The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-08
ON THE SANDS OF TIME.
BY REV. II. II. WHITAKER.

vessels bleaching in the sand, they lie
| helpless upon the shore of time, hav-
ing made, figuratively speaking, their
last voyage. Ihey breathe, but, to all
| intents and purposes, they are dead
| They can never rise and stand upon
| their feet any more. They cannot
even move out of the way, but must
| be trodden upon and crushed by every
paSSer-by.
A few years ago former Governor
! of Southern State, died in a northern
| prison. The time was when he stood
WE'LL among his people, and was a
strong man, politically; but, in his
pride and reckleSSness he forgot that
vice as we'll as virtue has it's reward
md, overlooking the fact that retri-
button is sure to come to those who
violate law, he rushed on headlong.
| disregarding the admonitions of pub
lie opinion, until, when too late to
| save himself, the law laid its strong
hand upon him, and placed him in a
prisoners cell.
Yes. the world is full of wrecks:
of men and of women, too; and, SO
,ong as time lasts. the wrecking bust
ness will go on, sad as it u.s. But,
what is the wrecking of man physic-
ally mentally, financially or even NOR
ally compared to the wreck of a soul
1t is possible to restore strength to
the infirm, health to the mind. success
to the bankrupt and even to reform
The immoral; but, there is no help for
he spiritual wreck-the mortal that
lies stranded on the treacherous rocks
which infidelity has buried beneath
The waters of the sea of time, with
which to wreck our faith.
/ knew an old man, some years ago,
of whose faith in God infidelity had
made a complete wreck. He was a
man of means, therefore n man of in
fiuence, and, as citizen he was public
spirited and patriotic; but, in spiritual
matters he was a scoffer. And as he
grew older he grew more and more
callous and unbelieving. But, he was
miserable, for he knew that he would
soon die. and close his eyes upon this
life. He hated to die. for he had laid
up no treasure in heaven, and more
than all, he hated to leave what he
had laid UP here. He had reached
that point in life, described by Solo
mon, when he said to the young peo
pie, Remember now thy Creator, in
the days of thy youth, while the evil
days come not. and the years draw
! nigh, when thou shalt say l have no
pleasure in them No pleasure in
living! That was his condition, be-
ause death stared him in the face
daily. and he had no God in whom he
speaking of dying he was heard to
say, on one occasion. he'd rather be
negro and make his living by pick
,ng up rags in the gutter, than to die,
/ he could have his choice But
he could not. have his choice. IL
lied. A wreck, indeed is that man
who goes down beneath the dark
waves of infidelity.
| used to go to school to very
talented man, who, in early life, dis
lnguished himself as lawyer. But
lrink brought him down to the point
that he became a rowing school teach.
err making very little above his board.
He might have done well, had he been
able to control himself; but he could
not-at least, he did not-for every
week or two he would get on spree
and stay out of school several days
at d time. The people liked him;
therefore, they bore with him for
quite d while; but, at last they re-
fused to hire him. Some one, coming
to Raleigh, awhile after. found his
frozen body lying beside the road. An
lother wreck.
All, how many wrecks | can recall.
right here in Raleigh, caused by in
Temperament Young men born of
splendid families ana possessing fine
talents; who had the best of al
vantages. and might have become
great and useful, went down. in early
life. to premature graves. So many.
aye SO many wrecks. 1t would seem
that, in all the years gone by, men
would learn how to avoid the danger
Gus rocks upon which there have been
SO many wrecks. But they haven't.
Every day-aye, every hour, some poor
mortal goes down beneath the waves,
to rise no more, because he does noe
heed the admonitions of the past nor
steer away from the dangers against
which he has been so faithfully and
earnestly warned.