Newport weekly independent., 1901-06-28

served something better from that pastor than eXtemporized nothing ness. It was a mother who was half awakened to sense of responsibility in regard to her household She had begun to question herself as to whether it would not be better to in troduce into her home a religion that would decide alright the destiny of her sons and daughters. Her home had so far been controlled only by worldly principles. She had dared the riots of the elements that morn ing, and had found her way to church, hoping to hear something that would help her to decide the domestic ques- tion which was to her a solicitude. A good, strong sermon under the Di- vine blessing would have led her into the kingdom of God and afterward her whole family. The children, whether they became farmers or me chanics or merchants or artists or men of learned profession or women at the head of households, would have done their work in a Christian way and after lives of usefulness on earth would have taken thrones in Heaven. It would have been a whole family saved for time and saved for eternity. But the pastor had ad- journed the strong and effective discourse to a clear Sunday. The mother went home chilled in body, mind and soul, and concluded not to trouble herself or her household about the future, and to let to-mor- row take care of itself and keep on doing as they had been doing. No God in that home. No religious con solation in time of bereavement. No formation of thorough Christian character in the lives of those grow ing up boys and girls. They will go out into the world to meet it's yicis- situdes without any sublime reen- forcement of the Gospel. What a pity it was that he did not put down the manuscript of his we'll prepared ser mon on the Bible if he preached from notes or pour it out of his soul if he had lodged it there through careful prepara tion! No. He allowed that opportunity, which could never re- turn, to pass into eternity unim- proved. He observed by the way the rain dashed against the windows of the parsonage and the windows of the church that the wind was from the east or the northeast, and he did not SOW, or sowed that which was not worth sowing.
 In all departments of life there are those hindered by the wind of public opinion. It has become an aphorism in politics and in all great movements: "He is waiting to see which way the wind blows." And it is no easy thing to defy public opinion, to be run down by newspapers, to be overhauled in so- cial circles, to be anathe matized by friends and admirers. It requires a heroism which few possess. Yet no great reformatory or elevating move ment has ever been accomplished un- til some one was willing to defy what the world should think or say or do. But there have been men and women of that kind. They stand all up and
 
 pies for us to follow. Charles Sum- ner in the United States senate, AL exander H. Stephens in Georgia con- vention, Savonarola stalking his life in time of persecution, Martin Luther fighting the battle for religious free. dom against the mightiest ana themas that were ever hurled, William Carey leading the missionary movement to save a heather world while churches denounced him as a fanatic and with attempting an impossibility; Jenner the hero of medicine, carica tured for his attempt by vaccination to beat back the worst disease that smote the nations. They who watch the wind ot public opinion will not sow It is an uncertain indication and is apt to blow the wrong way.
 How many there are who give toe much time to watching the weather vane and studying the barometer! Make up your mind what you are go, ing to do and then go ahead and do it There always will be hindrances. It is moral disaster if you allow prudence to overmaster all the other graces The Bible makes more of courage and faith and perseverance than it does o1 caution. It is not once a year that the great ocean steamers fail to sai at the appointed time because of the storm signals. Let the weather bureau prophecy what hurricane or cyclone il may, next Wednesday,, next Thursday next Saturday, the steamers will put out from New York and Philadelphia and Boston harbors and will reach Liv. erpool and Southampton and Glasgow and Bremen, their arrivals as certain as their embarkation. They cannot af-