Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-01-01


we want in the senate and house of rep
resentatives and the supreme court is
pentecostal blessing that will shake the
continent with divine mercy. There re-
Gently came into my hands the records
Of two congressional prayer meetings, on
the rolls Of which were the names Of
the most eminent senators and repre-
sentatives who then controlled the des-
TIMES Of this republic-the one con-
gressional prayer meeting in 1857 and
the other in 1866. The record is in the
handwriting of the philanthropist, Will
liam K. Dodge, then a member Of con-
gress. There are now more Christian
men in the national legislature than
ever before. Why will they not band to-
gether in religious movement which
before the Inauguration Of the next
president shall enthrone Christ in the
hearts Of this nation? They have the
brain, they have the eioquence, they
have the influence. God grant them the
grace sufficient Who in congressional
circles will establish the capitoline
prayer meeting in 1897? Let the eyen-
ing Of the last decade Of this century be
irradiated with such n religious splen
dor. There are the opportunities for
national and international charge, all
brided and saddled. Where are the
riders to mount them?
A Quick Flight.
The cavalry suggests speed When
once the reins are gathered into the
hands Of the soldierly horseman, and
the spurs are struck into the fianks, you
hear the rataplan Of the hoofs. "Neloc-
ity" is the word that describes the
movement, acceleration, momentum,
and what we wsat in getting into the
kingdom Of God is celebrity. You see the
years are so swift, and the weeks are so
swift, and the days are so swift, and
the hours are so swift, and the minutes
are 30 swift, we need to be swift. For
lack Of this appropriate speed many do
not get into heaven at all. Here we
are in the last Sabbath Of the year. Did
you ever know a twelvemonth quicker
to be gone? The goldenrod Of one au-
tumn speaks to the goldenrod Of tho
next autumn, and the crocus Of one
springtime to the orocus Of another
springtime, and the snow banks Of ad-
ioining years almost reach each other IN
unbroken curve. We are in too much
hurry about most things. Business men
in too much hurry rush into specula-
None that ruin them and ruin Others.
People move from place TO place in too
great haste, and they wear out their
nerves and weaken the hearts action.
But the only thing in which they are
afraid Of being too hasty is the matter
of the souls salvation. Yet did any one
ever get damaged by too quick repent
ance or too quick pardon or too quick
emanoipation5 The Bible recommends
tardiness, deliberation and snaillike
movement in some things. as when it
enjoins Us to be slow to speak and slow
to wrath and slow to do evil, but 1t
tells us, 1.-THE kings business requireth
haste, and that our days are as the
fight OF q weaver's shuttle and ejacu-
!Ates: Escape for thy life. Look not
behind thee. Neither stay thou in all
the plain" Other cavalry troops may
fall back, but mounted years never re-
treat They are always going ahead, not
on an easy canter, but at full run. Other
regiments hear the command Of Haiti
and pitch their tents for the night The
regiments Of the years never hear the
command OF HALT" and never pitch
tent for the night.
The century leads on its troop Of 100
years, and the year leads on its troop OF
$50 days, and the day leads on its troop
of "a hours, and the hour leads on Its
troop Of 60 minutes, and all are dashing
out Of sight. Perhaps there are two
years in which we are most interested
our first and our last. Held up in our
mothers arms, we watched the fight
Of the first. With wondering eyes we
all watch the coming Of the Lass The
name Of that advancing year we cannot
call. 1t may be in the nineties Of this
century. il may be in the tens or twen-
ties or thirties of the next century, but
it is coming at full gallop.
How to Meet 1t.
With what mood will we meet itl In
jocosity, as did Thomas Hood in his last
moment, saying, 81 am dying out OF
charity to the undertaken, who wishes
TO earn lively Hood" Or in fear. as
did Thomas Paine, saying in his last
moment, "Oh, how dread this mystic
rious leap in the dark" Or in boastful'
ness, as did VespasiaD, saying IN ms
last moment, "Ah, methinks | am be-
coming a god" Or in frivolity. as dld
Demonax, the infdel philosopher, say
ing in his last moment, "You may 90
home; the show is over. " Or conscience
stricken. az did Charles TX Of France,
saving in his last moment: Nurse
nursel What murder What bloodV' Or
shall we meet it in gladness OF Chris
tian hope, like that Of Julius Charles
Hare. who said in his last moment.
Upward, upward!' Or like that OF
Richard Baxter, in his last moment say
ing, almost we'll" Or like that Of
Martin Of Tours. saying in bis last mo-
ment. II 20 to Abraham's bosom" Or
like that Of polished Addison, who SAID
in his last moment, "See with what ease
a Christian can die" Or like that OF
George Whitefeld, who felt that he had
said all that he could Of Christ, declar-
ing in his last moment, 81 shall die ST.
lent" Or like that Of Mrs. Schimmel-
uennich, who said in her last moment;
"Do you not bear the voicesg And the
children's are the loudest. " Or like that
of Dragonnatti. saying in his last mo-
ment: "Stand asidel l see my father
and my mother coming TO kiss me. "
Or as did the dying girl who, having
few evenings before sat on bench In
a London mission. was seen 10 have
tears Of contrition rolling down her
check, and who, departing from the
room, had put in her hand by a Chris
tian woman Bible, with the passage
marked, "Tbe blood Of Jesus Christ
cleanseth from all SIM" Though having
promised to be at the next meeting. she
did not come. The Christian woman
= -. - tko pihla was visiting the