Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-02

found In the collection plates. but In
the church members laxity In refer
cncc to amusements When n man be-
comes Indifferent To God In reference
10 his pleasures. inevitably he becomes
indifferent to all other deeds
Lastly. | remark that the lukewarm
Christianity Of our modern Laodiceans
prOfessed disciples OF Jesus Christ.
neglecting TO win their brethren from
their sins. II the negative Christians
are spending an evening with Il party
or friends. they may not tell the lewd
story themselves. but they will not re-
Duke that story when they hear some
one else telling IL. II they see another
travelling the crowded paths of sin,
they may not follow. but they do not
go forth and as Christian friend say:
Brother. this Is not the way to
Christ. Let me lead you into the right
path" In other words. IN their friend
ship TO Christ they are like n chame-
leon changing their colors to suit their
surroundings.
A woman's stony Heart.
The religion OF these modern I.aod-
Oceans IL like the wavcring friendship
of Marie Louise. one of the most con-
temptible characters of all history.
The second wife of Napoleon Bona
parte chung TO no one. She had a
heart OF putty. AS soon as she left her
e,ssl
her brothers and sisters and her step
mother. When her husband was de-
throncd. Napoleon Bonaparte mt once
passed out of her life. She had no fur
ther use for him and almost immedi-
ately formed an affection for Count
Neippcrt. one OF Napoleon's bitterest
foes. She would not write 10 her ex-
He'd husband. and when Napoleon re-
turned from Eliza she was In mortal
terror lest her sins should find her out.
When the king of Rome. her only son.
was dying. his mother cared no more
for him than II he had been peasants
child. When Count Neippcrt died. Ma
rie Louise almost ut once formed
sinful alliance with another member OF
the Austrian court Her heart seemed
TO have turned from II heart of putty to
one Of stone. Her affections were as
the waters of the shallOwest of brooks,
which could gurglc and smile no mat
ter what sun shone upon them. Her
loving power was as dead as IL the
heart Of II dried up mummy which has
been buried a thousand years In one OF
the Egyptian pyramids and is now put
under Il glass case in the Cairo muse
UNI. so with some OF us. Like Marie
Louise. We smile on God when we are
with God: we smile on Gods enemies
when we are with Gods enemies. We
are never Gods true. firm disciples
We never uphold him. We never fight
for him. We are never ready to die
for him as Christ died for us. Oh.
that we might he faithful to God In re-
buking the sins OF others as well as
true TO him In reference to the per-
sonal actions of our own lives!
Would that we might he as true TO
Gods love In every way rs Dr. Joseph
Leidy. the great naturalist. was true
IN his noble affection for dumb brutes.
Some years ago Dr. I.eidy was lectur-
ing on natural history TO the students
OF Swarthnore college. about ten
miles out OF Philadelphia. where he
lived. To illustrate his subject he took
into the classroom three little mud tur-
ties out Of nearby pond. After the
lecture he locked these little turtles up
In his laboratory. intending TO turn
them loose next day. That night DIR.
Leidy was summoned to Germany by
cable. He had TO catch the early boat
for New York next morning There
was no train out that night to the col
lege town. so. rather than let his lit
tie friends. the mud turtles. starve to
death In the closet OF which he only
had the key. DIR. Leidy walked over
the Pennsylvania hills TO the college
town and then walked back and caught
the early morning train for New York.
"Ah.' said he to the college janitor. Il
could not go away and sail for Europe
and think of those little turtles starv-
ing 10 death In my closet"
"a little thing" you say. Yes. II was
a little act. but II was noble act.
which showed tender heart. Thus
may our love 10 Christ he demonstrate
ed. May II lie II positive love. May
we be true To him IN the teachings OF
the cross. May we be true to him In
the financial duties OF the store. May
we be true 10 him In our pleasures.
Last. but not least. may we be true TO
Christ In rcbuking sin wherever II Is
found. And In our rebukes. may we
strive TO lead the sinner into the spirit
OF Christ's sacrifice.
| Copyright. 1906. by Louis Kiopsch.l