The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-07-25

awakened to a 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-
ton which was to her solicitude. A
good, strong sermon under the Dl-
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 Christian
way and after lives of usefulness on
earth would have taken thrones in
Heaven. It would have been whole
family saved for time and saved for
eternity. But the pastor had ad-
journed the strong and effective
discourse to 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-
formation Of thorough Christian
character in the lives of those grow
ing up boys and girls. They will 60
out into the world to meet its vicis-
situdes without any sublime reen-
forcement of the Gospel. What pity
it was that he did not put down the
manuscript of his well 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
preparation! 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. 1t has become an aphorisn
, | :, ro1;+;oe ,pd in a II 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 dowr
| by newspapers, to be overhauled in so
cial circles, to be mathematical b.
, those who heretofore were youl
? friends and admirers. It requires I
= heroism which few possess. Yet Mt
= great reformatory or elevating move
, ment has ever been accomplished un
5 til some one was willing to defy wha
+ the world should think or say or do
4 But there have been men and womel
i of that kind. They stand all up ant
= down the corridors of history, exam
e Piles for us to follow. Charles Sum
n ner in the United States senate, Al
exander H. Stephens in Georgia cor
= vention, Savonarola stalking his life i
t time of persecution, Martin Luthe
fighting the battle for religious free
l. dom against the mightiest anathema
q that were ever hurled, William Care
r leading the missionary movement t
r save a heather world while churche
II denounced him as fanatic and wit
Il attempting an impossibility; Jenne!
q the hero of medicine, caricatured fo
y his attempt by vaccination to bea
s back the worst disease that smote th
f. nations. They who watch the wind {
n public opinion will not sow. 1t is a
9 uncertain indication and is apt to bio
d the wrong way.
;e How many there are who give tc
l. much time to watching the weatht
[e vane and studying the barometer
Il Make up your mind what you are g
IS ing to do and then go ahead and do
t. There always will be hindrances. 1t
a moral disaster if you allow pruden'
ii to overmaster all the other grace
s. The Bible makes more of courage al
20 faith and perseverance than it does
=. caution. It is not once year tn
Va the great ocean steamers fail to ST
ID at the appointed time because of Il
n storm signals. Let the weather bure'
a prophesy what hurricane or cyclone
u may, next Wednesday, next Thursda
Id next Saturday, the steamers will p
N out from New York and Philadelph
sd and Boston harbors and will reach Ii
be erpool and Southampton and Glasgc
n and Bremen, their arrivals as certa
ar as their embarkation. They cannot {
Cd ford to consult the wind, nor can y
no in your life voyage.
m Young man, you have planned VIII
a you are going to be and do in t
,s- world, but you are waiting for circu
~ stances to become more favorab
ut You are, like the farmer in the te:
,le observing the wind. Better sta
av now. Obstacles will help you if y
mt conquer them. Cut your way throul
IN Petel Cooper, the millionaire phili
yn thropist, who will bless all succeed
IN centuries with the institution
I'd founded, worked five years for 50!
:, raor opd b;r hoard Henry Wills