Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-10-13

son. Then he told him this incident
About year ago." said he. Il was
visiting in Asheville. While 1 was
there lady friend OF mine one sun
day afternoon was trying to teach
some ragged boys the Sunday school
lesson. She was trying to tell what
Christs cross meant. You know was
not Christian a year ago. but 1 tried
| TO help her out l saw one little fel
low there. very poor. He was a bright
boy. ! drew for him the cross.
showed him how they put Christ on the
cross. dug hole and lifted up the
cross ana pushed il i'm. After that ]
became so interested I'm the boy went
and visited him and sent him some
clothes, for all that he had was a mea
bag for a coat.
Ready tn Meet Him.
"A few months ago business called
me TO Asheville. While there went e
hunt mp my little friend. The mothei
met me at the door and told me he
was dead. Then she told me that al
through his last sickness he kept say
ing: Mother. II l die. 1 want you e
write to that rich gentleman In the
north and tell him am dead. And tel
him. mother. that when go to HEAVIER
the first person ! shall tell Jesus about
Will be the good man from the NORTH
1 who sent me clothes and told me about
how Christ died for me. And shall
tell Jesus that l think this good gen
tleman will be coming along soon
| Then this friend turned TO my lawye,
friend and with n strange lock In hi.
eye said: And believe he will do II
! must be ready TO do what the lIttls
| fellow told Christ was going to do.
must be ready to 60 and meet him
soon" Widow, ohildless mother, bro
ken hearted man, cannot you make
your own application? In the sflenc,
of the empty home God is calling. II.
Is calling in the voice of your redeemed
loved ones. Cannot you hear him? You
must be ready TO go and meet then
/ soon.
But, strange to say. find the "silent
| places" where we should hear Gods
voice I'm the busy noise and hustle and
hum Of great city. find them amid
the changing OF the electric cars. | find
them I'm the rumble OF the big factories
find them amid the hilarities OF social
| gatherings rs well as I'm the silence OF
the death chamber. These awful Isl
lent places" should speak to us today
In Gods name; they should rouse us to
the unfuitilled opportunities of Chris
tan work as never before. Let me Illus
trate my thought by a simple expert
ence OF my life which shows how n
man can be In the world and yet not
OK ii. Many years ago. when a college
student, l had an opportunity TO de
liver few lectures during my Thanks
giving vacation in old New England.
Mother did not want me to 20. but I
wished to make Il beginning in the
practice OF public speaking as soon as
possible. left my Brooklyn home
with a happy heart. but when Thanks.
giving eve drew near 1 became more
and more homesick. oh, how homcsick
was! That evening l was I'm Boston.
walked up and down the streets with
out friend. l stood I'm the depot ana
saw the happy fathers, with their big
bundles on their arms, heading for
nome. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. /
saw the young married folks. with
smile and good cheer, taking the grand.
children back to the old homestead
saw even some who were dressed I'm
black smiling for the sake OF others.
But, though there were laughter and
frolic and family gatherings all around
me, was alone. / was i'm '.siIent
place" No one cared for me. No one
In all that big city spoke TO me cxcept
on business. l was in "silent place I"
AS my mind runs back those twenty
years l say to myself and TO you. How
many or us are spiritually living in
silent placcsT"
Neglect OF Opportunities.
Are your neighbors part OF you? Do
they gratefully watch you? When you
go through the woods not one leaf
turns toward you unless you make IL
turn. Why? The leaves know YOU not.
When you go through the streets OF a
great city You meet men; you meet
hundreds or men; you meet thousands
or men. Do they spiritually see YOU?
Are you spiritually I'm the city and vet
not part OF It? How many OF the men
you pass I'm daily life look up ut YOU
with n smile and say. You helped me
10 Christ" "You extended TO me n
saving hand when i was struggling In
the Quicksands or a great temptation"
by the noble work or your life you
have been n Christian example which
has inspired me 10 lead Il Christian
life." How many OF all the men and
women you have known I'm this CITY
lie can speak thus TO your OneY
Tenf One hundred? A thousand
Are you spiritually to your friends
what was In Boston many years ago?
Are you In one OF the ''sIlent placesr''
Then. my brother. II you have neg
lected the spiritual opportunities or life
for the great outside world, how have
you dealt with those OF your own
home? Did you never realize that n
husband and wife could live side nv
SIDE Tor years and never know each
other In the deeper and In the boiler
sehseE Did YOU never realize that there
can be great silent places" between
Drothers and sisters, between parents
and children, between children and mar.
ents? silent places" there are in
which peoples souls do not eommInele
and know each other in holy fellow
ship. My God. can 1t be that there are
spiritual silent places" between us
and the lives OF our dear onesY Can
IL be that there is any mother here who
has not talked with her children about
Christ? Is there any wife here who
has not talked TO Der husband about
Christ5 Are there any men or women
here who have spiritual silent places
In which God Is caiiing them to go and
work In his vineyard? Will you 60
and labor for him?
Their 0nly Weapon.
A choice sample OF General Patrick
Collins wit was furnished on the occa.
sion or his return from a visit TO his