Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-05-21
Of being saved from n watery grave?
what Makes Men Heroes.

inspired 10y the example of some man
strong in faith and undaunted in his
confidence in God. Men will believe
I'm Christ's power Ia save when they
see man whose reliance on him keeps
them calm in the presence of death
When Hugh I.atimer. the dying mar.
tyr. turned Ia the trembling Ridley,
who was being tied 10 the stake ut the
same time that he was being tied. and
said. Re Of good comfort. Master Rid,
ley. and play the man; we shall this
day light such II candle by Gods grace
i'm England as I trust shall never be
put out at once Nicholas Ridley be-
came Il man. His nerves ceased their
uuivering. and hc WAS able TO die as a
Christian hero. When the frightened
patriot Herault de Sechelles assembled
the scaffold. over which hung the gilt
tering guillotine. and saw the surging
French mob below him. he WAS as pale
as death. His knees trembied and his
teeth chartered. But when he turned
and looked nj the intrepid DantOn by
his side. who scornfully said TO the exc
tutiottl. WAN i'bNhhs iCt
the people have a good look and see
how brave man can die" Herault de
Sechelles became as brave as Danton
was brave Il well remember my
self" wrote an old soldier. las fright
cned boy trembling in the ranks at
Gettysburg. With fear saw the Con
fe,lerate troops being massed for Pick
etts famous charge. All that | could
do was To restrain myself from drop
ping my gun and running TO the rear.
But suddenly every cowarlly feeling
I'm my heart was stilled when | heard
a great shout and saw the most mag
nificent man ever looked ut calmly
riding down the lines. Calmly and
clearly he spoke as he said: Steady.
men. steady. We must hold these
lines. STEADY. steady" When | saw
Winfield =. Hancock thus ride along.
utterly oblivious TO all personal dan
ger. my heart became that of hero.
became like unto him who ut that
moment was my great exemplar."
Yes. yes We all know what the
power of II personal example means In
life. We know that when men are
brave about us they make us brave.
We know that when men are true they
make us true We know that when
men are noble examples of Christian
faith they inspire us with like Chris
tian faith So when Paul. amid the
shriekings and groanings and heav-
ings and bombar,iments of the Medi-
terranean whirlwind. calmly and de-
liberately stepped forth and said.
Men. exhort you 10 be of good
cheer. for there shall lie no loss of
any mans life. but of the ship. then
the sailors and passengers stopped and
said to themselves: why. that Is
strange talk. We cannot understand
il. but Paul must have had n super
natural vision. or else he could not
have spoken thus. You speak so posi-
lively. q preacher. that we believe you.
What Il God yours must he To inspire
such confidence. Would that we had
your faith and your religion. Men
and women of the Christian life. are
your actions and words living witness
es of your faith In the saving grace OF
Jesus Christ:
Nothing Mean About Him.
WHY are the crew AMI the passen-
gers of this Alexan,irian corn ship hap
by of heart: l;ccause Paul kept hold
ing up before them the mistakes Of
their past life in order that they might
the more easily Ice led To follow in his
way Paul WAS not II mere taunter. II
snccrcr. n ridiculer. II tantaliZer lie
was not one of those mean. contempt
Bile fellows who always stand around
when anything goes wrong and say.
Il told yon So" lie was not one of
those miserable comforters of Job who
are about MS healing 10 the bleeding
heart as Il poultice of cayenne pepper
or singing nettlcS would he TO man
glcd arm caught in a press. But Paul
was like a good physician who comes
TO an overworked man AMI says: My
friend. ! told you if you did not hold
mp you would have q nervous break
down Now this breakdown has come.
Therefore I want you now To trust mo
and do what tell You tn do. and then
we will make you we'll" Paul in the
same gentle way as the good physi-
elan stands before those helpless voy-
ayers and says: Friends. told you
not To loose from Crete. told you
that IL we tried To make Rome during
this winter equinoctial you would re-
greet ii. But now that this harm has
come To you want you To obey my
commands. and promise. by the God
whom | represent. that there shall he
no loss of any mans life. but of the
ship
Cat and Mouse.
II is Il contemplate characteristic 10
tell n man his faults and keep telling
them. merely TO glory in his misery.
even as a fiendish eat might tease and
tantalize little mouse and yet not
kill il. II IL n contemplate thing for
man TO come around when your liz
tie child lies cold in death and say:
'Well. So-and-so. am sorry your baby
is dead. hut | knew she would die.
knew il when you called in Dr. Big
dose as your physician. lie always
kills moro pafiputS fhnn hp ever etireS