Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-11-22
SATURDAY MIGHT
SERMONS -
REySAMUELW. PUPyIS.D.D.
BLAZING THE TRAIL.

bLAktNO luB tKAtL.
Text, THE voice Of him that crieth ~
the wilderness. Prepare ye the way Of the
Lord "Isa xl. 2
They showed me n road In Lamar
county. Miss. where my great grand
father had blazed his way rs pioneer
through swamp and forest Of the old
Bayou State. lie was but a type of
the iron hearted pathnnders who
through hardship and deprivation.
with the spirit Of high adventure and
romantic glory. cut the trees and broke
the twigs In the virgin Businesses OF
the new western world Not only were
there gold and free lands and home
steads but there was the lure of some
thing beyond the range" over prairie
mountain ana desert. the wandorlust
and the quest for something new From
the eastern scaboard the dusty prairie
schooner slowly crept along river bot
tom and over mountain From the
blue Iuniaia TO where rolls the Ore.
gon" they left dying embers and often
tiny graves And that pioneer wo.
man. like that statue 10 her In Den.
yer. babe In her arm. musket In hand
defending child and home. 1t thrills
me yet. No wonder Colorado Is wo-
mans suffrage state Its earliest wom-
en- We're east In heroic mold
The Start Of the Trail
How simply is the way begun. /
stood on the corner Of Swarming
street OF great western city Back
of the passing crowds looked and
saw, not the paved street and heavy
motor truck but lone deer on it's way
to q salt lick. breaking through the
undcrbrush A wolf shifted the tracks
in the soft earth Soon buffalo bruised
their cumbrous way 4 band Of soft
footed Indians pi.Ssed the path Pio
neers and trappers cut their mark or
tree bark. Pony ridcra lopcl wider
the trail. White covered prairie wagon
enlarged the road Soon there's vii
lagc street with struggling stores To-
day crowded thoroushfare with 100.
600 pedestrians The crook in the
street at that magnificent skyscraper
IS where the deer turned his head 10
browse on some tender leaves Human
life is a struggle through forest thar
at last leads 10 the city of our God
Countless generations are born isno.
rant of their whereabouts. bringing NO
compass. no knowledge of pole star to
guide only rising and setting sun and
many hours OF darkness Most are
glad to follow the trail hlazed by the
centuries before Now and then Il
youth strikes ont for himself II he
succeeds there's new highway. If he
fails his bones do but whiten the des
ert or act as Il warning TO some ir
trepid one in forest brake
The Pathfnders.
Shortly ago ! stood on the New Jer.
sey sands where great airship had
burst into flames and plunged with
sickening speed into the sea. carrying
its five horror bound navigators 1905
feet through the rays OF rising sun
to their death Before their eyes
passed In single flashing moment OF
terror Il stupendous allcgory Of life. Of
the soul OF man When afterward |
looked on the tragic wreck OF the air
ship that was 10 cross the ocean the
spirits of NlrlsH \aniiuan and hiI
brother calvin ami thar three mrch-
anicianS iilled my eyes Ia each wac
embodied supremacy the instructive
vision and human courage which con
ceives Of triumph IN untried spheres
and goes willingly to death TO tess
their dreams From the ranks %
these have come the pathlnders. the
trail breakers. OF human achievement
Where Imagination leads they will fol
low. Fcnimore C0opers Pathfinder
whether it be John Z. Fremont or any
Of the 800 acronauis who up TO this
writing have checrfully died. pioneers
Of the air. are of one blood They
died Alright Columbus sailing I'm
charted seas Commander Pcary IN the
arctic Lieutenant Scott in the ant
arctic. Dr Grcnfcll IN Labrador. Johr
Brown at IIarper> Ferry. Father Ms
thew and Neal Dow in New England,
Paul. the pioneer missionary. AT the
Hellcspont. carey In India. Living
stone in Africa. are part of those who
with bleeding feet and aching heart
have carried forward the banner OF the
cross or th,. standards Of humanity
"via crueis."
like John the BAPTIST Yes. he was
crude. with his garment of camel hair
md his fare Of locust and wild honey
lie was crude Iiut don't laugh a,
man because he IS crude and uncouth
and has slc.lge hammer ways OF doing
things The men who blazed the way
across nrr continent 10 where smiling
sralnlie,d. aud trim hedges and com
Portable homes ~ some of rs now