The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-12

| the unwillingness OF our legislators TO
| pass the laws which n decent regard for
| public morality demands, or by allowing
/ executive from carrying the statutes into
| operation.
While we are indebted to our sclen-
| tine teachers for the most wonderful dis
| coVeries in the natural world there are
| among them some prominent men who
| ignore the existence OF God and whose
| teachings tend To undermine our religious
| belief; but our faith cannot be seriously
| disturbed by any scientific or critical as
| sault so long as the law of God revealed
| In Scripture conforms so closely TO the
| teachings OF our reason and conscience
! and the gospel OF Christ provides for all
the highest necessities OF our being and
relieves us of the heaviest burden we
are called TO bear. What is a poor sinner
TO do when he comes TO the consciousness
of his sad condition, IL there is no Saviour
to whom he can cling i'm the hour of his
extremity?
There are some poor creatures who
nave allowed the lower passions of their
nature 10 take complete control Of their
being. Their bodies are defiled by sin,
their minds disordered by excess and
passion, and all their nobler qualities are
blghted and withered, and the higher the
elevation from which they have fallen
the more destructive is the ruin and the
more terrible the guilt.
The story is told of an artist who saw
a child so perfect I'm his beauty that
ne painted him. and said that If he ever
angelic he would paint that as a pendant
TO u.
Years passed, and he had not seen
face so absolute in it's DE gra dation as that
child in its loveliness but one day he
visited prison, and there saw a felon.
still young, but with a face almost dew
ilish In its vicious decentralization.
CHARACTER THE ONLY THING.
He painted this wretched prisoner and
while doing so found with horror that
this man was that lovely child as drink
ana greed and lust and hate had made
MIN and the two pictures, IL is said, hang
side by side in some Italian gallery.
Ihere Is only one thing we can carry
ana that is the character we have form
ed ON earth. 1t is n terrible thing TO
mink OF standing before God on the last
uay empty-handed, with nothing to show
that we have ever been of service TO our
fellow creatures. or done anything to in
dcate our loyalty to God
AS we approach the end of life our
prospective changes and many things
which I'm former days we regarded of the
greatest moment shrink into very narrow
dimensions, while other matters which we
nave regarded with Indifference assume n
portentious magnitude.
1T Is possible that nothing remains to
occupy our thoughts but the remembrance
of the past. III these memories are bright
and unclouded. in the tranquility of our
souls we can say: Though walk
through the valley OF the shadow OF death.
] will fear no evil. Thy rod and Thy staff
they comfort me. / will lay me down
In peace and sleep. for Thou only maxi
est me TO dwell I'm safety III they are
dark and revolving. all we can do Is TO
throw ourselves into the arms of Him
who is mighty to save. in the hope that
our sins have not put us beyond the reach
Of that mercy which Is infinite.
May the peace OF God which passeth
all understanding keep your hearts and
minds I'm the knowledge and love of God
and OF His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen"