Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-01-28

an eternal weight of glory. and you can
bear the wounds, and the bruises, and
the misrepresentation, if you can have
the reward afterward. Have you not
enough enthusiasm to cry out: "We are
the men We are the menu
I learn also from this subject the
danger of worldly. elevation. This Eglon
was what the world called great man.
There were hundreds of people who
would have considered it the greatest
honor of their life just to have him
speak to them, yet although he is so
high up in worldly position he is not
beyond the reach of Ehud's dagger l
see great many people trying to climb
up in social position, having an idea
that there is safe place somewhere far
above, not knowing-tha the mountain
of famo has top like Mont Blanc, COW
cred with perpetual snow.
We laugh at the children of Shinar
for trying to build tower that could
reach to the heavens, but think if our
eyesight were only good enough we
could see a Babel in many dooryard.
Oh, tho struggle is fierce! 1t is store
against store house against house,
street againt street. nation against ma
ton. The goal for which men are run
ming is chairs and chandeliers and mir
rors and houses and lands and presiden-
tial equipments. If they get what they
anticipate, what have they? Men are
not safe from calumny while they live,
and, worse than that, they are not safe
after they are dead, for 1 have seen
swine root up graveyards. One day u
man goes up into publicity, and the
world does him honor and people climb
up into sycamore trees to watch him as
he passes, and as he goes along on the
shoulders of the people there is wav-
ing of hats and wild huzza Tomor-
row the same man is caught between
the jaws of the printing press and man
gled and bruised, and the very same
persons who applauded him before cry:
''Down with the traitor Down with
him!
BelshazZar sits at the feast, the
mighty men of Babylon sitting all
around him. sparkles like the wine,
and the wine like the wit. Music rolls
up among the chandeliers; the chande-
Tiers flash down on the decanters. The
breath of hanging gardens floats in on
the night air; the voice of revelry floats
out. Amid wreaths and tapestry, and
folded banners, a finger writes The
march of host is heard on the stairs.
Laughter catches in the throat. A thou
sand hearts stop beating. The blow Is
struck. The blood on the floor is richer
hued than the wine on the table. Fhe
kingdom has departed. Belshazzar was
no worse, perhaps, than hundreds of
people in Babylon but his position slew
him. Oh, be content with just such a
position as God has placed you in. 1t
may not be said of us, "He was a great
general, +" or ..He was an honored chief
tain. y or "He was mighty in worldly
attachments, but this thing may be
said OF you and of me, "He was good
citizen, faithful Christian, a friend
CT jesus. And that IL the last day
will be the highest of all eulogiums
learn further from this subject that
death comes to the summer house. Egg
Ion did not expect to die in that fine
place. Amid all the flower leaves that
drifted like summer snow into the win
dow; in the tinl1le and dash of the
fountains; in the sound of a thousand
leaves futing on one tree branch; In
the cool breeze that came up u shake
feverish trouble out of the kings locks
there was nothing that spake of
death, but there he died In the winter,
when the snow is a shroud, and when
the wind is dirge, it is easy to think
of our mortality; but when the weather
is pleasant, and all our surroundings
are agreeable, how difficult it is for US
to appreciate the truth that we are
mortal And yet my text teaches that
death does sometimes come to the sum-
mer house. He is blind, and cannot see
the leaves He is deaf, and cannot hear
the fountains Oh, if death would ask
us for victims, we could point him to
hundreds of people who would rejoice
to have him GOMEZ Push back the door
of that howell Look at that little child
cold and sick, and hungry. 1t has
never heard the name of God but IN
blasphemy. Parents intoxicated, stag
gering around its straw bed. Oh, death,
there is a mark for thee Up with IL into
the light Before those little feet Stun
BILE on lifc's pathway, give them rest.
Here is an aged man. He has done
his work. He has done it gloriously,
The companions of his youth all gone,
his children dead, he longs to be at rest,
and YEARLY the days and the nights
pass. He says, Come Lord Jesus,
come quickly" Oh, death, there is a
mark for thee! Take from him the staff
and give him the scepter. Up with him
! into the light, where eyes never grow
dim, and the hair whitens not through
the long years of eternity. All, death
will not do thatl Death turns back from
the straw bed, and from the aged man
ready for the skies, and comes to the
summer house. What doest thou here
thou bony, CHASTITY monster, amid this
waving grass and under this sunlight
sitting through the tree branches2 Chill
dren are at play. How quickly their
feet go and their locks toss in the wind.
Father and mother stand at the side OF
the room looking on, enjoying their
glee. 1t does not seem possible that the
wolf should ever break into that fold
and carry off lamb. Meanwhile an
old archer stands looking through the
thicket. He points his arrow at the
brightest of the group. He is sure
marksman. The bow bends, the arrow
speeds Hush now The quick feet have
stopped, and the locks toss no more ID
the wind. Laughter has gone out OF tne
i -. fn