Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-06-02

fIcHtll HutHluHTiHhs anu Hskcu llln
why he always was ut work he an-
swered. Il engrave lest | hang my
self" Thus all men can most easily
llnd contentncnt. not In idleness, but
ia severe and unrelenting toll.
InndeIs rs Old Men.
But there is still another fact I want
you 10 notice about the old soldiers:
The approach of old age and Of death
does not change mans views toward
God. IL he Is blasphcmer when lie
IL young he Is apt TO be n blaSphcner
when he Is old II he ridiculcS aud
snecrs at the Bible when he is . jung.
he Is apt TO be II scoiier and IN agnos.
tic when ne Is old. The most solemn
sentence | ever heard uttered was by
the chairman of the meeting when
spoke before the Old soldiers home.
at Sawtellc MIR Talmagc," he said.
you will have sitting before you all
kinds OF men. AgnosticS. iniidels and
atheists. ms well rs Christians, are all
here" What" | said to myself. "can
II lie possible that any OF these gray
their God, are men who dare to 20 To
sleep at night without the prayer upon
their lips that Christ will be their
Saviour"
Then. short time after In order
to corroboratc this statement. | said Ia
one of the chief chaplains Of the Grand
Army homes, chaplain. have you any
atheists and agnostics hcret' yes"
lie answered. but want 10 tell you q
very wonderful fact about this: Al
most without exception the good men
are believers in Jesus Christ. And the
old soldiers who are atheists and az.
nostics can lie clasSed among the can
teen men" All" then | said. that
accounts for the iniidcity among the
old soldiers" II Is the same reason
which accounts for infidelity every
where found among the men and the
women Of today. Atheism and agnos.
ticism and iniidelity are In most cases
not II matter of the head. but OF the
life
When man wants 10 drink and to
go to places Of evil resort. then that
man wants Ia argue away Christ.
Among the canteen men you lind most
Of the scOifers and the deridcrs OF Ie-
Sus Christ. Among the frequcnters OF
the saloons and of the low variety
shows and of the places of evil resort
you can find the most of those who are
enemies of the cross If you are ready
TO give up Your sins. then you are able
10 appreciate Christ. II is sin which
Is binding our eyes 10 the cross. and
not doubt. And would have YOU fur
thcrmorc remember that when YOU ap-
prOach the grave like the old soldiers
the more those sins will get tighter
grip upon you and the less you will be
able TO see Jesus Christ as lie is As |
now call 20 the old soldiers trembling
upon the verge of the grave would
call To you: Except ye xiv" up your
sins We shall never see the glory aud
the beauty OF Jesus Christ Repent.
Repent. Repent Of your sins or We
shall all likewise perish"
A Great Picture.
Oh, that we all might be what every
Christian veteran of the Grand Army
OF the Republic ought 10 he Some
time ago | saw one of the most dra
matte pictures ever painted 10y the
brush of man. 4 young society WON
an was seated on sofa in fashion
able home. \ young man in regula.
ton evening dress suit was In chair
opposite her. He had evidently lust
made an offer of marriage 10 this beau
tiful young girl and was waiting for
the answer. Her eyes were look ng
into the far distance. and there before
her. on his knees. with Il bloody band
age about his forehead. was the ghost
OF her soldier hero, with pleading
face and with arms 0utstrcichcd TO.
ward her begging his loved one 10 lie
true 10 his memory. That was pow.
crful picture. but no more powerful
than | see before me In many and
many an old veterans life. see the
old soldier sitting In the twilight of
life. He, too. sees two visions before
him. on the one side sits the man of
the world IN evening dress the symbol
OF the sin and the selfishness and the
evil of life. He Is saying 10 the old
veteran: Friend come with me We
have often together made merry Come
with me-" On the other side OF the old
veteran see the ghost of young sol.
dicr arising and pleading with the vet
eran 10 be as he once was. when he went
forth 10 war. The old face of the vet
eran and the young face of the ghost
are one. The young face seems TO
say: BE like me. BE like me when
you went forth 10 battle for your ma
tive land. when the kiss Of Christian
mother was upon your forehead he
like me when you used 20 kncel down
Ia simple faith and say your prayers
Re like me when YOU used 10 read your
Bible. oh. aged veteran. Ice like me-"
And there sits the veteran on the verge
~ the grave. with two spirits the
good spirit and the bad spirit plead
ing with him
The picture changes. Now instead
OF the veteran sitting In the chair |
I