Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-10-15

ent north than liz was dubbed until
his spirit WAS broken. What then?
lie whined and whimpered like
frightened puppy. So some men, noble
men. brave men in their youth. become
failures as middle aged men. Why?
Because they are battered and pounded
by struggle :Ster struggle and defeat
after defeat. They are halted in their
progress through life by obstacles prac-
tically impossible to overcome until at
last their courage and nerve and fight
ing manhood practically ooZe away.
. man. be not pulled up In your own
conceit on account of your seeming
triumphs In life. You and in Il sense
have both succeeded not because we
are smarter than all men, but because
God has given to us chances of sue
cess which lie has withheld from men
who were just as smart and just rs dill
igent and brave and as conscientious
as ever we have been.
Arrogant pride Is making necklaces
of diamonds to reflect her own shriv-
eled and emaciated form. She carries
around with her looking glass be-
cause she thinks her blood Is blue" in
stead of red. her face more beautiful
and her eyes more intelligent than all
other physiognomies. She never tires
of watching her own countenance Her
smile Is sweetest when she Is praising
her own sweet self. But, though AFRO
CANT pride admires her own looks and
her own brain more than those Of the
people around her. she has often no
right to gather the lilies of innocence
to wear as a bouquet on her corsage.
In her heart there may be the germs Of
evil and cruelty as fierce as that
which impelled the women of France
In the revolution to surround the gull
lotine and gloat over the execution Of
victims as guiltless as themselves. !
find that, as rule. she thinks that her
own garments are the clinging robes Of
an angel. pure and spotless. while the
garments of her fellow human crea-
lures are the rags and tatters of re-
pentant or an unrepentant prodigal.
All Were Gentlemen.
1t Is too often forgotten that ar
rogance and pride are sins in them
selves. The lofty spirit which boasts
that II is free from the guilt of others
and holds aloof from the repentant sin
ner. whom 1t surveys with scorn. Is
not that pride most heinous sin In
the sight of just God? During the
darkest days of the French revolution
of 1880 great mob of insurgents and
rioters were blockading the Partisan
streets. 1t is useless to appeal to
their reason. They have no reason"
said General Lafayette. the command
or of the national guard. which ulti-
mately placed Louis Philippe upon the
French throne. "Shoot them down like
dogs" LET me. general. try to scatter
Them" said n staff officer to his com
mander. The young man took off his
hat and rode up to the threatening
mob. Then he cried. "All gentlemen
will please TO retire. for l am ordered
to shoot down the rabble." At once
the mob scattered. Not" wrote the
historian. from fear, but because not
one Of those fierce rioters wanted the
people of France to consider that he
belonged to the scum or the offscour-
ings of the nation" Because arrogant
pride considers herself different from
the repulsive hays of sin does that
make her different? I tell thee nay.
The vilest and the most degraded
forms of sin are not more condemned
In Gods sight than the sin of the
Pharlsee. Christ said It, We must be-
lieve II.
Who is this Pharisee Of old modern
lied into the language Of the church
life of today? Let me describe him as
you have often seen him. Sunday
morning Is here. The supercilious crea-
ture crawls out of bed. He must go to
church. 1t is part of his religion to go
to church. Every one says he Is one
Of the pillars of the church. He dis
likes the word pillar" because for
long time he has thought he Is the
whole sanctuary. choir loft and pulpit
thrown in. as well rs pew.
He has hard work to get up this
morning because all the week. like Shy
lock. he has been demanding his pound
of flesh. He gave hundred dollars to
the church last week. but he did not
miss II much. He took it off the wages
of his employees. During the week.
by business tricks and financial thumb
screws. he got at least four different
pieces of real estate 5000 less than
they We're worth. He lied about the
deal. but of course he only lied nc
cording to recognized business custom.
Last night he discharged young girl
because she was sick He knew what
made her sick. He worked her over
time and worked all the physical life
out of her.
why don't you hurry to church. old
Pharisee? Don't you hear the last
bell ringing?" "Oh, yes" says the old
hypocrite. but there Is no need of my
hurrying. The ushers always keep my
seat. | make n fuss about having any
one else put In my pew. Besides. 1t
Is not dlgnified for me to go ahead or
even to be OH time. Let me come in
i Just before the sermon and disturb the
service. and then every one will be
impressed by my entrance and the
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