Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-22

merchants VINO would never nave Deen
able TO sec clearly the spiritual face
of Jesus except through financial
tempest The best merchant I ever
knew was cOnsecruted to Christ
through a Galiean tempest. Mr.. A. r.
Brooks was not only the chief member
of the old Second Presbyterian church
of Pittsburg when | was there, but he
was also the most influential Christian
layman in the city. He told me just
before his death that the cause of his
conservation to Christ came to him
when a dishonest partner made him
lose millions of dollars. Had it not
been for the action of that dishonest
partner at that time Mr.. Brooks would
have become before closing his career
not only one of the wcalthiest men in
Pittsburg. but also one of the wealth
lest men in the United states. Oh, We
merchants. in thoec hours Of trials and
financial embarrassment | want you to
make your troubles the stepping stones
TO a complete conservation to the cross.
| want YOU here aud now to feel that
Christ constrained you TO enter the
leaky boat of financial shipvrcck so
that YOU might truly see his face. as
the disciples saw the living Christ i'll
the fourth watch of the night on Lake
Gailec.
In the Dark Hours.
The dark. tempcstuous nights when
the shadow of the death Angels wing
lowered over the home have often been
in Gods sight the bright. shining days
for the broken hearted household cir
Gle. It was awfully hard for you to
hear the doctor say there was no hope.
You felt that other people might die,
but somehow the truth was never fully
brought home 10 you until then that
YOUR mother or wife or child could ever
be taken. Since thlt moment not only
this life. but the Sext. has for you an
entirely different significance.
Why did You place upon her coffin
plate the words AT rest!' Did YOU
mean that her sleep was TO be an end
less sleep. which shall never have an
awakening: You used +" rove' in the
theGrisS of Darwin's evolution. lou
used 10 claim That the physical man
WAS only n higher form Of n developed
animal Man was born like dog: h"
must die like dog. Did YOU still cling
to those theories when You placed upon
nor coffin lid the words At rest" Oh,
no You Immediately wont hHck to the
sweet faith of your father and mother.
You acted in your own life Just rs
Ethan Allen. the New England inlidcl,
acted in reference To his dying daugh-
ter She called the great Revolutions
airy soldier into her bedroom and said:
"Papa. am going To die. Mamma says
there are n Christ and a hcrcattcr-if |
trust him. You say there is no here
after. am dying papa. and must
make my last decision now. Whom
shall believe: Shall | accept mann
mas Christ or your inlidclity"' The
great soldiers frame shook with emo
ton Then, though he had just finished
his famous niidcl book called Reason,
the Only Oracle Of Man. he turned
aud said, My darling, YOU had better
die in Your mothers faith, and not in
my unbolief." And So when the death
dh|el l'SN ''s"h ~ '"''o' WV Wv
oed "i one Oh your ioFPu ONES VIII one
olo" 1t MOI ONLY su'i'h our "oa''' ""'
is also knocked your intidelity clean out
of your life. You Immediately said. a.
you looked into tn" pale face sleeping
in the caSict: II know she lives. !
H'''" 'io - . us !" '''','' ''''' " VI ~
.
""p'r '""' "'i''' "pi'' l. Wv va ""-
i'o1 'n"' w" "'ic "''"e eHu'h ~ 1"
''"',V"" ,'''i'S' a. M'i' ,", ",N''i'''''
VI oi"' -" ~" Nv. '''i '"'. 'ui II
'"' u"'N 9ii'u'" Vi '''V way" "'''V.
"."S ~" nav ''n' w '''0
"l'. ''oni law vi JESUS III '"' - ,',Vi
''i"ic' II ""H 'io""'' '""' vi" II
'on'l'o'''ouH t!"u"ic 'io''' "'''' maui
EnonIing .tooI ~ tho ,ltor of ,norcv
,rd rorJou and lave.
Thn dark tcmnnsfu,us uj,hte in vo,r
ei,.l.roor, h,vo of,.n Loor il, cnd,, .irbt
the bright dawn Of n doy of Christian
usefulness. Pcrhans | can well illus
trntc this Thought hv telling the per.
soual history of n famous American
minister. lie told me in the sickroon
his ucrsoual cypcricnccs. the recital O.
which made Il lasting im,nrssiou upou
nv mind and heart. He is very dear
friend of mine.
Jnr many wears This ,niui.tor u.os M,
only admired but loved Hut whenevo,
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