The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-01-07

er. For the tal1Ow candle the electric
light. For the writings of the sur.
geons table God-given anaesthetics,
and the whole physical organism ex-
plored by sharpest instruments, and
giving not SO much pain as the taking
of splinter from under child's
| finger nail. For the numbering stage
coach the limited express train. And
there is the spectroscope of Frauuho-
fer, by which our modern Scient tist
feels the pluse Of other worlds throb-
bing with light. Jenner's arrest by
inoculation of one of the worlds
worst plaques. DR.. Keeley's emanci-
| patton for inebriaty. Intimation that
the virus Of maddened canine, and
cancer, ard consumption are yet to be
balled by magnificent medical treat
nent. The eyesight of the doctor
sharpcned till he can look through
thick flesh and find the hiding place
of the bullet. What advancement in
geology, or the catechism of the noun
tains; chemistry, or the catcchisIa of
the elements; astronomy. or the
catechism of the stars; clectrol-
ogy, or the catechism Of the light
nings. What advancement in music.
at the beginning of this century, con-
tining itself, SO far as the great masses
of the people were concerned, to a few
airs drawn out on accordion or massa-
cred on church bass voil; now en-
chantingly dropping from thousands
o. fingers in Handels concerto in b
fat, or Guilmant's SONATA in d minor
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 skillful object lesson lifted to toler-
able intelligence. Thanks to this cen
tury for the improved condition of
most nations. The reason that Ma
poleon made such successful sweep
across Europe at the beginning of the
century was that most of the thrones
of Europe were occupied by i'm
beetles or prohigates. But most
of the thrones of Europe are to-
day occupied by kings and queens
competent. France a republic, Switz-
erland republic, and about fifty free
constitutions, | am told, in Europe.
Twenty million serfs of Russia manu-
mitted. On this western continent |
can call the roll of many republics -
Mexico, Guatemala, San Salvador,
Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay, Hon
duras, New Grenada, Venezuela, Peru,
Ecuador, BOLIVIA, Chill, Argentine Re-
public, Brazil. The once struggling
village of Washington, to which the
United States government moved, its
entire baggage and equipment packed
up in seven boxes, which got lost in
the woods near this place, now the
architectural glory of the continent
and admiration of the world.
The money power, SO much de-
nounced and often justly criticised,
has covered this continent with uni
versities, and free libraries, and asy-
lums Of mercy. The newspaper press
which, at the beginning of the cen
tury 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 hundred thou
sand sheets for one daily newspapers
issue. Within your own memory, o
dying century. has been the genesis of
nearly all the great institutions evan
gelistic. At London Tavern, March z.
British and Foreign Bible society was
born. In 1916 American Bible So
cicty was born. In 1924 American
Sunday-school union was born. In
1910 American Board of Commission
ers for Foreign Missions, which
has put its saving hand on
every nation OF the round earth. was
born at haystack in Massachusetts.
The National Temperance society, the
Women's Temperance society, ami all
the other temperance movements born
in the century. Africa, hidden to
other centuries, by exploration in this
century has been put at the feet of
civilization. to be occupied by COM
merce and Christianity. 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 in
teIligence which in other times, if no.
ticed at all by the newspaper press,
were allowed only paragraph
of three OR four lines, now
find the columns of the secular
press in all the cities thrown wide
open, and every week for 26 years
without the omission of single week,
have been permitted to preach one
entire Gospel sermon through the
newspaper press. l thank Gcd for
this great opportunity. Glorious old
| century. You shall not I've entombed
| until we have, face to face. extolled
you. You were rocked in a rough
| cradle, and the Inheritance you re-
ceived was for the most part poverty,
and struggle. and hardship, and poor
| Uncovered graves of heroes and hero
ines of whom the world had not been
worthy, and atheism, and military
despotism, and the wreck of the French
revolution. You inherited the influ.
| ences that resulted in Aaron Burrs