Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-12-16

dough and WAS about To hand II forth
to Jesus and his companion when the
| dough grew larger and larger and lar
ger. At once the woman put II down as
she said: Not this loaf II Is too
large Again she took off another
small piece. and again the small piece
| grew larger and larger. and she put ii
| down She did thus thrice Then she
| turned aud said: stranger cannot
give you bread today Go your way.
and God prosper you. hut | cannot help
Won" With that the Lord Jesus Christ
revealed himself To her and said: 1T
WAS ! who made the bread grow larger.
Now. for thy ScIisncss | condemn
thee forever 10 the blight of poverty.
lIcnccfortl thou shalt seek thy food as
u bird. pccLing between the bark and
the wool of tree. lIcnceforth thou
shalt be called the Gertrude bird"
That. of course. Is II mere legend, but il
Is legend which Describes the acts of
many Of our own lives. Like the poor
| Norwegian peasant are we. The little
we might give. which God In his boun-
! ~ MViHi llhtlfIhas We Miiililoll. we
grudge him the wealth he has given us.
and therefore lic leaves US TO learn the
truth of the adagc. There is that seat
tercth and Vet incrcaScth. and there IL
that wltlhuldeill more than Is meet.
and II tendcih to poverty
But amid all his opportunities for do
Ing good Joseph was rich In Gods
grace. which helped him resist one OF
the darkest temptations which could
ever enter Il mans life You have read
the legend of the temptation of st An
thony! Well. Ioscph's temptations
We're even worse. David upon the
houSctop watching Bathshcba al the
pool was not in as great II moral dan
ger from Il human standpoint as was
the hero Of my text. Let inc describe
10 you the scene.
Rich In Grncc.
We are in the great capital of Mem
| phiS. We are standing under the shad-
ows of mighty obclisks and temples
aud pyramids which these men we see
about Us have built and are building
Wonder are the great harvest fields
where they grow the richest grain in
| the world. Here are the slaves at
work Io>cph the poor slave boy has
worked his way up until today he is
the right hand man of one of the chief
potcntltes OF l'haraoh's court But
rs he has gone up in life until he has
become manager of his masters estate
he has Kept all his rugged northern
Hebrew beauty. In this country OF
lasciviousnesS the wife of Potiphar
wishes to do with him as Cleopatra
did with her paramourS. When this
evil woman east her eyes upon this
youth he either had To- Weld or in dis
grace leave the masters house and he
ENGAGED in Il dungeon. From aillucnce
he was To 20 10 poverty. from honor
TO disgrace. from a position of power
To wear II convicts garb. Aye. the
temptation was awful But il came.
And when ii came Ioscph's God was
the God Of his strength. My young
friend. just rs certain rs you 20 up in
the world awful temptation will come
wooing You. Her smile will he the
smile of the cnchantrcSs. hut her hand
will Ice the claw of II demon You will
bc face To face with seeming annihila-
ton. And you must choose. VIII the
God of Joseph he your God in that aw
full day:
| Even the very best of men have
these awful temptations thrust upon
| them. Mir. Mckinley in an address
before II graduating class said that a
short time after his election To congress
| quite Il number of young men wished
TO he appointed 10 West Point from
his district. He had almost decided
TO send one young man there and had
told him so. Much Ia his surprise. the
next day this young man sent him q
letter inclosug ten SlUo bills. Mr..
Mckinley was then comparatively
poor man. At once he sent for this
young man. why did you give me
| $1,000 he asked. because" said the
young man. II thought IL might offer
you that YOU would be more willing to
nominate ne" AT once Mr.. Mckinley
gave the young man back his money.
| lie said: Under no conditions will |
now nominate you. II you are untrue
to your government now you will be
untrue Ia Your government when you
wear the United States uniform" That
was noble. That was brave ana true.
But il you had been poor congress
man would you have returned that
money: Perhaps not. unless. like 10.
seph or like Major Mckinley. in your
public as well as private life you were
AMI are sustained 10y the saving grace
of Gnd.
Thus. my friends. | feel that | am
speaking To some Joseph now in Poti-
| phar'S house | know not what may
be the temptation which is imminent.
II Is black for you. awfully black Bu;
he of good courage Remember. the
God of Joseph will hc your God You
may seem to be- defeated and destroy
al il you do the right now lIut wrong
will not triumph in the end put your
trust Ia Jesus Keep close 10 him lie
will help you bear that temptation.
Though for little while from poti
phar's house you may bc east into