Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-03-25


pie are compelled to meet on the street
The glittering coach wheels clashes
against the scavenger's cart. Fine robes
run against the peddler s pack. Robust
health meets wan sickness. Honesty
confronts fraud. Every class of people
meets every other class. Impotence and
modesty. pride and humility, purity
and beastliness. frankness and hypoc-
risy. meeting on the same block. in the
same street. in the same city. Oh. that
Is what Solomon meant when he said
"The rich and the poor meet together:
the Lord is the Maker Of them all. %
like this democratic principle Of the
gospel of Jesus Christ which recognizes
the fact that we stand before God on
one and the same platform Do not take
on any airs. Whatever position you
; have gained in society you are nothing
but man. born of the same parent. re-
generated by the same spirit; cleansed
in the same blood. to lie down In the
same dust, to get up in the same resur-
rection. 1t is high time that we all &C.
knowledged not only the Fatherhood Of
God. but the brotherhood of man.
To Keep Hip Heart Right.
Again. the street impresses me with
the fact that 1t is very hard thing for
a man to keep his heart right and to
get to heaven. Infinite temptations
spring upon us from these places Of
public concourse. Amid 80 much afiu-
ence. how much temptation to covetous-
ness and to be disconnected with our
humble lot Amid SO many opportuni-
ties. for overreaching what temptation
to e1tortion Amid so much display.
what temptation to vanity Amid 80
many saloons of strong drink. what al
lurement to dissipation In the mael-
stroms and hell gates Of the street how
many make quick and eternal ship
wreck If q man-ofwar comes back
from a battle and is towed into the
navy yard. we go down to look at the
splintered spars and count the bullet
holes and look with patriotic admirs-
tion on tho flag that foated in victory
from the masthead. But that man is
more OF curiosity who has gone
through 80 years Of the sharpshooting
of business life and yet sails on. victor
over the temptations Of the street. Oh.
how many have gone down under the
pressure. leaving not 40 much as the
patch of canvas to tell where they per
ished They never had any peace. Their
dishonesties kept tolling in their cara
If had an ak and could split open the
beams OF that fine house, perhaps
would find in the very heart Of it q
skeleton. In bis very best vino there is
a smack of poor mans sweat. Oh. is it
strange that when a man has devouIed
widows houses he is disturbed with in
digestion2 All the forces Of nature are
against him. The foods are ready to
drown him and the earthquake to
swallow him and the fires to consume
him and the lightnings TO smite him.
But the children of God are on every
street, and in the day when the crowns
of heaven are distributed some Of the
.brightes. of them will be given TO those
men who were faithful to God and faith
ful to the souls Of others amid the marts
II business. proving themselves the he
roes of the street. Mighty were their
temptations, mighty was their deliver
ance and mighty shall be their triumph.
Again, the street impresses me with
the fact that life is full Of pretension
and sham. What subterfuge. what
double dealing. what two facedness Do
all people who wish you good morning
really hope you happy dayf Do all
the people who shake hands love each
other? Are all those anxious about your
health who inquire concerning itf Do
all want to see you who ask you to call !
Does all the world know half as much
as it pretends to know Is there not
many q wretched stock of goods with
brilliant show window? Passing up and
down the streets to your business and
your work. are you not impressed with
the fact that society is hollow and that
there are subterfuges and pretensionsf
Oh. how many there are who swagger
and strut, and how few people who are
NATURAL and walkl While tops simpeE
and fools chuckle and simpletons gig
gle. how few people are natural and
laugh The courtesan and the libertlne
90 down the street in beautiful apparel,
while within the heart there are vol
canoes Of passion consuming their life
away | say these things not to create
In you incredulity or misanthropy. nor
do forget there are thousands OF peo-
pie great deal better than they seem.
but do not think any man is prepared
for the conflict of ills life until he
knows this particular peril. Ehud comes
pretendi ? to pay his tax to king Eglon,
and, while be stands in front of the
king. stabs him through with dagger
until the haft went in after the blade
Judas Iscariot kissed Christ.
Field For Christian Charity.
Again. the street impresses me with
the fact that it is great field for Chris
tisn charity. There are hunger and
suffering. and want and wretchedness
in the country. but these evils chiefly
congregate in our great cities. On ev-
cry street crime prowls. and drunken
ness staggers and shame winks, and
pauperism thrusts out its hand asking
for aims. Here want is most squalid
and hunger is most lean. A Christian
man. going along street in New York,
saw poor lad. and he stopped and
said. MY boy. do you know how to
read and writer" The boy made no an
swer. The man asked the question twice
and thrice. "Can you read and writer
And then the boy answered, with
tear FLASHING on the back Of his hand
he said in defiance: mo, sir; / cans
read nor write, neither. God. sir, don't
want me to read and write Didn't he
saHs away my Ystner 20 long ago mover
remember to have seen him' And
haven t had to so along the streets TO
get something to fetch home to eat for
the folks, And didn's I. rs soon as
could carry basket, have to go out
and pick up cinders and never have no
.I.,I-- is 6od 1oy'6 want me 20