. A wife abused, per-
secuted, and perpetual exile from
every earthly comfort.waiting, wait
ing, until the Lord shall gather all His
dear children in heavenly home, and
no poor Vashti will ever be thrust out
from the palace gate. Jesus, in silence
and answering not word, drinking
the gall, bearing the cross. in prospect
of the rapturous contamination 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 con.
verges 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 priva-
tions and the cruelties and the mis-
fortunes of this life, If you can
only gain admission there. Through
the blood of the everlasting cove
nant you go through these gates, or
never go at all. God forbid that you
should at last be banished from the So
ciety of angels. and banished from the
companionship of your gloriied kim
bred, and banished forever. Through
the rich grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
may you be enabled to initiate the ex-