Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-09-17

2erdition. silent. but haunted with out
oasis and gamblers and conSpirators
who are fla;,rantly breaking tie laws
of the land. | see Tie lpW dives of Il
great city rocking wi,h human NcrImin.
l see also where tie counicrfc.tcgS are
silently dom" their work in the still
hess Of the night. Ni-!i Is Il symbol
of social calamity. sin IA '.c tn. So
we find tlat most of tie lowest out
casts of society Try Il conceal their
evil actions in the dark!IrSs of the
night. Ii is the time wien the dev
otccs of sin hold their hi-h carnival.
1t is when the death d.llc:S are
able to deliver their hardest blows with
the least Cli:ncc ui Gc.cciion. Eat with
God Ike n-ht is not only L e c.nblcm
of calamity; it is also the h:,rniii2cr of
the day. for as Isaiah Travelled forth
into tie darkness as Il tiiV.uc prophet
he ''saW the CLEAN of the sunrise com
ing over the eastern hills" lc$. he
saw the time when rghlca .iSncSs
would eli; i'm its disciples as we'll ;S the
time WHEN tie enemies OF God should
be hurried away To TIER ,;crnal incar-
ceration. What of the III isaiah:
What of the night cries tie o.,iccr of
the guard. Then t..c prophetic watch
man calls. II see the morning coiucth
ana also tie night" That means: Il
see the righteous Triumph t..roa1-h God.
l see also the enemies OF God scattered
in conip.V.c GcfcIt. What of tie
night: What of the night" You call
to me. answer: Tie nornin" comcth
for tie disciples of .IC.;dS iiriSt. see
also the eternal night coming for those
who will not yield themselves 10
Christ'S love
The night, the symbol OF calamity:
Oh. yes. But the night is also here
the symbol of gospel triumph. for
in the quiet of the night | see fathers
and mothers and ci!iidren gather
around the family affairs for evening
prayer | soc great audiences gather
in churches Il learn OF Christ and his
love. | see Christian nurses and sal
Walton Army girls going forth through
the dark alleys a:id through the still
streets on Their MISSIONS ii mercy. |
see minister's anal Christian laymcn
kncclinE hc idle tie bed; of TIE sick
and the dying. hear every where
prayers and hymns arising -. the
salvation of al mc:i and wp..cn and
children Everywhere ARISES &c song
of Moses AMI tie Lamb as well as
the songs of dciti and ctcrnai de-
spair oh. my friends. in the silence
of this night TO which great army
do you give your allegiance: Are your
lips speaking words OF prayer. or are
they uttering words of blasplcmy:
Speak you words Pleading for eternal
salvation or Indifferent and careless
words sinful words. which a.c Sricv
ing the Holy Spirit of God: VIII you
not, with Christ's help. take Isaiah's
night as the har5inger of an eternal
day: Shall not t'c night of calamity
and of earthly struggle and earthly
sin for all of rs he followed by the
heavenly sunrise and the coming
morning of perpetual joy and peace?
The storm Past.
That these words of Ely text can tru-
IL be changed into the li.htneSs of an
eternal and peaceful day was never
more impressed upon me than some
years ago when | was going around
the world. As found the opening de-
scription of this text not among Syrian
hills, but among the wilderness of
rock" in the London metropolis. so I
will find my closing scene not i'll Jcru-
salem. but upon the troubled waters of
an angry Pacific. For days and weeks
we had been trcadin" the quiet paths
of the 'trackless deep" The ocean
had heretofore been very kind to us.
1t was truly pacific In every way that
its name signi;icd. But then. like some
of our old friends. it changed. It's
heart of kindness became Al heart of
hate. 1t seemed to have not the pur-
pose to be loving. bu; only the desire
to destroy. Day in and day out we
battled with the tempest. The worst
storm / ever knew" said the captain.
MANY good ships have been folnd-
cred in less storms than this The
surface of the sea was Il raging mob
Of demons. The wind. Shricking
through our rigging. was like chorus
Vi ioSt Spui> out TIsst.
After three days of storm | went to
my berth and tried to sleep. Hour
after hour we were wetlged i'm our
bcrths. unable To sleep. At last i'm the
darkness | arose to dress and 20 upon
deck No sooner did | step upon the
floor than the hcaving ship hurled me
across the stateroom. out through the
door and clear across the deck pick
cd myself up. bruised and stunned:
then l looked about mc. What was
my surprise to find the storm over and
the stars out y sailor turned to me
ana said: Mate. ii will soon be clear.
We shall soon have IL calm sea-. The
storm is past. See yondcr star by the
edge of the horizon. That Is the morn
ing star. The sun will soon he up"
Yes. as | stood there holding TO the
ships ropes | knew the sea WAS grow
ing calm. Soon quietly and peacefully
the sun arose The angry waves stop
ped their gatherings: the winds ceased
to laugh and yell That afternoon we
sailed into the harbor. The morning
had come for the end of the tempest.
So mt last for all those who love Christ
fhn uirht il paf thn pmblpm of talnn-