The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-02-22


did net open y he tor ngne lay Aet fanS
| still In tho bottom OF th s. sn al ii, 8 Z
though struck With p paraiyaia {. Y35 Wa
wore muto. Though God had ! pivas.
us tho physiological apparatus for
speech and our lungs were filed With
air which by Che command Of our
will could have made tho lernyEeal
Iauscles Royo and the vocal organs
Sibrate. we Werc wi okedly and fatal
ly silent. Fer oil time and eternity
/ we missed our chance, or it was q
prayer meeting, aud the service was
thrown open for prayer and remarks,
and thore was q dead halt--syery-
thing client as q graveyard at mid
night. IDdeed, 1t was graveyard
end midnight. An ombnrrasslng pause
took place that put wet blanket
on all tho mooting. Men, bold enough
on business exchange or in worldly
circles, shut their eyes as though they
wore praying in silenoo. but they
!, >voro not praying at all. They were
busy hoping somebody else would do
his duty. The women flushed under
the awful pause and made their fans
more rapidly fmttar. Some brother,
with no cold, ooughed, by that sound
trying to all up the time, and the
meeting Wan slain. But what killed
1t? The dumb dcvil. This Is tho way
account for tho fact that the stu.
Pidest places on earth arc eeme
prayer meetings. DO not see how
q man can keep any grace If ho regu-
larly attends thcm. They are spirit
ual refrigerators. Religion kopt on
loo. How many Of us have lost ocoa-
sions of usefulnass? In soulptor's
studio stood figure OF the god Op-
porsuuity. The sculptor had mndo
the hair fall down over tho face Of
the statue SO as to completely cover
~, and there were wings to tho feet.
When asked why he SO represented
Opportunity, tho sculptor answored:
Tho face OF the statue is thus COW
orod because we do not recognize OPP
portunity when II oomes, and the
wings to the foot show tnat Opportu-
nifty 10 nwittly gone.
But do not let the world deride tho
church because CT all this, for tho dumb
devil is just as conspicuous in the world.
Tho great political parties assemble at
the proper time to build platforms for
the candidates to stand on. A commit
tee OF each party is appointed to make
tho platform. After proper dellbera-
ton, the committees come in with
ringing report: Whereas" and
Whereas" and "Wherees." Pro-
xnun oiamontos all shaped with the enc
adea OF getting the most votes. All OK.
preston In regard to the great moral
evils OF the country ignored. No OK
pressien In behalf OF temperate liy-
Ing, for that would lose tho vote OF tho
liquor trafHc No expression in regard
to the universal attempt ut the demoli-
tien of tho lords day. No recognition
Of God IN the history Of nations, for
that would lose tho voto Of atheists.
But Whereas" and whereas" and
"Wheress." Nine cheers will bo giyen
for the platform. The dumb devil of
the text puts ono wing over ono plat
form and the other wing over the other
Platform. Those great conventions
are opened with prayer by their chap
lains. II they avoided platitudes and
told the honest truth in their pray ers
they would say: 20 Lord, we wantto
DO pestmasters and consuls and foreign
ministers and United States district
attorneys. For that we arc i re, and
for that We will strive till the election
next November. Give us office, or we
ale. Forever and ever, anon" Tho
| world, to say the least, ia o be etter than
tho church on this subject Of silence at
the wrong time. In other words. is IL
not time for Christianity to become
pronounced and aggressive ,as ever be.
foroP Take sides for God and sobriety
and righteousness. "If the Lord be
God, follow Him" Hayo you oppor.
tun1ty OF rebuklng q sin? Rebuke It.
pave you a chance to cheer disheart-
eaed soul? Cheer n. Have yo, use
1u4 word to speak? Speak it.
20 out and out, up ana down for
righteousness. II your ship is afloat
on tho Pacific ocean Of Gods mercy.
hang out your colors from tho mast
head Show your passport, if You
have one. Do not smuggle your soul
into tho harbor of Heaven. SpenI,
out FOR God! Close up the chapter
OF lost i opportunities and open a now
chapter. Before you get to the door
on your way out shake hands with
some ono and ask him to join you on
the road to Heaven. Do not drive up
TO Heaven in two-wheeled "sully''
with room only for one, and that
yourself, but get the biggest Gospcl
wagon You oan find and pile It full
OF friends and neighbors and shout
sill they hear you all up and down
tho skies: "Come with us, and we
will do you good, for tho Lord hath
promised good concerning Israeli.
The opportunity for good which you
may consider Insignificant may, be
tremendous for results, as when ON
the sen Capt. Haldane swore mt the
ships Grew with an oath that wished
them all In perdition, and Scotch
sailor touched his cap and said:
Captain. God hears prayer, and we
would be badly Off If your wish were
enswered." Capt. Haldane was con-
yicted by the sailors romark and oon-
vorted and beonno the means of the
salvation Of HIS brother Robert, who
had been an infldel, and then Robert
beoaine minister Of tho Gospel, and
under his ministry the goddess Felix
NeH became tho world-ronowned mis-
sienary Of the crossh and the worldly
Merle d'Auhigpo became the author
Of "Tho niatory ~ the Reformation"
and will be tho glory Of the church
for all agca. Perhaps you may do
as much as the Scotch sailor who Just
tipped his cap and used one broken
sentence by which the earth and the
heavens arc still resounding with po-
tent Influences. Do something for