The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-03-02
BENTON. LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, MARCH 1899

NOT very largely successful. Under
science, trade. There was an oculist
performing very difficult operation on
the human eye. A young doctor stood
by and said: "How easily you do that;
it don't seem to cause you any trouble
at all" "Ah," said the old oculist,'"
is very easy now, but spoiled a hatful
of eyes to learn that" Be not surprised
if it takes some practice before we can
help men to moral eyesight and bring
them to vision of the cross. Left
handed men, to the work! Take the
Gospel for sling and faith and repent
ance for the smooth stone from the
brook, take sure aim, God direct the
wespcn, and great Goliaths will tumble
before you.
learn also from this subject the dam
ger 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 a safe place somewhere
far above, not knowing that the noun
tain of fame has top like Mont Blanc.
covered with perpetual snow.
We laugh at the children Of Shinar
for trying to build tower that could
reach to the heavens, but think II our
eyesight were only good enough we
could see Babel in many dooryard.
Oh, the struggle is fierce! 1t is store
against store. house against house.
street against 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 presi-
dental 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 have seen
swine root up graveyards. One day a
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. To-mor.
row the same man is caught between
the jaws of the printing press and
mangled and bruised, and the very
same persons who applauded him be
fore cry: "Down with the traitorl
down with him!"
Belshazzar sits at the feast. the
mighty men Of Babylon sitting al
around him. Wit sparkles like the wine
and the wine like the wit. Music roll'
up among the chandeliers; the chan
deliers fash down on the decanters
Tie breath of hanging gardens fioat
in on the night air. The voice Of revelr.
floats out. Amid wreaths and tapestr!
and folded banners finger writes. Tn
march of host is beard on the stairs
Laughter catches in the throat. !
thousand hearts stop beating. TIL
blow is struck. The blood on the 400
is richer hued than the wine on III
table. The kingdom has departed. Bel
shazzer was no worse perhaps thai
hundreds of people in Babylon, bu
his position slew him. Oh, be conten
with just such position as God ha
placed you in! 1t may not be said Of US
"He was great general" or HE wa
an honored chieftain," or HE wa
mighty in worldly attainments," bu
this thing may be said of you and o
me: "He was good citizen, a faithful
Christian, friend Of Jesus" And tha
in the last day will be the highest OF al
eu,ogiums.
Ilearn further from this subject tina
death comes to the summer house. Ee
. len did not expect to die in that fin
rlace. Amid all the flower leaves ths
: drifted like summer snow into the viii
dow, in the tinkle and dash of the four
! tains, in the sound of a thousand leave
) fluting on one tree branch, in the CO..
7 breeze that came up to shake feyeris
trouble out of the kings locks-thel
; was nothing that spake Of death, b.
there he died! In the winter, when II
snow is a shroud, and when the wind
!. a dirge, it is easy to think Of our mo
I tality, but when the weather il plea
E ant and all our surroundings are agre
r able, how difficult it is for us to appr
0 ciate the truth that we are morta
p! And yet my text teaches that death do
e sometimes come to the summer hous
? He is blind and cannot see the leave
z He is deaf and cannot hear the fou
l. tains. Oh, If death would ask US +
! victims we could point him to bundre
/. of people who would rejoice to have hi
J. come. Push back the door OF that how
y Look at that little cbild-cold, and sic
and hungry. II has never heard 7
e name of God but in blasphemy. !
# rents intoxicated, staggering arou
r. its straw bed. Oh. death, there is
Is mark for thee! Up with it into I
al light! Before those little feet stuml
Of on life's pathway give them rest.
If Here is an aged man. He has done