The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-01-20

better deal in glittering generalities;
the subject is too delicate for polite
ears. But there comes voice from
Heaven overpowering the mincing
sentimentalities of the day, saying:
Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy
voice like trumpet and show my
people their transgressions and the
house of Jacob their SINS"
The trouble is that when people
write or speak upon this theme they
:re apt to cover it up with the graces
OF belles-lettres, SO that the crime is
made attractive instead of repulsive.
Lord Bryon in Don Juan adorns this
crime until it smiles like May queen.
Michelet, the great French writer,
covers it up with bewitching rhetoric
Until it glows like the rising sun, when
1T ought to be made loathsome as a
smallpox hospital. There are to-day
influences abroad which, if unresisted
by the pulpit and the printing press,
will turn our modern cities into Sodom
and Gomorrah, fit only for the storm
OF lire and rhinestone that whelmed
the cities of the plain.
Behold also in this giant of the text
and in the giant of our own century
that great physical power must crun-
bic and expire. The Sampson of the
text long ago went away. He fought
the Philistines. He could fight any,
! thing, but death was too much for
him. He may have required longer
grave and broader grave; but the
tomb nevertheless was his terminus.
Ii, then, we are to be compelled to
go out of this world, where are we to
go? This body and soul must soon
part. What shall be the destiny of the
former L know-dust to dust. But
what shall be the destiny OF the latter?
Shall it rise into the companionship
OF the white-robed, whose sins Gin, list
has slain? Or will it go down among
the unbelieving, who tried to gain The
world and save their souls but were
swindled out of both? Blessed
be God, we have Cham
pion! He is so styled in the Bible;
Champion who has conquered death
| and hell, and He is ready to fight Ill
our battles from the first to the last.
"Who is this that cometh from Edom
| with dyed garments from Bozrah,
mighty to save?" If we follow in the
wake OF that Champion death has 40
power and the grave no victory, The
worst man trusting in Him shall have
his dying pangs alleviated and his fa-
| ture illumined.
In the light Of this subject want to
at 70 f.,<,k I'll
may not have been rightly considered
by five men in all the world, and that
is the fact that we must be brought
into Judgment for the employment Of
our physical organism. Shoulder, brain,
hand, foot-we must answer in judr-
ment for the use we have made of them.
Have they Teen used for the eleva-
ton OF society or for its depression? In
proportion as our arm is strong and our
| step elastic will our account ut last
be intensified. Thousands of sermons
are preached to invalids. Ipreach this
| morning to stout men and healthfll
women. We must give to God on az
count for the right use of this physical
organism.
These invalids have comparatively
little to account for, perhaps. They
could not lift 20 pounds. They could
not walk half mile without sitting
down to rest. In preparation Of this
subject L have said to myself, how
Shall l account to God in Judgment for
the use of body which never knew
| one moment of real sickness? Rising
up in Judgment, standing beside men
| aud women who had only little phys-
ical energy, and yet consumed that
energy in contlagration of religious
enthusiasm. how will we feel abashed?
Oh, men OF the strong arm, and the
stout heart, what use are you maxim:
| of your physical forces? Will YOU he
able to stand the test of that day when
we must answer for the use of every
talent, whether it were a physical en-
ergy, or a mental acumen, Or a spiritual
power?
The day approaches, and l see one
who in this world was an invalid, and
as she stands before the throne of
God to answer she says: Il was sick
all my days. l had but very little
strength, but did as well as could in
being kind to those who were more
sick and more sutfering." Aud Christ
will say: well done. faithful servant"
And then little child will stand be-
fore the throne, and she will say: ION
earth l had Il curvature of the spine,
and was very weak, and | was very
sick: but l used to gather flowers out
OF the wildwood and bring them to my
sick mother, and she was comforted
when she saw the sweet flowers out Of
the wildwood. l didn't do much, but
l did something" And Christ shall
say, as he takes her up in His arms and
kisses her: well done, well done.
thy faithful servant; enter thou into
the JOY of thy Lord" What, then, will
be said to us-we to whom the Lord
gave physical strength and continuous
health?
said to an old Scotch minister, who
was one of the best friends ever had:
Doctor, did you ever know Robert
Pollock, the Scotch poet, who wrote
1.-The Course of Timer" ''Oh, yes." he
replied 81 knew him wall. ,v,s hi;