The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-05-09

and hundreds Of men who have poured
their wit and genius and ingenuity
through that particular channel upon
the hearts and consciences and the
imaginatiohsS of men, setting this
country so years farther in advance
than 1t would have been without the
lecture platform.
rejoice in the popularization OF out
door sports. hail the croquet ground
and the fisherman's rod and the sports
mans gun. In onr cities life is SO un- I
healthy and unnatural that when the
census taker represents city having |
400, 900 inha bitants, there are only ZOO. |
600, since it takes at least two men to |
amount to one man, so depict
ing and unnerving and exhaust
ing is this metropolitan life. |
We want more fresh air, more
sunlight, more of the abandon OF
field sports. cry out for it in behalf
of the Church of God as well as in be-
half of secular interests. l wish that
our ponds and our rivers and our Capri
toline grounds might be all aquake
with the. heel and the shout of the
swift skater. l wish that when the
warm weather comes the graceful oar
might dip the stream, and the evening"
tide be resonant with boatmcn's song,
the bright prov splitting the crystal
line billow.
We shall have the smooth and grassy
lawn, and we will call out people of all
occupations and professions and ask
them to join in the ball-player's sport.
You will come back from these outdoor
exercises and recreations with strength
in your arm and color in your cheek
and flash In your eye and courage
| in your heart. In this great battle
that is opening against the kingdom
of darkness, we want not only a conse-
Grated soul, but a strong arm and stout
| lungs and mighty muscle. l bless uod
| that there are 80 many recreatlons
that have not on them any faint OF in
iouity: recreations in which we may
engage for the strengthening OF the
body, for the clearing of the intellect,
| for the illumination of the soul.
There is still anoth er form of recre-
alton which commend to you, and that
is the pleasure of doing good. have
seen young men, weak and cross and
sour and repelling in their disposition
who by one heavenly touch have
| Weakened up and became blessed and
bnoyant, the ground under their feet
and the sky over their heads breaking
forth into music. ''Oh," says some
young man in the house. to-day, Il
should like that recreation above
all others, but 1 have not the
means" Ny dear brother, let us take
an account of stock. You have large
estate, If you only realize 1t. Two
hands. Two feet. You will have,
perhaps, during the next year at least
SiO for charitable contribution. You
viii have $500 cheerful looks, it you
want to employ them. You will have
5000 pleasant words if You want
to speak them. Now, what an amount
that is to start with.
On the street tomorrow morning,
you will seee sick man passing along.
"Ah," you say, ''what can l doto mako
this man happy? He certainly does
| not want money; he is not poor, but
he is sick" Give him one of those
, $500 cheerful looks that you have gar
nered up for the whole year. Look Joy
and hopefulness into his soul. 1t vii
thrill him through, aud there will be
r reaction upon your own soul. Going
I little farther on, you will come to th'
, store of a friend who is embarrassed ii
business matters. You will go in ant
: saw: 'What fine store you have!
H,.s r1f on a M
{ you will have more custom ate
= awhile. l think there is coming
: great prosperity to all the country
|, Good morning." You pass out. Yo'
t have helped that young man, and yo'
!, have helped yourself.
D Col. Gardiner. who sat with his el
bow on ia BILE, spread with all extra'
, agant viands, looking off at a dog o
4 the rug, saying: "How would like
!, change places; be the dog and he b
Col. Gardiner" or. those two Moravia
missionaries who wanted to so int
q the lazaretto for the sake of attendin
the sick, and they were told: IF 20
= no in there you will never com
. out. We never allow anyone to com
: out, for he would bring the contagion.
= Then they made their wills and wer
: in, first to help the sick and then to di
r. Which was the happier-Col. Gardin'
q or the Moravian missionaries dying IL
% others? Was it all sacrifice when tt
n missionaries wanted to bring tt
- Gospel to the negroes at the Barb
l. does, and, being denied the privileg
:. sold themselves into slavery, stan
e. ing side by side, and lying side by sid
r. down in the very ditch of suffering,
T. order that they might bring those me
70 up to life and God and Heaven? o
~ there is thrill in the joy OF DOH
At good! 1t is the most magnificent recre
~ ton to which a man ever put his nan
re or his head, or his heart.
ch But, before closing, l want to IL
of press upon you that mere secular e
tertainments are not a fit foundatit
n. for your soul to build on. was rea
IN ing of a woman who had gone all e
IL rounds of sinful amusement, and s.
od came to die. She said: Il will die
.ir night at six o'clock" "Oh!' tn
ks said, 81 guess not; you don't seem
ta- be SICK II shall die at six o'clock al
III my soul will be lost. l know it wi
#. be lost. have sinned away my d.
la of grace" The noon came. They