St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-07-22

weary, and life for the dead; and $50
years from now you will be welding
influence in this world for good. How
much better than white marble, that
chills you If you put your hand on 1t
when you touch 1t in the cemetery,
would be a monument in colors, in
beaming eyes. in living possession. in
splendors which under the chandelier
would be glowing and warm, and
looked at by strolling groups with cata-
logue in hand on the January night
when the metropolis where the body
sleeps is all showed under!
The tower Of David was hung with
1000 dented shields of battle; but you,
oh man of wealth, may have grander
tower named after you, one that shall
be hung not with the symbols of car
mage, but with the victories of that art
which was 70 long ago recognized IN my
text as pleasant pictures" Oh. the
power of pictures! cannot deridc'
as some have done, Cardinal Mazarin.
who, when told that he must die, took
his last walk through the art gallery
of his palace, saying: "Must quit all
thise Look at that Titan! Look at
that Corregio. Look at that deluge OF
Caracci. Farewell, dear picturcs!"
As the day Of the lord of hosts, &C
cording to this text, will scrutinize the
pictures, l implore all parents to see
that in their house holds they have
neither in book nor newspaper nor on
canvas anything that will dcsfavc.
Pictures arc no longer the exclusive
possession of the affluent. There is not
a respectable home in these cities tina.
has not specimens of woodcut or steel
engraving, if not Of painting, and yom
whole family will feel the moral uplift-
ing or depression. Have nothing on
your wall or in books that will familiar
| ize the young with scenes of cruelty and
wassail; have only those sketches made
by artists in elevated moods and none
of those scenes that seem the product
| of artistic dclirium tremens. Pictures
are not only strong but a universal
language. The human race is divided
into almost as many languages as there
are nations. but the pictures may speak
to people of all tongues. Volapuk many
have hoped. with little reason. would
become worldwide language; but the
pictorial is always a worldwide Ian
guage, and printers types have no en-
phasis compared with it. We say that
children are fond of pictures; but no.
tice any man when he takes mp q book,
and you will see that the first thing he
looks at is the pictures. Have only
those in your house that appeal to the
better nature. One engraving has some
times decided an eternal destiny. I'm
| der the title of fine arts there have como
here from France class of pictures
prove irreproachable. They would dis
grace barroom. and they need to be
confiscated. Your children will carry
| the pictures of their fathers house with
them clear on to the grave, and, passing
that marble pillar, will take them
through eternity.
Furthermore, let all reformers and
all Sabbath school teachers and all
Christian workers realize that, il they
would be effective for good, they must
make pictures, il not by chalk or black
boards or kindergarten designs or by
pencil on canvas, then by words. Ar
guments are soon forgotten, but pic
lures. whether in language or in col
ors. are what produce stronger effects.
Christ was always telling what thing
was like, and his sermon on the mount
was a great picture gallery, beginning
with a sketch of ''city on hill that
cannot be hid" and ending with tenn
pest beating against two houses, one on
the rock and the other on the sand.
The parable of the prodigal son, pic
ture; parable of the sower, who went
forth to SOW, picture; parable of the
unmerciful servant. picture; parable
of the ten virgins. q picture: parable
of the talents, a picture. The world
wants pictures. and the appetite begins
with the child, who consents to go early
to bed il the mother will sit beside him
and rehearse story, which is only a
picture.
And here am going to say word Of
cheer 10 people who have never had n
word of consolation on that subject. |
There are men and women in this world
by hundreds of thousands who have a |
fine natural taste, and yet all their lives |
that taste has been suppressed. and, al |
though they could appreciate the gal
lcries of Dresden and Vienna and |
Naples far more than nine hundred and |
ninety-nine people out of a thousand |
who visit them, they may never go, for |
they must support their households, |
and bread and schooling for their chill |
dren are of more Importance than pic |
lures. Though fond of music, they are |
compelled to live amid discord, and, |
though fond of architecture, they dwell |
in clumsy abodes, and, though apprecia-
tive of all that engravings and paint
ings can do, they are in perpetual depri-
walton. You are going, after you get |
on the sixth step of that stair, just
spoken of, to find yourselves in the roy
al gallery of the universe, the concen-
trated splendors of all worlds before
your transported vision. In some way
all the thrilling scenes through which
we and the church of God have passed
in our earthly state will be pictured or
brought to mind. At a cyclorama of
Gettysburg blind man who lost his
sight in that battle was with his child
heard talking while standing before
that picture.
The blind man said to the daughter:
Are there at the right of the picture
some regimerttS marching up a hill?"
YES" she said. "Well," said the blind
man, sis there general on horseback
leading them on?" YES" she said.
"Well. is there rushing down on these
men cavalry charger" YES" was the
reply. "And do there seem to be many
dying and dead?" YES" was the an
swer. SWELL, now. do you see shell
from the woods bursting near the wheel
of a cannon?" Yes" she said. "Siop
right there!" said the blind man. THAT
is the last thing l ever saw on earth.
What a time it was. Jenny, when lost
my eyesight!" But when you, who have
found life a hard battle, a very Gettys-
burg, shall stand in the royal gallery of
and with your new vision be-
A. A. u ~