The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-04-28


to read. Pictures to look at. Lounges
to rest on. Cup of domestic JOY full
and rnnning over. Dark night drops.
Pillow hot. Pulses f1utter. Eyes close.
And the foot whose w,ll-known steps
on the door-sill brought the whole
hous ,hold out at eventide crying,
"Father's coming will never sound
on the door-sill again. A long, deep
grief plowed through all that bright
ness of domestic life. Paradise lost.
Widowhood. Hagar in the wilderness.
How often is it we see the weak arm
of woman conscripted for this battle
with the rough world. Who is she,
going down the street in the early light
of the morning, pale with exhausting
work, not half slept out with the slum-
bers of last night. tragedies of suff .r-
ing written all over her face, her lus-
ter.ess eyes looking far ahead, as
though for the coming of some other
trouble? Her parents called her Mary.
or Bertha, or Angnes, on the day when
they held her up to the font and the
Christian minister sprinkled on the in
tism. Her name is changed now. l
hear it in the shuttle of the worn-out
shoes. l see it in the figure of the
faded calico. l find it in the Inca
ments of the woe-begone countenance.
Not Mary, nor Bertha, nor Agnes, but
Hagar in the wilderness. May God
have mercy upon woman in her tolls,
her struggles, her hardships, her desc
lation, and may the great heart of Di-
vine sympathy inclose her forever!
Again, find in this oriental scene
the fact that every mother leads forth
tremendous destinies.
You say: THAT isn't an unusual
scene, mother leading her child by
the hand" Who is that she is leading?
1shmael, you say. Who is Ishmael? A
great nation is to be founded-a nation
SO strong that it is to stand for thou
sands of years against all the armies Of
the world. Egypt and Assyria thunder
against it, but in vain. Gaulus brings
up his army, and his army is smitten.
Alexander decides upon campaign,
brings up his host, and dies. For a
long while that nation monopolizes
the learning of the world. 1t is the
nation of the Arabs. Who founded it.
Ishmael, the lad that Hagar led into
the wilderness. She had no idea she
was leading forth such destinies.
Neither does any mother. You pass
along the street and see and pass boys
and girls who will yet make the earth
quake with their influence.
Look up, where Hagar looked. She
never would have found the fountain
at all, but when she heard the voice of
the angel she looked up, and she saw
the finger pointing to the supply. And,
o soul, if to-day with one earnest, in
tense prayer you would only look up
to Christ, He would point you down to
the supply in the wilderness: Look
unto me, all We ends of the earth, and
be ye saved, for am God, and there is
none clse!" Look. Look as Hagar
| looked.
Yes, there is well for every desert
| os bereavement. Looking over my au-
dience notice signs of mourning and
| woe. Have you found consolation?
Oh, man bereft, oh, woman bereft,
have you found consolation? Hearse
after hearse. We step from one
grave hillock to another grave hillock.
We follow corpses, ourselves soon to be
like them. The world is in mourning
for it's dead. Every heart has become
the sepulcher of some buried joy. But
sing We to God; every wilderness has a
well in it: and l come to that we'll to-
day, and begin to draw water for you
| from that well.
Have you seen the Nyctanthes? 1t
is a beautiful flower, but it gives very
little fragrance until after sunset.
Then it pours its richness on the air.
And this grace of the Gospel that
commend to you now, while it may be
very sweet during the day of prosper
ity, it pours forth it's richest aroma
after sundown. And it will be sun.
down with you and me after awhile
When you come togo out of this world,
will it be desert march, OF
will it be drinking at a fountain?
A converted Hindoo was dying, and
his heather comrades can. around
him and tried to comfort him by read
ing some of their theology, but he
waved his hand, as much as to say: 81
don't want to hear it." Then they
called in a heather priest, and ht
said: IF you will only recite the
Numtra it will deliver You from
hell He waved his hald, as
much as to say: Il don't want
to hear that" Then they said
Call on Juggernaut. He shook hi:
head, as much as to say: Il cant't d.
that" Then they thought perhaps h
was too weary to speak, and they said
Now if you can't say Jugsernaut,
think of him." He shook his head, a
much as tosay: mo, no, no. Then the
bent down to his pillow, and they said
I'm what will you trlst?" His fac
lighted up with the very glories OF th
celestial sphere, as he cried out, rally
ing all his dying energies: Jesus.
Oh, come this hour to the fountain!
will tell you the whole story in two G
!, three sentences. Pardon for all sir
, Comfort for all trouble. Light for a
darkness. And every wilderness has
xx-a1l IN II