Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-07-27


rood. 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 n Christian |
way and after lives OF usefulness on
earth would have taken thrones In !
Heaven 1t 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 20
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-
ISOLATION in time of bereavement. No
formation Of thorough Christian
character in the lives of those grow
ing up boys and girls They will 60
out into the world 70 meet its vicis-
situdes without any sublime reen-
forcement of the Gospel What n pity
ii was that he did not put down the
manuscript Of his well prepared ser
mon on the Bible IL he preached from
notes or pour IL out of his soul IL he
had lodged IL there through careful
preparation No. He allowed that
opportunity. which could never re-
turn, 20 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 Il has become an aphorism
IN politics and in all great movements.
'He is waiting 20 see which way tho
wind blows" And Il is no easy thing
70 defy public opinion, 20 be run down
by newspapers. 20 be overhauled in So
cial circles. TO be mathematical by
those who heretofore were your
friends and admirers. il requires a
heroism which few possess. Yet no
great reformstory or elevating move
ment has ever been accomplished un-
tn some one was willing 10 defy what
the world should think or say or 90.
| But there have been men and women
OF that kind. They stand all up and
down the corridors Of history. exam
/ pies for Us 90 follow. Charles Sum
ner IN the United States senate. Al
cNander n. 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 anathemas
that were ever hurled, William Carey
leading the missionary movement so
| save a heathen world while churches
denounced him as a fanatic and with
attempting an impossibility; Jenner.
the hero OF medicine. caricatured for
HE attempt by vaccination 10 beat
back the worst disease that smote the
nations. They who watch the wind Of
/ public opinion wiz not SOW. 1t j. an
uncertain Indication and is apt 10 blow
the wrong way.
How many there arc who give too
much time 10 watching the weather
vane and studying the barometeri
Make up your mind what YOU are go
ing 20 do and then 60 ahead and do IL.
There always viii be hindrances. Ii Is
a moral disaster IL you allow prudence
70 overmAstsr all the other craces.
The Bible makes more Of courage and
faith and perseverance than IL does OF
caution. II Is not once a year that
the great ocean steamers fail 20 sail
al the appointed time because of the
storm signals. Let the weather bureau
prophesy 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 Llv-
erpOol and Southampton and Glasgow
and bremen, their arrivals as certain
a. their smbsrkation. They cannot af-
ford 70 consult the wind, nor can you
In your life voyage.
Young man. you have planned what
you are going 20 be and do in the
world, but you are waiting for circum-
stances 20 become more favorabl
You are, like the farmer in the text,
observing the wind. Better start
now. Obstacles will help you IL you
conquer them. Cut your way through
Peter Cooper, the millionaire philan-
thropists who viii bless all succeeding
centuries with the institution he
founded, worked FIVE years for SIS a
year and his board. Henry Wilson
the Christian statesman who com
manded the United States senate
with the gavel Of the vice presidency
wrote OF his early days: Want sat
by my cradle. 1 know what il is "a
ask mother for bread when she has
none TO give. / left my home at ten
years Of age and served an appren-
ticeship of IL years, receiving q
] months Sehooilncy ZACH v@a~ 81 -.