Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-10-14

loosed or the golden bowl broken or the
pitcher broken at the fountain or the
wheel broken at the cistern when your
dear ones were translated? Your BROTH
err how did he go? Your mother said
TO the nurse, Now, nurse. think
John Is better tonight. but II you need
me just give rap upon the floor and
will come up" II seemed that you
were asleep only little while when
co,nmotion In the house made you leap
out Of bed. You rushed to your broth
er's room. You saw the breathing be-
coming heavier and heavier. At last
the doctor said, "He Is gone" You
looked at the clock. and you heard II
striking. "One. two. three" When did
your mother die? At noon? In the even
linz twilight. when the flush OF the set
ting sun was slowly fading away and
Its ball Of fire was sinking behind the
western hills? oh. no. You had been
awake all night worrying about her.
The last relapse came about = o'clock
In the morning. Her life went out with
the Growing of the cock and with the
first glimpse of the dawn. The reason
why most people die in the early hours
OF the morning Is because the sun has
long been very far away from us. At
that time there is less vitality In the
air. Then our physical hold on earthly
life is weakest. So. my friends. as
earth grips us less about = or 3 o'clock
In the morning let the Holy Spirit grip
us closer to Christ. Let these few min
utcs In the early morning he to us sa-
cred moments for communion with
God. When we awaken don't rebuke
the Holy Spirit and break the divine
spell. Let us then hear old Eli saying:
"1he Lord would commune with thee.
Listen. child: listen. listen TO the voice
of the Lord"
But the voice Of the Lord IL heard in
the daylight as well rs In the darkness.
when we are standing upon our feet as
well as when we are lying upon our
backs. when we are tramping over the
hillsilcs. or sitting by the seashore, or
watching the mad rush of the whirlpool
rapids OF Niagara falls. or when we
are In the presence OF the pyrOtechnics
of thunderstorm. or when we watch
bird build her nest. or the wild flower
lift up its cheeks TO he kissed by the
sunbcans In mountain glen. or when
we hear the ripping Of the brook leap
ing over the rocks To find n bathing
pool In which the fcathered songsters
can take their morning bath. And OF
all places where the voice Of the Lord
can be heard distinctly speaking to us
I believe that voice can best be heard
In the "silent places of nature, far
away from the habitations of man. II
human being cannot hear the voice or
the Lord In the woods and on the
boun,lless prairics or from the deck OF
steamer or sailing ship cutting the
waters of the mighty deep. then | be-
lieve II IL almost impossible for him 10
hear the divine voice speaking under
cathedral tower or from pulpit In the
village kirk. Yet some people make a
boast that for them the lips Of nature
are absolutely dumb. In II they can
neither hear the love OF man nor the
love of God calling them to the better
and the nober and the higher life.
Denf TO Voice of Nature.
Mime de Stac was the great French
leader of II Partisan salon. She was
the one woman whom Napoleon I.
feared more than the n1rshaled armies
OF any crowned head q europe. She
was the brilliant daughter Of famous
father She was eXiled from NapO-
Icons capital on account OF her sway
over the minds of the French people.
Yet she once declared that when the
voice of nature spoke to her II always
spoke to deaf ears Said she: IF was
in Naples | would not care II never
lifted the curtain Of my room and look
ed out of my hotel window mt the bay
so many people rave about. ! would
not go ten feet TO see the grandeur and
the sublimity Of the sun capped Alps.
But would he willing To travel clear
around the world TO hear brilliant
man talk whom | had never met be-
fore"
Sad sad, such a testimony as that.
J. IIiuil II Utsii W tut Ntit' VI fou
Ing TO him in the silent places" of ma
ture he IL deaf To some of the sweetest
and clearest plcadings OF the divine
love For my own part never see the
wild flowers growing either In valley
or upon mountain height but they call
to me: "f'ricnd. consider the lilies Of
the fields. Christ Is weaving for me my
garments. Shall he not clothe his hu-
man children. q We of little faithy
never see mother bird caring for her
young but she calls 10 me: Il am a
sparrow. God feeds me. God will feed
you" ! never stand before great
natural wonder. like Kilauea or Y0sem.
lite or Gothard pass. but over II and
underneath II and all around II myri.
ads OF voices are calling from the ''si.
lent places of nature as the voice of
the Lord called TO Moses out OF the
burning bush: Take thy shoes OF
from thy feet. for this Is holy ground.
Thou art now In the presence OF thy
Maker. | am God. Listen 10 me and
obey me. am God. who made all