Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-10-21

HILL, MD.
erybody was turning toward you look
Of suspicion. Even your best friends
seemed to be wavering. Then that
man came forward and with pen or
voice or check book tlded you over the
difficult place. You told him then you
would never forget him. You told him
n he was ever In trouble half Of what
you have would he his. Is IL? HIVE
you ever divided with hmf He has
had his troubles since your day Of trou-
bles. Have you gone TO him with help?
You say. He has not come and asked
me for help" Did you ask him for
help when In that darkest day Of your
life he sprnng 10 your sidei No. He
came because you needed him. o man.
how have you treated your Joseph. en-
Jailed today In the Egyptian dungeon?
The butler Of my text was an In
CRATE. lie was more to be condemned
than that. He turned his back upon his
frlcnd-for whati For false friends.
No sooner did he get back TO the pal
ace than one after another OF the cour-
tiers In all probability came up to him
and congratulated him. "Ah." they
said. eve are so glad TO see you back!
We missed you so much. Nothing
went right at the royal banquets while
you were away" Especially were the
underwriters and the walters profuse
In their praise and laudations TO his
face. Then smile OF satisfaction
steals over the chief buffers countc-
nance as he says: "Ah. am glad
have such good friends here. ! am
glad ! do not have To associate any
longer with those criminals down In
the Jail. These are my friends. my
true friends
Not Real Friends.
But were all the courtlers who came
forward and congratulated the chief
butler Oh his restoration TO office his
friends: Five hundred men OF Pha.
raoh's court already had been plotting
for his office and wished he might new
er come back In all probability the
second cupbcarcr. who congratulated
him. was biting his lips with anger I'M
Ill the blood came. Curse him. hear
him say Curse him. Why did he not
die AMI make way FOR my promotion?
Curse him. curse him" All through
the palace could be heard the words.
curse him. curse him. from those
who wanted his place. Now. my
friends. can you and | afford TO turn
friends for those who are merely hon
orng us In our success for what they
get out Of us?
But | cannot close without Just one
more thought suggested by my text.
The greatest opportunities OF gospel
service may come 10 IA man through his
past experience II lie renounces his sins
ami remembers his faults. ! have alb
solutely no more respect for this selfish
character OF the butler than have for
IA Judas or AN lago or FOR IA Lady Mac.
beth or u JeZebel He was miserable.
contemplate. despicable hireling. with
heart OF stone lie would forget
any one who had served him But no
sooner did Pharaoh dream his dream
and no one could interpret Il than at
once the butler thought Of Joseph You
can see him. with flushed cheek aud
CLASSY eye. pushing his way into the
throne room You can see him with
reverence and sorrow written upon his
face "Ah." he says. master. | have
done wrong. have forgotten my
friend Joseph. who IL now In prison.
Send for him. and he will interpret thy
dream" Pharaoh sent for Joseph. Jo-
seph came. The chief butler at the
last moment was able and willing TO
open the way for the future prime min
lister TO save u nation from disease and
hunger and death. Ny friends. at this
the sixth hour. the ninth hour. the tenth
hour. the eleventh hour. OF your refusal
TO do your duty 10 the King Of kings
and Lord OF lords will you not speak
the right wordi VIII you come 20
Christ and bring your sinful friends TO
Christ as the ungrateful butler brought
Joseph and Pharaoh face TO facei
You are the father OF home. You
have no nursery. for your boys are al
ready grown But they have all grown
away from God Your hair Is white.
Your time is short. No one can bring
those boys 10 God but you You know
H. They idolize YOU. They believe you
are the one person TO lead them. and
you alone q father. confess to God
your sins Confess to your boys your
sins II II the eleventh hour. II Is
late. but not too late Bring your boys
TO Christ as the butler brought Joseph
and Pharaoh face to face. You can
do IT, Believe me. you can do L.
As speak to father. as I speak TO
mother. as | speak TO Maynard friends.
thus may he speaking 10 the stranger
within the gates who thinks he has no
friend Stranger. think not thus any
more. This Is not q strange place. This
Is Gods house. Perhaps years ago
there was some young man or some
young woman who might have brought
you TO Christ II he or she had tried.
But the opportunity was neglected.
Won saw vnu nr. mari al forever Nav